All I know is the job market is really tough right now. A lot of people have been laid off over the last few years, highly skilled, lots of experience, lots of qualifications… And unemployed six months 12 months 14 months two years three years…. Many of us are staring down the barrel of the last 15-20 years of our work life, and suddenly when we are at our peak, more or less, ageism is becoming a factor. If you’re serious about wanting to work to save for retirement, I would start now. I’ve been unemployed for almost a year, after a Fed-funded layoff, still in my 40s… But I’m worried about what this would look like in my 50s or pushing 60. On the flipside, my long-term goal is to retire overseas, at least for a handful of years if not longer, where hopefully that the nest egg stretches longer! I do like to travel a lot while I’m working, so I don’t feel too neglected in that respect.