Shane Flait asked:


alth and activity level passes through 3 phases during retirement. And that’ll alter our living options and expenses. By recognizing this, you can modify your living expenses now to suit your wishes and happiness. I’ll outline these phases and the actions you can take to optimize your lifestyle choices by minimizing your expenses.

The 3 phases of retirement are:

1) Healthy, Active and Independent Stage: Usually you begin your retirement in this phase. Your activity and lifestyle choice determines your expense level – and the associated income you need. Choosing a satisfying lifestyle with little expense may be best for you. This stage can last as long as your money and health hold out.

2) Minor Health Problems with Slowdown and Almost Independent Stage: You’re still living independently but running into minor health issues. Hopefully you’re doing what you want but are just slowing down. This stage may present the lowest expenses – i.e. the least demand for income. Hopefully, this is the last stage for many – no matter how long they live.

3) Infirmed and Dependent Stage: Eventually, the full effects of ‘old age’ will infirm many retirees. Three out of four1 future retirees will require long term care in their homes and nursing homes. Costs2 can be substantial – rising to as much as $80,000 per year for nursing home care in the U.S.

You can control the expenses of the first two stages by optimizing your lifestyle and activity choices. That way you’ll know what retirement income you really need. And that can be far less than you think for a lifestyle you choose.

Recognizing the inevitability of our health’s progression will get you to take the action now to choose a lifestyle you’ll like and can afford.

Group your expenses into 3 categories:

1. The Basics: Housing, transportation, and meals

2. Entertainment

3. Healthcare

Throughout your first two phases, The Basics stay roughly the same, while entertainment decreases with decreased health and activity levels. Healthcare expenses trend slowly up but can dominate expenses in phase 3 especially if you need to go into a nursing home.

You can modify the expense for your Basics and Entertainment by choosing a lifestyle that maximizes your enjoyment but minimizes expenses. If you maintain living as when working – same house and location – your expense may be roughly the same.

But if you’re willing to decide what’s really important to you – and stop paying for what isn’t – then you can drastically reduce your Basics and Entertainment in a variety of ways.

Examples include lowering your housing costs by buying down, taking on a renter; selling your car for a cheaper version; moving to a cheaper region of the country; or moving offshore for further reducing expenses. I offer ideas at my website.

Choose Your Lifestyle and Act On It:

Of course, you should lower your expenses but keep them compatible to the kind of lifestyle you’d find fulfilling. But you’ve got to think about what that is and act upon it. Perhaps follow your heart or dream. Happiness often accompanies a meaningful purpose to living.

Enjoyable and fulfilling examples may include living peaceably in a low income country, painting or writing as you always wanted to do, working as a volunteer or doing low paying charity work. Hopefully, such avocations will increase your zest for life – and maintain your health and activity phase longer. But it won’t happen unless you make it happen.

So don’t procrastinate and prepare yourself for action:

1) Decide what lifestyle will bring you fulfillment and joy in your ‘retirement’

2) Search out all the ways you can modify your expenses so your income can support your lifestyle of choice.

Reducing unnecessary expenses may free up future income to pay for assistance and healthcare costs you develop in phase 2. Living offshore in a low income country often presents very inexpensive hired help for you as you get older.

And what if you succumb to the dependency and afflictions of phase 3?

If you have about $1m or more, your investment earnings can cover your care so you can leave a legacy to your children. With less wealth, you could purchase long term care insurance to protect whatever wealth you do have from going all to your long term care costs.

If you’ve given your wealth away and are broke, Medicaid will pick up the tab. So you needn’t worry about money.

Above all, don’t live your life for phase 3 – live it for phase 1.

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Anthony Funari asked:

There are many misunderstandings, misconceptions and myths about working at home. Understanding the work at home lifestyle is the only way to weed out the rumors and get to the truth about working at home. The work at home lifestyle is about learning how to make working at home work for you.

The work at home lifestyle is highlighted by the freedom you have. Most work at home jobs are going to be freelance positions or independent contracting positions. These include affiliate programs, data entry, surveys and product selling, both commercial products and craft items. What this means is that you are your own boss. You do not work with the company but rather contract jobs through the company.

You choose when you work and how much you work. You may even be able to control how much you earn. It all relates to how much time, effort and money that you invest in your work at home business. Investment of time, energy and diligence equals profits for your small business. If you choose a job that is right for you, then you will find that you are working around your life, not shaping your life around work. That is the ultimate freedom.

The work at home lifestyle is all about control. You are in control. Just as you get freedom from restrictions, you also get control over your new working status. You can choose the job you want and you can choose to work or not work. You can choose a job that lets you be in complete control or you can choose a more structured job.

The beauty of working at home is that you can make it whatever suits you. You are not struck with business hours and you are not stuck in some working mold. The work at home environment is your world to shape as you wish.

Most people want to work at home for the lifestyle. It is intriguing. Before you quit your job through and jump into working at home you have to get prepared. Very few individuals can simply just start working from home. It take time to find the right venue and preparation to start working at home and be successful at it. The key to being successful with a work at home business is research. Forums and social sites can provide valuable information towards the goal of starting a small home business. Get prepared as possible and then you can become a part of the work at home lifestyle.

You also have to understand that the work at home lifestyle is a bit different for each person. It all really depends on your situation and what job you choose. It is important that you do not come into the work at home industry with any preconceived notions or ideas or you could set yourself up for disappointment and possible failure. Careful investigations of any home biz opportunity is vital to your success.

Working from home is not for everyone, but more and more people around the world are turning to the Internet for work from home solutions to the current financial crisis. Understanding the work at home lifestyle will help to understand the truth about the home business industry and will also help you disregard the false information that is out there.

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Paul Rodgers asked:


 

Building a healthy lifestyle is a cornerstone to living a full life. Living a healthy lifestyle is more than just cutting calories to lose weight or taking the stairs. A healthy lifestyle is one based on maintaining physical, social and spiritual well being. Remember, a healthy lifestyle is about balance, calculated choices and motivation. A key component to living a healthy lifestyle is exercising on a regular basis.

Exercise

Over the years, research has shown us that diet and exercise play an important role in the prevention of heart disease. Before developing an exercise plan, discuss with your health care team what exercises, if any, would be good for you. Exercise can be fun and the best way to make sure it’s habitual is to incorporate an activity you enjoy into your lifestyle, such as a favorite sport or a nice walk. Regular exercise that makes you sweat is important for detoxification and improving general health.

Physical aerobic exercise is critically important, because it gets oxygen, sugar (as glucose), and nutrients to the brain. Eat a variety of healthy foods from all food groups Drink plenty of water Exercise 30 minutes or more most days of the week. Whatever kind of exercise and nutrition plans you opt for, do not become discouraged if the pounds refuse to drop off right away.

Work On Your Fitness

If you have come to the decision that living a healthy lifestyle is what you want, then you will need to work on your fitness. Fitness gives your body the conditioning it needs and works hand in hand with a healthy diet. Fitness keeps your weight in check, helps you sleep better at night, prevents heart attacks and strokes and generally prolongs your life. If you can work up a good sweat for 30 minutes, and hold a conversation during that time without being out of breath, you are giving your body a proper workout for cardiovascular fitness and weight loss. Those who have experienced the good health effects of being fit, however, seldom allow themselves to loose too much fitness.

Healthy Diet And Exercise

Healthy diet and exercise are the cornerstones of proper weight management. Healthy food should be eaten as close to the way nature made it as possible; and in this author’s eyes that means RAW. At the farmer’s market or vegetable stand, watch for tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, blackberries, blueberries and watermelon as all are high in anti-oxidants to keep you healthy. Cooking method is extremely important if you are eating healthily because what’s the use of choosing healthy foods then unwisely cooking them by adding excessive oil and fats.

By making healthy nutrition and exercise choices early in life, you may be able to avoid serious health problems when you are older, such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Cut down on the amount of meat you eat, or consider switching to healthy vegetarian eating. Eating small snacks between meals can be a healthy way to add good nutrition and keep your energy up during the day. The key with snacks is to have healthy stuff on hand.

The Mediterranean Diet

If you’re looking for a heart-healthy eating plan, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you. The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating – plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps a glass of red wine – among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

Multivitamins

As you age multivitamins become especially important because multivitamins can help you maintain the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Multivitamins are the safest things that anyone can take and are even safer than drinking coffee, an expert panel has discovered. Multivitamins are an easy way for Americans to garner the vitamins and minerals they need every day to better their health, and general well being. While multivitamins can be a valuable tool to correct dietary imbalances, it is worth exercising basic caution before taking them, especially if any medical conditions exist. Liquid multivitamins don’t have to be digested so they are absorbed within the system a lot quicker than pills. Liquid multivitamins naturally go down easy and are available in a variety of flavors (children enjoy this aspect).

Conclusion

Man health issues need to be taken seriously. Living a healthy lifestyle is not an impossible goal. Living a healthy lifestyle is one of the best choices you can ever make and those who have and continue to do, never regret it.



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Kevin Riley asked:

Does your business bring you happiness? Is your business built around your lifestyle? Or is your life forced to conform to your business?

Bhutan’s King Jigme Singye Wangchuck gained some fame for putting forward the “radical” idea that a country’s success should not be measured in terms of its GNP. Instead, he suggested measuring the success of a nation by its GNH—its Gross National Happiness. He pointed out that if the people are not leading happy, fulfilling lives, it doesn’t matter how healthy a country’s economy is.

This same notion can easily be applied to your business. If it’s not making you happy, it may be time to re-assess the reasons you went into business in the first place.

= Why Did You Start Your Business? =

Did you start your own business for money or freedom? Did you want to be in full control of your time and your life? What are your priorities?

Maybe you wanted to get away from the rat race of the corporate world. Maybe you pictured yourself free from five days a week in a cramped cubicle, pictured yourself spending more time with your family. You saw yourself choosing your own hours and having time to enjoy your hobbies, travel, sports.

Running a business can either give you that freedom or it can rob you of it. It all depends on how you build your business in the first place. If you set some rules from the beginning, define what you want to do, then build your business around your lifestyle, you will reap a high level of GBH—Gross Business Happiness.

= How To Get Happiness From Your Business =

First, decide what you want in your life. Picture your ideal lifestyle. Do you want to spend long vacations in other lands? Do you want to work evenings and have your days free for golf? Do you want to stay at your ski chalet for a month every Spring? Write down exactly what your business will allow you to do … what kind of lifestyle it will let you lead.

Next, write down what you will or will not do in your business. Do you like meeting customers? Or would you rather keep them on the other side of a computer screen? Do you want to go on business trips? Or are you a happy homebody? Do you want to sell physical products? Or do you want to sell downloadable information products or software … and avoid the hassles of inventory?

Using a list of rules for your business will also ensure that your business is successful. When your goals for your business reflect the priorities in your life, it is much easier to be disciplined and follow your business plan.

= When Your Business Fits Your Lifestyle It Will Flourish =

Because your business activities allow for your lifestyle, there is less temptation to sidetrack you from the jobs you need to accomplish. You’ll find it much easier to stick to your goals. Since your business doesn’t intrude on your life, your life doesn’t interfere with your business.

Spend some time building your business around your lifestyle. Build it around your needs and wants, and your business will bring you not only money … but also happiness.

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Joe Goertz asked:


For years medical professionals have been claiming that what a person eats directly affects how long they will live. Those who incorporate natural foods that are low in fat into their diet are leading a much healthier lifestyle than someone who frequents a fast food restaurant.

People who live a healthy lifestyle sometimes need to give up convenience for the sake of eating healthier. This seems to be changing in recent years. Many fast food restaurants are recognizing this trend towards a healthy lifestyle and are now adding alternative food choices to their menus.

One of the drawbacks of many of the fast food chains is that the items are very high in fat. For a person struggling with their weight or watching their heart health it can be a challenge to find menu items that they can eat.

In recognition of the healthier lifestyle their customers want companies are now offering items like salads, yogurt and low fat muffins. For a parent taking their child to a burger and fries joint this now means that they won’t have to forego their healthy lifestyle while they eat there. They can enjoy a salad with low calorie dressing while their youngsters enjoy what they like.

Diet is only one ingredient in living a healthy lifestyle. Another important component is exercise. Exercise plays an integral part in reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight.

Adding an exercise regime to your life is a great step towards a healthier lifestyle. Using this time to burn calories and build your muscles will ensure that your body is getting the movement it needs.

In today’s busy world many people don’t feel that they can live a healthy lifestyle. They complain that it takes too much time and energy. Another common complaint is that pursuing a healthy lifestyle is expensive. Adding fresh fruits, vegetables and fish to their lifestyle diet plan adds a cost that many people don’t see the value in.

You don’t have to join a gym to get exercise. If you tend to drive to the store and it’s close enough to walk to, than choose the walk. This is an example of changing your lifestyle in a small way that actually will lead to big results.

Everyone can make some change in their lifestyle that will lead to healthier choices. Instead of picking up a bag of potato chips, eat an apple. When you are craving a candy bar, put on your walking shoes and take a stroll.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of living a healthy lifestyle is that you are teaching your children how to do the same. Children who are raised in an environment that encourages a healthy lifestyle will carry that through their adult lives.



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George Wood asked:


Life style is now a debatable topic for everyone. When lifestyle comes to our mind we get straight. It is true that lifestyle and finance are co-related to each other. You cant maintain a good lifestyle if you have poor income resources. So it is clear that finance and lifestyle need to co-exist in some form. Lifestyle deals with buying the latest fashionable accessories and gadgets or any home appliances. So money is the key word for you so that you will deserve to such kind of lifestyle. If you don’t have enough money to maintain lifestyle, then you need not to spend the money.

The ideal lifestyle should be in form of financial stability. Make sure your financial status is good then go for maintaining lifestyle. It will be foolish to dreaming lifestyle if you have not capacity maintain it. So that it will make you bankrupt. Do not go through the artificial magazine flash, they will make debarred from your society. As there is a proverb “cut according to your cloth” is really true. Give focused to your financial strength. Make sure that which life style will suit with you then you will go for investment.

Every body wants to maintain lifestyle as they saw their neighbors lifestyle. It is the mistake that the common people think that they sufficient money. But the concept is absolutely wrong. As to show their status symbol they are spending money with out any hesitation. The Gandhian principle is actually to follow by every one. Finance is the first thing you need to consider when you go for a certain lifestyle.

Benefits Of A Finance Calculator: You will often found pundits or gurus are using a finance calculator while they determine your mortgage or home loan payments of your personal finance. Many people do not understand of finance calculator and their functions. As the software technology develops, many people are unknown to these products. But there is sufficient information on internet that you can get more details. This is not because they are too complex to understand, but because people simply do not see their relevance. Even the salesman tries to persuade about the finance calculator with all sorts of hype, still you unaware to try the demo. If it is something new and foreign, we need to treat it carefully.

A finance calculator is a small computer device that can perform variety of specific finance calculations. The main purpose of a finance calculator is that you can use it for long term calculations of your budget or your home loan or car loan or any classroom calculation. This financial calculator is designed with some finical variable to analyze the complex financial equations. It is much better than a simple calculator. You can calculate and analyze your own personal budget. Finance calculator is only for you to account your daily financial analysis.



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David Pattie asked:

Lifestyle is a way of way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group. Lifestyle generally means a pattern of individual practices and personal behavior and related to elevated or reduced health risk. In sociology, lifestyle means the way of a person lives. A lifestyle also reflects an individuals attitudes, values and worldwide. In day to day life, lifestyle has become blurred in among modern society.

A lifestyle is a characteristic bundle of behaviors that makes sense to both others and oneself in a given time and place, including social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. Lifestyle is a mixture of habits, conventional ways of doing things, and reasoned actions. Lifestyle was originally discovered by Austrian psychologist.

A lifestyle is a characteristic bundle of behaviors that makes sense to both others and oneself in a given time and place, including social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. A lifestyle typically also reflects an individual’s attitudes, values or worldwide. The lines between personal identity and the everyday doings that signal a particular lifestyle become blurred in modern society.

When lifestyle became popular a generation ago, a number of critics objected to it as voguish and superficial, perhaps because it appeared to elevate habits of consumption, dress, and recreation to categories in a system of social classification. Nonetheless, the word has proved durable and useful, if only because such categories do in fact figure importantly in the schemes that Americans commonly invoke when explaining social values and behavior.

Lifestyles are subject to change by the demands of marketing and technological innovation now a day. Advertisers and marketers provide target and match consumer aspirations with products, or to create aspirations relevant to new products for lifestyle.

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