Gray Wolf Productions

Tag: finances

  • Why Having A Job May Not Help Your Retirement

    at my job

    We used to think that staying in or at a job for years until we reached “retirement” age or about 65 was the way to live. Many stayed with jobs that did not exactly love, but the job provided security in the form of paying into Social Security, and sometimes a company pension plan.

    And as we aged in that job, we figured these “perks” wold carry us into retirement and into our golden years of older ages. 

    Not so – according to recent research!

    Almost a third of workers (28%) say they have less than $1,000 in savings and investments that could be used for retirement, not counting their primary residence or defined benefits plans such as traditional pensions. And 57% say they have less than $25,000, according to a telephone survey of 1,003 workers and 1,001 retirees from the non-profit Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and Greenwald and Associates. Previous surveys from EBRI and other groups have shown similar savings rates.

    Not having enough saved away at present may lead you think you’ll just keep working at that job.

    But will that job still want you?
    Or will it want a younger less expensive employee?


    Or, if you are young enough, you may think “well there’s lots of years left until I retire I’ll just start saving in a few years.”  But you probably won’t – you won’t save then because you’re not saving now. We have debts we have bills we have other things that we use our money for and we tend to not think about retirement when we’re young.

    As I have suggested before, a better way to plan for your future whether you’re working at a job now is to find some form of self employment.  For starters, being self-employed is good for tax savings. I’m one who does not mind paying my federal and state income taxes. But I also do not like paying more than I have to.  At least in the United  at least in the US,States, the tax code favors the self-employed. There are many more deductions, legitimate deductions, for people who are self-employed then there are for people who work for others.

    What kind of self-employment is good for YOU? Possible for YOU?
    That will be covered in the next post……

    stay tuned

    Comments?
    Questions?

  • About Stress and 5 Stress Busters

    stressAre you stressed?


    Why we have so many more people feeling stressed these days has been attributed to factors such as job concerns, crime, changing societal and religious practices, etc.

    I am not sure what stresses you, but I do know that the two reasons most people do not sleep well at night are worries about their health and about their finances. 

     
    Like the picture shows – when you are worried about health and money – ringing phones are themselves a stressor!

    And I also know that stress leads to a lack of adequate sleep and that stress is a major cause of health problems.
     
    Caveat – some stress is good for us – it can be motivating. 
     

    This post is about that stress which can be harmful and bad stress takes one on a cycle of – well – more stress.

    The cycle goes like this:
    • worry about health and money
    • sleep less well
    • get more stressed
    • get stress-related illnesses
    • worry more about health
    • sleep even less well
    • get even more stressed
    • and so on…..

    Here are 5 ways to start reducing your stress:

    1 – you must get adequate sleep

    How?
    • going to bed at the same time every evening
    • not watching TV in bed
    • not having an argument before bedtime
    • not reading murder mysteries at bedtime
    • no late night eating – except maybe a glass of warm milk
    Hard? Yes. Impossible? No!

    2- you must exercise

    I know it’s harder to exercise when you are stressed. So think of daily small things you can do that make your body move. 
    • stairs instead of elevators 
    • walking more 
    • jumping jacks. 
    • hopping or running in place in your house while watching TV or listening to the radio

    3- you must eat properly

    This means the right nutrition and at the right times because bodies need fuel just like your car does – and your body needs the right fuel and at the right time just like your car does.
    • eat only when you are actually hungry
    • snack on vegetables and fruit
    • drink more water – a lot of “feeling” hungry is actually a need for hydration
    • avoid soft drinks
    • eat breakfast every day

    4- you have to socialize

    • spend quiet time with family
    • go for a walk with friends
    • hang out on Facebook or Twitter
    • chat with your neighbors

    5 – And the hardest for many – you must earn more income

    I know the economy is not great but there are home-based business models that do well in an economic downturn. 
    • check out the company [due diligence]
    • find a product that you really love and use it
    • talk to your friends
    • don’t expect overnight success – be patient but always take a daily step forward with your new business.

     

    Comments? Thoughts? Thank you!

     

     


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