Quicken can create a budget for you automatically, based on your actual income and spending, helping you find easy places to save. Most people think of budgeting as a painful, penny-pinching exercise, but a good budget doesn’t have to be like that at all. Quicken includes “What If” loan calculators that can show you just how much those extra payments can save you in interest. So it’s never too early to start, and it’s always worth contributing something.Īnother option is to use that money to pay down a high-interest credit card balance or car loan. In fact, saving a small amount can make a huge difference, especially if you start young.ĭepending on the market rate of return, putting just $100 toward your retirement each month starting at the age of 25 could give you over $239,000 by the time you retire. If your retirement is still a long way off, it’s easy to feel like saving a few extra dollars here or there won’t make that much of a difference.
The software tracks it automatically, with reports to show you how it’s changing over time. Quicken displays your net worth at the bottom of your account list, making that calculation for you. By focusing on it throughout your financial journey, you can grow your net worth into a comfortable, secure retirement-and maybe even retire early. When you’re first starting out, that number is usually negative, and that’s okay. The higher your net worth, the more resources you have to draw on when the time comes. Net worth is the value of all your assets (cash, investments, and the stuff you own) minus your liabilities (loans and other debts-what you owe). That’s why your net worth is so important. It means paying down your debts as aggressively as you can and saving up for the future. Planning for retirement is about growing your assets until you have enough saved up to live on for the rest of your life. That's an important first step in financial management, but living month-to-month only gets you so far. Focus on your net worthĮarly on in life, people tend to focus on cash management and making sure they have enough money to cover their bills. What to do while you’re saving for retirement 1. Whether retirement still feels like a long way off or right around the corner (or even if you’re already there), there are things you can be doing today to make your retirement more financially secure.