thanks,
and yes, a pittance of a pension
and regular checkups keep us on budget
and head off any problems — best decision i ever made (financial or otherwise) was serving our country doing search -
and - rescue, oil
and chemical spill remediation, etc. (you can guess the branch of service)-- along the way, frugal living, along with dollar - cost averaging, asset allocation,
and diversification allowed us to retire early — Vanguard has been very good
over the years, despite the Dot Bomb, 2002,
and the recession (where we actually came out better with a modest but bargain retirement home purchase)... it's not easy building additional «legs» on a retirement platform, but now that we're here, cash, real estate, investments
and insurance products, along with a small pension all help to avoid any real dependence on social security (we won't even need it at full retirement age)-- however, like nearly everybody, we're headed for Medicare in several years, albeit with a nice supplemental
and pharmacy benefits — but our main concern is
staying fit, active,
and healthy!
This approach has enabled me to maintain a good level of conditioning year «round without stressing
over my diet,
stay healthy and fit while also maintaining a robust,
healthy and flexible metabolism.
Scientific evidence demonstrates regular exercise improves your productivity, sleep quality
and blood flow to your brain, 1 while reducing the development of damaging neurological plaques.2 Unfortunately, less than 25 percent of Americans
over the age of 45 engage in resistance exercises, 3 which are among the most important exercises to
stay fit and healthy.
Staying fit is usually at the top of my list — not necessarily because I'm feeling guilty about all the sweets I devoured
over the holidays (okay, that's part of it), but because I want to challenge myself to be stronger
and healthier than the year before.