Get a Life: You Don't Need a Million to Retire Well (Paperback)

by Ralph Warner (Author), Ralph E. Warner (Author) "Many Americans already in midlife will live from one-quarter to one-third of their lives after the traditional retirement age of 65..." (more)
Key Phrases: Social Security, San Francisco, University of California (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Warner, attorney and founder of Nolo, the do-it-yourself legal publisher, has written a unique retirement guide which, despite its title, focuses on non-financial issues as well as the traditional retirement concerns. The book also includes conversations with notable people who have led productive "retirement" lives, including environmental activist and writer Ernest Callenbach and mathematician Arthur Levenson. By focusing on important concerns such as broadening circles of friends, relying on one's extended family, turning to hobbies and nonwork activities, the book will help readers gain a healthier perspective on retirement. The sections on friendship and love are particularly compelling. The chapters on specific financial planning are not as complete as readers might want; for example, there's only one brief chapter that explains how investments work. Warner can also be something of a contrarian in his financial advice. He maintains that experts who say people need roughly 80% of their pre-retirement income are wrong. In addition, Warner says (arguably) that the Social Security system is not actually in precarious shape and will be around for many years to come. Still this is one of the freshest and most practical approaches to retirement planning in a long time.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
Money for retirement doesn't matter? Well, not exactly. Warner puts a different spin on how to prepare for retirement by recognizing that a sensible savings plan is important, but the real keys to successful retirement are good health, spiritual life, relationships with family and friends, and having interesting things to do. His mission in this book is to identify the habits and life-style choices that set zestful people apart from those who spend their last years bored, lonely, and depressed. He reveals that there is often a direct connection between mid-life obsession with work and saving and an unhappy retirement. He has developed a thoughtful catalog of retirement activities and options that are worth reviewing; and he makes recommendations on the financial aspects of retirement by offering advice to "the savvy peasant," someone he identifies as being too busy to spend time on Wall Street "gobbledygook" but having more than enough financial smarts to invest money wisely and get rich slowly but surely. Mary Whaley --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 315 pages
• Publisher: NOLO; 2nd edition (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087337424X
• ISBN-13: 978-0873374248
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,269,001 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

131 of 134 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Change your thinking about retirement!, February 2, 2001

By	P. Lozar "plozar" (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Get a Life: You Don't Need a Million to Retire Well (Get a Life, 3rd ed) (Paperback)

As someone who will probably retire within the next dozen years, I was beginning to wonder whether the doom-sayers were right: I don't have a million bucks in savings or a fat stock portfolio, so was I being foolhardy in assuming that I'd have enough to live on comfortably in my old age? This book was tremendously reassuring. Some of the author's main points are: (1) The difference between a happy, fulfilling retirement and "waiting for the undertaker" is not money but quality of life -- family, friends, good health, and meaningful activities that give you a reason to get up in the morning. (2) It's possible to estimate fairly accurately how much money you'll need to live on after you retire, and in most cases it's nowhere near the "70% of your present income" that the doom-sayers insist that you need to maintain your present lifestyle. (3) The loudest doom-sayers are the ones who are trying to sell you retirement plans! The author tells readers how to access a free set of "retirement calculators" on the Nolo Press web site to assist them in financial planning, and that alone is worth the price of the book. But what really "made" the book for me was his many interviews with happily retired people from all sorts of backgrounds and economic levels -- just reading about them was a real upper. There are plenty of books on how to provide for your retirement financially, but this is the only one I know of that adequately addresses the REST of your life. Read it!!

98 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Contrarian Viewpoint, August 26, 1999

By A Customer

This book should be required reading for anyone who thinks about retirement, from those just starting out in their 20's and 30's to those nearing retirement. The book is a refreshing, contrarian view to the conventional wisdom of "save tons of money for retirement", "you'll need 70-100% of your current income in retirement", etc., etc., etc. The traditional retirement literature is focused almost exclusively on money, with which Warner takes exception.

Warner's focus is on the whole person - he makes a very compelling argument that money is a FACTOR in a good retirement, but that it is also important to cultivate health, outside interests, friendships and family. He believes these latter factors have a FAR greater influence on a successful retirement than money. He bases this viewpoint on research among those enjoying active, successful retirements.

Warner is not a Pollyanna, saying not to even think about retirement savings (as some critics seem to suggest). The book contains some common sense ideas on savings and admits that having SOME money may help. Warner's point, however, is that money alone isn't going to make you have a successful retirement if you neglected your family, friends, outside interests, spirituality and health in order to get the money.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who ever thinks about retirement. You may not agree with the proposition, but the book will really help expand your view of the elements of a good retirement and may help you plan a more enjoyable life.

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best retirement planning book I've ever read!, September 2, 1999

By A Customer

This is the first retirement planning book I've ever read that realistically addresses how much money you really need to save for the lifestyle you want. I now realize that I don't need to save millions, that my current saving plan is perfectly adequate for the lifestyle I want. I can relax, enjoy my life and family, and work on retaining my health.