Live comfortably after you stop working. Is that an illusion?

Sitting around and doing nothing is overrated, even if that "nothing" is sitting on the beach, sipping margaritas. People need purpose and goals in life I think, even at age 60 or so. Indeed, new research is showing that retirment does seem to kill people. Not everyone. But a significantly higher percentage of people who retire and do nothing contract serious diseases like cancer, heart disease and dementia as compared with people who didn't retire or semi-reitired.

As far as having enough money to retire? At current rates, I think a person has to start saving like $20K/year at age 25 in order to have enough money for a comfortable retirement, to live to 85 or 90 and not run out of money. Lots of people can't afford that. Job losses happen, divorces happen. Serious illnesses happen. Keeping up with the Joneses and having the fancy car and vacations all compete with retirement savings. And many people find themselves next to broke.

I'll consider myself lucky if I manage to save enough to have a retirement like I see in all those investment commercials.

My husband and I are retired and are still fairly 'young'

We are comfortable financially but we do not live above our means either

We are active with friends and family and live quite a full and healthy life

It is not an illusion but it is relative

Work hard and watch how you spend

Live comfortably after you stop working. Is that an illusion? No it's not, making money and living comfortably with anything you'd want.

Some can do it, most cannot. After spending a lifetime working, most people cannot adjust to life without work, they start to feel useless, and forgotten.

I got a ways to go, but when I stop working is when they say good bye, and I will be on my way to heavenly places. :P

Not if you made the right preparations and choices.