Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3265: Scott Spann highlights the importance of starting early with retirement savings and the benefits of gradual increases through strategies like automatic contribution rate escalation. He uses Sharon's story to demonstrate how small, consistent efforts can lead to significant financial security and flexibility later in life. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.financialfinesse.com/2015/01/26/can-you-really-save-more-tomorrow/ Quotes to ponder: "It is just too easy to convince ourselves that we can save more tomorrow when we have a better job, when we pay off those loans, or when those other life challenges disappear." "Sharon’s secret to success over the past two decades was to put any salary increases into savings without giving herself a chance to spend it." "It may be tough to go from saving 5% to 15% in one move, but going from 5% to 6% is quite painless, especially if the increase can be timed to coincide with an annual raise." Episode references: Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness: https://www.amazon.com/Nudge-Improving-Decisions-Health-Happiness/dp/014311526X Employee Benefit Research Institute: https://www.ebri.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices