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2. Determine Your Financial Goals
You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you are. In order to save properly, you need to do a little math. Experts say you'll need 70 percent of your annual pre-retirement income—but you should adjust accordingly depending on your goals. If you have "caviar and champagne" dreams, you'll want 100 percent—or possibly more—of your current salary.
Use a retirement savings calculator like the one at kiplinger.com to find out how much you need to save to meet your target. Once you've crunched the numbers, set a plan and stick to it. And be sure to revisit periodically to accommodate for changes in your lifestyle and the economy.
