princesspat, you can read all the financial columns/books/magazines/etc. that you want, getting all the 'expert' advice that's available. Some will tout that you need 75-80% of your pre-retirement income to live your life in retirement. That might be true for some.....might not be true for others. Maybe you'll go into retirement debt-free.....some people might not........and so on. As pturner and others have said, formulate a budget that you believe will work for you then try it out and see if you can stick to it. Changing lifestyles and living habits is difficult for some people - I know it was for us. Assess your priorities - that'll make it easier!
Bill
