Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
If you haven't already done so, look into participating in some
kind of company-offered, tax-deferred 401K or 403B retirement
savings plan. A well-managed plan should offer a selection of
investment options from which you can choose one or several that
match your particular risk comfort level. Most of these plans allow
you to transfer money between available funds to maximize your
overall rate of return. It's a little like playing the stock market
(which in effect you are) except that you can't legally liquidate
the investments until you retire, and you don't pay any taxes on
the capital gain.
Once you've selected the funds to include in your plan, try to
maximize the amount of the contributions into the plan from your
paycheck. In fact, try to have the maximum amount of pre-tax
dollars allowed by law deducted from your paycheck and put into
your 401K/403B plan. Yes, I know it takes discipline, and your
particular financial situation might not allow you to take the
maximum deduction. But consider this: debt levels amongst Americans
are currently at an all-time high (currently estimated to be an
average of around $9000 for [b]every household), and most
will not have enough money to fund their retirement years. A little
bit of financial discipline now will go a long ways to help make
your retirement years less of a financial stress.
Just a thought.[/b]
It's scary the way Americans spend, I tell you! 
I've got American friends living in humble circumstances and yet,
when I went over to visit them, they constantly shock me with how
fast they'll whip out their credit cards to pay for purchases that
are really unnecessary.
And then, come Christmas, it's scary how freely they spend! They
even spend money that's not earned yet, chalking up huge debts!
The gifts they purchase are expensive and whilst
it's nice to want to give nice things to your loved ones, I don't
believe in going for broke when doing so. 
Frighteningly, it's considered 'normal' to be in debt before you
graduate and start work over there. I've heard of credit cards that
college kids can apply for so they start chalking up the debts long
before they can actually pay it off!
