Everyone works their whole life to pay bills, go on vacation, provide for their kids, and much more. Most people dream of the day when they can retire. It is interesting to me how few people actually work as hard at planning their retirement as they do each and every day they show up for work.
With a few smart decisions everyone can retire early if they want, provided they do not have any unforeseen medical issues, unemployment, or live through a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina. Those things will obviously put a wrench in anybodys financial plans for the future but with the proper planning even those events cant stop you from achieving your goals. Just imagine how bad your future would look if you didnt plan properly?
The first, and most important, decision you have to make when planning your future is the one to live within your means. Many people in this country feel the need to keep up with the Jones. Their friend or neighbor gets a nice new car so they go out and do the same. How do you know if that person you are trying to keep up with isnt buried in a pile of debt?
People max out their credit cards, keep no money in a savings account,...