Surviving in today’s competitive market is challenging. But what’s even more challenging is to earn enough to make ends meet and then have some left for your retirement. In fact, some say that you should start planning and saving up the minute you start working for that nice safety nest egg if you want to sip margaritas in the Bahamas sitting by the ocean! This is why understanding these seven basic facts will help you understand your financial situation better and help save up as part of your retirement investing strategies.

Assess the numbers: The number of zeroes is more important in this equation. You should know how much you will need during your retirement to live comfortably, based on which the size of your investment portfolio can be assessed. The earlier you start investing, the better will be your return on investments in the long run.

Cost of living: Don’t spend more than what is needed or simply don’t spend more than what is required. This will help regulate your cash flow and expenditure to meet all your necessities, pay your dues and have enough left to start investing in various options.

Stay clear of debt: With debt, comes the interest component. Higher the amount you owe, the more interest you will end up paying. Clear off all your debts and steer clear of any future debts. Control your credit card spending. Credit card debt is the biggest burden people in this country face which also takes a huge chunk out of your pocket.

Invest wisely in real estate: If you are a family of three or four, don’t end up buying a mansion! This is just an expression, however, don’t spend more than what you need on real estate. Asses your living habits and the number of people before making this commitment as part of your retirement investing strategies.

Look for alternative sources of income: You might be swamped with your existing workload, but a few odd part-time jobs here and there will help you save faster and retire early as part of your retirement investing strategies. The internet is trending with work from home options for you and your family members, which pays decent remuneration also.

Save more: After meeting your dues, your goal is to save a significant percentage of your income annually and maintain that consistency as part of your retirement investing strategies. If you plan to retire early, say at the age of forty or forty-five, you’d better start saving more than one-third of whatever you earn in a year.

Never speculate: Never speculate your return on any investment, always calculate the same. Today, there are online retirement calculators available which can help determine your expected retirement calculation to live off that nest egg comfortably.