<prompt> Human: Late 30s. Single. Maybe Ill get married, but Im doubting it now. If it hasnt happened by now, it probably wont. No kids. Im not having kids. Thats for sure-for sure. Fucked up career path. An actual career never happened. I have just a job now. Its interesting enough. I dont want to leave because things are ok enough and better than theyve been in the past. It could be worse.I tried changing careers, believe the sales people university, got the degree probably will never use, and ended up with massive student loan debt. Its over 130,000 and snowballing. I cant even pay off the interest. Im on the public service loan forgiveness program though with income based monthly payments. In several more years I can have it forgiven. For student loans my goal is to pay as little possible.Interest for savings or checking with a bank is squat. 2 is high now. I havent even looked for more than a year. Its a joke. Heres a 1 for keeping your money with us all year. I dont pay any annual fees to have have an account anywhere. Thats a joke too.My work has no benefits. I just get paid money. The carrot of benefits has been dangled before me for several years but nothing ever actually happens. I consider myself an indentured servant with the starter job and student loans. If I ever tried to leave the job, and things fucked up at the second job, then Ive messed up two jobs. And theres the student loan hanging over my head.For now, any extra money I have I just stick in a bank account, no interest. Some months I have a little extra, some months its negative a bit.Im not living extravagantly. I got rid of cable long ago only while I was a student. I dont pay anyone to make coffee for me. I dont go to restaurants. Those top 10 ways to save money dont apply to me. Those are for people bleeding money out. I dont even have a phone really.In terms of the future I wonder about retirement. Its still decades away. I cant picture myself at 65 really. I have known several people who dropped dead around retirement age -- Get close or actually retire... dead. So much for saving or eating healthy, right? Such a pay off. I do eat healthy and exercise. I understand the gist of a retirement account but it seems like losing the money still. Plus, its not there if something really negative happens like my job role disappearing. You can break into retirement accounts, but then you about a 13 of it.Im not living extravagantly. I could sell all my stuff and live the the smallest, cheapest apartment I could find, but... Why did I do all that work to prepare, and whats the point of life anyway, I think. I think that would get really depressing. So where would I start, what would I realistically do to save some money for retirement? From what Ive seen from relative too is that you run into a health issue and hospital drains your savings away or you end up in a nursing home that drains your savings away. They will take care of you either way, a little better if you have money, but eventually the money runs outs and you get their basic treatment. Both are expensive so it doesnt matter so much how much youve saved. It drains away.  <response>: The first thing I would recommend is to put a lot more time thinking about yourself at 65. Get to know that person and care about them. What do they like doing? Can they afford it? Its good that you are exercising because you are sharing your body with that person, but you are also sharing your money. Actually, 20 of what you make really belongs to them, so dont spend it. Put it in the retirement account--its supposed to be hard to get at because its not your money!This is your future self speaking--Im in my late 40s, hopefully still a long way from retirement, but Im thinking back on the choices my 30-year-old self made to share his money with me and I really appreciate it. Its a big part of the difference between dreading 60 and looking forward to it!My mother-in-law had a LOT of money 15 years ago but we could never get her to think about the future or live within her means. Shed always say when I run out of money Ill just kill myself. Well, guess what--the future is here for her now. Shes dead broke and her house is falling down around her. What do you think she feels about her 40-year-old self? 