Do you actually have enough to retire?

The honest answer is that there is no single number in your account that magically tells you if you will be okay. Retirement is not just about the balance you have today. It is about your habits, your timeline, and the life you actually want to live later on.

There are some general benchmarks that can help give you perspective. Many financial planning firms suggest that by age 35, you should aim to have about one to one and a half times your annual salary saved for retirement, and around three times your salary by age 40. These are not hard rules. They are just checkpoints to help you see if you are moving in the right direction.

So if you are 35 with $35,000 saved, the more important question is not just “Is that enough?” The real question is how that compares to your income and what your future savings plan looks like.

It is not just the number in your account today. What matters most is whether your income in retirement will be enough to cover your expenses.

That means you need to start thinking about what your life will actually cost later on. Many people underestimate how much they will still be spending in retirement. Housing, food, utilities, and transportation do not disappear. In fact, some costs increase.

Some of the most commonly forgotten retirement expenses include:

Healthcare is one of the biggest expenses in retirement. According to Fidelity’s annual retirement analysis, the average 65 year old retiring today may need around $165,000 in after tax savings to cover healthcare expenses throughout retirement. This estimate does not include long-term care.

Insurance is another cost people forget about. Even in retirement, you may still be paying for:

When you start thinking about retirement, it is important to look at the full picture of your future monthly expenses, not just the size of your investment account.

Another key factor is your timeline. Retiring at 60 requires a much larger nest egg than retiring at 67 or 70. The number of years you plan to work, and the number of years you may spend in retirement, both matter. Consistency also plays a huge role. Many retirement experts suggest saving around 15% of your income for retirement over your working years, including any employer match.

That consistent habit is often more important than where you start. At age 35, you likely still have around 30 years until retirement. That is decades of compound growth ahead of you. The balance you have today matters, but the contributions you make over the next 20 to 30 years matter far more.

So if you are 35 with $35,000 saved, you might be slightly behind some benchmarks depending on your income, but you are not too late and you are not doomed. Retirement is not built in one big deposit. It is built through thousands of small, consistent decisions over time.

If I were in that situation, I would focus on four things:

The real answer to whether you will have enough to retire is not found in one number today. It is found in your savings rate, your timeline, your future expenses, and your consistency over the years ahead.

In May, we’re taking a trip to Puerto Rico as a family, and this one feels really special to me.

It will be Dante’s second time on an airplane and his second real vacation. We’re also celebrating James heading into high school next year, which still feels surreal to even say. But what makes this trip the most meaningful is that it’s the first vacation where all of us are going together.

Those are the kinds of moments I want to spend money on. Not more stuff for the house. Not things that get forgotten in a drawer. I want memories, experiences, and time together.

Because of that, I wanted this trip to feel good before, during, and after. That meant one thing for me: this had to be a debt-free vacation. The money for this trip was saved ahead of time. No credit cards. No figuring it out later.

I started planning for this trip over a year ago, and setting aside money months ago in a sinking fund just for this trip. Little by little, it built up. That is honestly the biggest secret to stress-free vacations. Time and consistency.

There were also a few intentional decisions we made that saved us some money.

For flights, I started watching prices early (like back in November of 2025). I didn’t panic buy the first price I saw, but I also didn’t wait until the last minute. I checked prices once or twice a week and bought when the cost dropped into a range I felt comfortable with for my budget. For most trips, the best prices tend to show up about one to three months before travel, depending on the season. Setting a price alert helps take the pressure off constantly checking.

Where we stayed was another big choice. At first, I looked at resorts because that’s what people usually picture for a trip like this. In fact, 95% of the time, that’s where we stay. But when I really thought about what our family needed, the numbers didn’t make sense.

We needed more space. We needed a separate room for James. And with a toddler, I wanted a fenced backyard where Dante could play safely. I wanted a kitchen to cook meals for the kids, like lunches and meals to bring to the beach!

When I compared options, we found an Airbnb home that gave us more space, more privacy, and more kid friendly features for much less than a resort. It wasn’t just cheaper. It actually fit our life better.

We also plan to grocery shop once we get there. Even just covering breakfast, snacks, and a few simple meals at the house can save hundreds of dollars compared to eating out for every single meal. Plus having a toddler, eating out for every meal isn’t an option. My toddler is full of energy and sitting in a restaurant for each meal, seems very stressful to me.

As we get closer to the trip, I’m still planning for the smaller things too. Transportation, activities, and everyday spending money. But those were part of the savings goal from the beginning, so there are no surprises.

If you’re thinking about a trip or family vacation, here are some of the most helpful vacation savings hacks that have worked for me over the years:

Start a sinking fund early.
Even small weekly or monthly contributions add up when you give yourself enough time.

Book flights during the “middle window.”
Avoid booking too early or too late. For many trips, especially domestic or Caribbean travel, prices are often better one to three months before departure.

Set price alerts instead of checking constantly.
Use tools like Google Flights or airline alerts so you get notified when prices drop.

Travel on less popular days.
Flying midweek, especially Tuesday or Wednesday, is often cheaper than weekends. Even flying on a Friday for us was cheaper than on Saturday.

Choose lodging based on your real needs.
More space, a kitchen, or kid friendly features can save you money and stress compared to a resort.

Grocery shop when you arrive.
Covering breakfast, snacks, and a few meals at your rental can cut your food budget dramatically.

Plan your spending before you go.
Decide how much you want to spend on food, activities, and transportation so you’re not guessing during the trip. Do your research EARLY. Give yourself enough time to save!

Save for the small costs too.
Souvenirs, tips, ride shares, and airport meals add up quickly if you don’t plan for them.

The goal isn’t just to take the trip.
The goal is to come home with memories, not a credit card bill.

That’s the kind of vacation I want for my family, and I’m really looking forward to this one.

If you’ve been dreaming about a trip, start the sinking fund now. Even if it’s small. Time is what makes the biggest difference.

Too often, we let failure become a stumbling block on our financial journey. Did you really fail, or did you come across an opportunity to learn? To me, failure only means one thing.

In this episode, we break down a real-life money story from a 38-year-old in Las Vegas who is technically in the green, but still feels financially stuck. If you have ever felt like you are doing everything right but still not feeling secure, this episode is for you.

The Building Blocks of Budgeting is the complete budgeting system I created after years of trial, error, and real-life experience. This course walks you through seven core building blocks, with step-by-step lessons, worksheets, and videos, so you can create a realistic plan, pay off debt, grow your savings, and build lasting confidence with your money. It’s self-paced, includes lifetime access, and is designed to help you build a budget that honors your life, goals, and values.

This month, we are prepping for a brand new year, and new year goals. A few gems to check out:

Happy Valentine’s Day! Use these cute, themed envelopes to keep your cash for celebrating the day!

Until next time,