Being able to build sufficient savings and income for retirement comes down to the lifestyle choices Americans make – or don’t make – today.

Americans attachment to pursuing the American Dream might be the primary reason why so many Americans have found planning and saving for retirement has become such a difficult challenge.

The American Dream includes things such as buying a big houses in the suburbs, sending kids to a prestigious college, owning multiple leased luxury vehicles in the garage, taking multiple week long destination vacations, and pursuing many other accoutrements of the prevailing American lifestyle.

This is the American Dream in a nutshell.

Popular advice espoused by financial pundits and retirement experts often worsen the problem of not being able to save what’s necessary for an emergency fund or retirement. Their recommendations to make more money, find a side gig, eliminate crushing credit card debt, save more of what you already make or, heaven forbid, cut expenditures, have not been effective.

Spending is the issue. Spending absolutely is the issue. However, small tweaks to spending don’t amount to much. Forging a mocha latte from Starbuck’s or packing one’s lunch do little to significantly alter the retirement calculation. Instead, you may need to completely rethink the spending habits, lifestyle and big-ticket material things that define what you’re doing in the big picture. Big sacrifices could have a much bigger impact on improving your retirement situation than giving up your daily latte.

It all comes down to an old adage. You can’t do the same things you’ve been doing (or only make smallish tweaks to them) and expect different results. If you’re worried about falling dangerously short in retirement, a significant lifestyle change might be what you need to get there.

Perceived short-term pain like foregoing the American Dream for long-term gain of a lifestyle of dignity in retirement.

Learn the Rules of Retirement and Then Play Better

“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”

To put it all in simple terms, there are two things that you must do. The first thing you must do is to learn the rules of the retirement. It doesn’t sound exciting, but it’s vital. Secondly, you must commit to plan, save and invest better than anyone else. If you can do these two things, success will be yours!

Source: How The American Dream Can Crush Your Retirement
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4308423-american-dream-can-crush-retirement?ifp=0