Whether the economy is up or the economy is down, all discussions sooner or later get around to the topic of money - as money controls our lives - where we live, the kind of car we drive, the house we live in, the food we eat, and on and on.

The real problem with this money thing however is not just about making more money, but how much, if any of it is left over at the end of the month. So it really is a two prong issue - making more money AND reducing one's living expenses.

These two issues become increasingly important as one approaches retirement years. Reducing one's living expenses is what has led to the current boom in people retiring in foreign countries where the cost of living is substantially less.