more prevalent because of falling birth rates and longer life expectancies. What it means for women is that we have to consider seriously about saving for the future if we want to retire with a high standard of living. We have to ensure that we participate in the workforce and remain in the workforce even after having children in order to have money to live on, and to be able to raise our children. It means that all women, if possible, need to build a nest egg whilst they are in their working years. It is a known fact that women have lower retirement savings than men because they spend less time in the workforce. There is a direct link between the time you spend in the workforce and your retirement income. Participation in the workforce builds super savings (as you receive the compulsory 9 per cent required from your employer), increases your skills and income and enables you to make voluntary contributions that can be tax effective. Although getting old is inevitable many of us don't think about it until it arrives. With advancement in technology and medicine we are currently living longer than in the past. A longer life span means more time as an aged person and as a retiree. Picture the kind of lifestyle you want to have in retirement. Do you want to be able to afford the things you want, and be able to indulge in hobbies such as traveling and doing charity work?