UNCOMMON CENTS 51

NEW YEAR'S EVE - TIME TO PARTY AND DRINK RESPONSIBLY. OR NOT IMBIBE AT ALL. IF NECTAR, HOWEVER, WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE GODS, IT SURELY SHOULD BE COVETED BY MORTALS. MAN ALSO SHOULD SWEAR ALLEGANCE TO BUT NOT DEPENDENCE UPON HIS MAN-MADE GOD OF GOVERNMENT. ENTER A PERSONAL RETIREMENT STRATEGY THAT WILL MERIT YOU A PROUD BURIAL SPOT IN THE ELYSIAN FIELDS. SOCIAL SECURITY WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE YOUR SOLE SUPPORT IN SENIOR YEARS. BLESSED WITH A BRAIN SUPERIOR TO THE ANIMALS BUT INFERIOR TO THE GODS, YOU CAN EXCEED A FOOLISH MAN'S GRASP WHEN YOU SAVE AND INVEST FOR YOURSELF. HERE'S HOW. A LOW WAGE WORKER INVESTING 10% OF HIS PAYCHECK INTO A SIMPLE PORTFOLIO OF 70% STOCKS AND 30% BONDS (WITH MINIMAL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS), AFTER 45 YEARS OF INPUT, WILL REAP AN ANNUAL BENEFIT OF APPROXIMATELY $17,000. PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, WHY CAN'T YOU LIVE ON $1240 A MONTH WITHOUT PLEADING POVERTY? AN AVERAGE WAGE WORKER COULD RELY ON $39,000 OR ABOUT $3200 A MONTH. TODAY'S HIGH WAGE WORKER ON $94,000 OR AN INCOME OF $7800 A MONTH. I'LL DRINK TO THAT.

CONTRAST THIS WITH THE GUARANTEED SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS OF THE THREE CATEGORIES OF WAGE EARNERS: APPROXIMATELY $780, $1260 AND $1900 RESPECTIVELY. CAN YOU TOAST $780 A MONTH? I DON'T THINK SO. OBVIOUSLY IT MOST IMPORTANT FOR A LOW WAGE EARNER TO BEGIN TO SAVE AND INVEST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE 10% OF A BARE BONES PAYCHECK OF - SAY - $300. A WEEK ONLY ALLOWS FOR A $30 INVESTMENT. YET SETTING ASIDE $30.00 A WEEK FOR YOUR FUTURE INSTEAD OF GAMBLING IT AWAY ON LOTTERY TICKETS, POKER CHIPS OR SLOT MACHINES WOULD GET YOU A BLESSING FROM THE GODS.

HINT: SING A VERSE OF AULD LANG SYNE TO YOUR OLD, LONG AND PAID FOR RETIREMENT.