I've been a nurse for 33 years, and I still can't afford to retire. I never thought I'd be 62, driving an hour to work and an hour back, just because I still need a paycheck. I've spent my whole life taking care of other people. Somewhere along the way, I forgot to save money for myself. Look, I'm still in my early 30s, but I do wish that I had a financial mentor. When I became a registered nurse, years and years ago, I still remember back in 2017, I was working at the hospital and this gentleman, he was twice my age, just about, he pulled up his 401K. I still remember, it was through Lincoln Financial Group. And he was showing me his account, it had like $25,000 in it. And this is back in 2017. So I'm sure that account is looking really good, like almost 10 years later. I didn't understand it, but I went on the 401K website for my job and I started putting money in from my paycheck. But I panicked because I didn't know what a 401K was, what it was for, or what it did. So I canceled the withdrawals from my paycheck that would go into the 401K because I didn't understand it. Nobody told me what it was, what it was for, or what it did. And I'm 25 years old. So you can only imagine. So now I'm playing catch-up because I did start contributing when I was 30, you know, doing the Roth, doing the 401K and things like that. But it hurt because I wish I would have done it years prior because I had the financial means to. And this is why we have to teach our children and teach the current generation and the prior generation what it is and how it will benefit them because a lot of people don't know and don't understand it and it scares them. And then they think that they will not reach the age of 50, 60, 70, and then they do, and then they're like, I don't know what I'm going to do. I played around. I didn't think I would make it this long. Next thing you know, you're printing somebody's clock at 60 years old and your life is miserable because you did not put back. I got paid today and I'm already thinking about what I'm about to buy in the market. I'm excited. I got a lot of money to play with today. And everything is on fire sale. I don't want y'all working past 60, but at the same time, you have to want better for you. You got to put the work in because it's your money that has to go in there, not mine. I'm not a financial advisor, I'm just trying to tell you what will happen if you don't act now. And you will be that 50, 60, 70 year old talking about, I don't know what to do. I played around. I didn't think I would make it this long. Next thing you know, you're printing somebody's clock at 60 years old and your life is miserable because you did not put back.
