Greetings from Paris, Circa 2039

Lisa / 21 Dec 2017 / Personal Finance

Hey there present-day Lisa – it’s me, future Lisa,

I just wanted to send you a big huge THANK YOU, because your smart savings plan has resulted in a kick-ass retirement for me and hubby. That’s right, we bought our flat in Paris, and we spend the days sipping red wine and sampling gorgeous French cheeses. C’est le paradis!

Remember that Louis Vuitton bag that you were going to buy in 2012, but instead chose to take that money and throw it into your 401(k)? Well, that decision has paid off for you ten-fold, because now that you are living the good life here in Paris, you can shop the boutiques all the days because you don’t have to work anymore. I know there were times when you had to sacrifice the wants and be responsible, but trust me, you are a lot happier now for it. You don’t have to rely on your kids to support you; instead, you get to spend precious time with your grandchildren because you don’t have to worry about working.

Retirement is great!

It seems like just yesterday that you took your first job out of college, and they handed you all the new hire forms, one of which was enrollment in a 401(k) plan. I know at the time you didn’t really know what it was, only that your parents told you that you should start saving, so you did. And that money grew. And grew and grew and grew and those years that seemed SO FAR in the future went by in a flash. Yes, the market went up and it went down, but overall those few dollars you saved back when you were 21 years old have grown into a few million dollars by now.

Plus, your husband was also super responsible and squirreled away lots of cash into savings all while telling you that you were “over-budget” for the month. Maybe he exaggerated just a little bit, but he knew you would want to spend it and he knew he had to save for your future. I just gave him a big thank-you kiss for that one! Merci, Mon Cherie!

When you were in your twenties, retirement seemed really far away, but now that you are in your late-thirties, you realize that time goes by faster than you want it to and now you have a family to think about. Making a few sacrifices now to invest in your future is not only the SMART decision, it’s the ONLY decision.

So thank you, again. I am off to grab a croissant and browse around the Louvre. They have a new Chagall exhibit and you know how much you love his paintings.

A bientôt,

Future Lisa