When New Yorkers Melinda and Rob DeRocker hired Gebhart in January, they realized they'd been paying more attention to their careers than what they were working for. Gebhart made the couple write down their goals. They also want to have money set aside to care for their parents if necessary. Monitor spending for at least three months, said Gebhart, who guarantees people will be surprised where they could cut back. Take advantage of your job's benefits.
Many employers provide preretirement seminars.
Pay yourself first. Have a plan to save a certain amount of money each week or month, and stick to it. Forgue also suggested the Web as a resource for figuring out how much money you'll need to save every month for retirement or any financial goals. Figuring out where your money goes and your net worth might also inspire you to save more and trim expenses, he said. Even if you don't have credit card debt, chances are you can and should cut back, Gebhart added.