10 Small Habits I Have That Keep My Retirement Math Working

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:01]You've all seen the spreadsheet and you see the 1871 that I live on.

[00:00:06]But how do I actually maintain the life day-to-day? [music] It's not just about the numbers.

[00:00:13]It's about the [music] maintenance.

[00:00:15]Today I'm sharing the 10 habits, some for my health, some for my soul, and one that my dog Ruby wants absolutely no part of, that keep my retirement math working.

[00:00:31]I start [music] with the same menu strategy, which most of you know already by now.

[00:00:36]But it's not just the food.

[00:00:38]Every single day I take my vitamins and I make sure I get eight glasses of water.

[00:00:44]This is keeping my engine running.

[00:00:47]If I don't maintain my health, the lumpy medical expenses will eventually break >> [music] >> my 1871 math.

[00:00:55]Water is free.

[00:00:57]Vitamins are cheap.

[00:00:59]But a hospital stay is a budget [music] killer.

[00:01:05]I have two fitness [music] goals every day.

[00:01:08]First, I make sure I get my daily steps in by just moving around.

[00:01:13]But then, >> [music] >> I take a dedicated walk every evening.

[00:01:18]My rule is a half mile or 10 minutes, whichever is last.

[00:01:24]Now, I usually do this alone because my dog Ruby is a total princess. She's made it very clear she wants no part of my exercise routine.

[00:01:34]She won't walk with me [music] for anything.

[00:01:37]But for me, that 10 minutes of movement is my preventative math for my joints and my heart.

[00:01:48]Every Tuesday I do a full health check-in.

[00:01:52]I weigh in.

[00:01:53]I do a fasting blood sugar check.

[00:01:55]>> [music] >> And sometimes I check my blood pressure.

[00:01:58]Diabetes runs in my family, so I don't take chances. [music] I treat these numbers exactly like my bank account. If I catch a trend early, >> [music] >> I can fix it with my habits rather than an expensive prescription.

[00:02:15]Before the world gets a hold of me, I take a few minutes every morning in God's [music] word.

[00:02:22]I use the YouVersion Bible app to read the daily Bible verse and spend some time in prayer.

[00:02:29]It just makes the day go better.

[00:02:32]Starting the day with gratitude and focus [music] sets me up for success.

[00:02:37]When your spirit is at peace, you aren't out there trying to buy things to fill a void.

[00:02:47]I'm a firm believer in rest.

[00:02:50]Most nights, I'm in bed by 10:00 p.m.

[00:02:53]I usually wake up between 5:30 and 6:30.

[00:02:57]Occasionally, I'll go to bed a little earlier.

[00:03:00]Getting enough rest is so important for your health, and it keeps your stress levels down.

[00:03:07]When you're tired and stressed, that's when you make bad decisions, financial and otherwise.

[00:03:13]Sleep is free maintenance.

[00:03:19]Once a month, I sit down and reconcile my bank statement.

[00:03:24]This is a bridge between my reality and [music] my spreadsheet.

[00:03:28]I make sure every penny I thought I spent that matches up with what the bank says.

[00:03:36]If the bank doesn't match my math, >> [music] >> I find out why before the next month starts.

[00:03:43]This is how I stay the boss of my money.

[00:03:50]Maintenance isn't just for me.

[00:03:52]It's for the princess, too.

[00:03:54]Ruby gets her spa day at the end of every month, right after I get my check.

[00:03:59]In fact, she went today.

[00:04:02]Keeping her groomed and healthy is part of the plan.

[00:04:06]It's a known expense that I'm happy to pay because she's my companion.

[00:04:16]The moment my social security hits, I do a reset.

[00:04:20]If I had $10 or $20 or $200 left over from last month, it goes straight [music] into savings. I start every month at exactly 1871.

[00:04:32]It keeps the math clean and reminds me exactly what I have [music] to work with.

[00:04:38]No floating money allowed.

[00:04:44]I've retired from the world of looking the part.

[00:04:47]>> [music] >> I dress for comfort in my life here at home.

[00:04:51]By not buying clothes to impress people, [music] I keep my miscellaneous expense at almost zero.

[00:04:59]If I don't need it for my daily walk or my errands, [music] I don't buy it.

[00:05:06]And finally, I give myself a permission slip. If the math is working, I allow myself a small treat like a Braum's bag of burgers or a McDonald's filet-o-fish without a second thought.

[00:05:20]If you don't give yourself some wins, you'll end up rebelling against your own [music] plan.

[00:05:26]This habit keeps me happy, and a happy retirement is a sustainable one.

[00:05:35]You know, looking at this list, I realize that none of these habits are about being perfect. Some days I miss my 10:00 [music] p.m. bedtime, or Ruby might win argument about the walk.

[00:05:50]But the reason my retirement math keeps working isn't because I'm perfect.

[00:05:55]>> [music] >> It's because I'm consistent.

[00:05:58]Most of the time I'm doing the maintenance.

[00:06:01]And if you do the maintenance most of the time, your math and your life will take care [music] of itself.

[00:06:09]None of these things are big on their own, but together they are the fence around my life.

[00:06:17]If you can maintain yourself, you can maintain your math.

[00:06:21]Let me know in the comments.

[00:06:24]What's one boring habit you have that keeps your retirement working?

[00:06:29]Thanks for watching. [music] I'll see you in the next video.

[00:06:36]You just get You just get so excited. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness.

[00:06:46]You heard Amy talking and now you want to go get your haircut, don't you?

[00:06:51]Yeah, you need it, too.

[00:06:54]Okay. All right.

[00:07:05]Okay.

[00:07:08]>> [snorts] >> You want to go get a haircut?

[00:07:13]Come on.

[00:07:16]Come on.

[00:07:18]Come on.

[00:07:20]>> [laughter] >> She's so afraid of the pick up.

[00:07:24]Come on.

[00:07:26]Come on. Let's go.

[00:07:30]Well, you want to go get a haircut, don't you? Come on.