Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life

by Bill Perkins

Life is not a game of Space Invaders—you don’t get points for all the money you rack up in the game—but many people treat it as though it were. They just keep earning and earning, trying to maximize their wealth without giving nearly as much thought to maximizing what they get out of that wealth—including what they can give to their children, their friends, and the larger society now, instead of waiting until they die.

You probably enjoy aspects of your job; in fact, you might be happy to do some of it even if you weren’t getting paid. But that’s the smallest part of most people’s jobs: If we didn’t have to work to earn money, most of us would find other things we’d much rather do with our time.

Remember that “early” is right now. Of those experiences you thought about earlier, think about which ones would be appropriate to invest in today, this month, or this year. If you’re resisting having them now, consider the risk of not having them now. Think about the people you’d like to have experiences with—and picture the memory dividends you stand to gain from having those experiences sooner rather than later.

There is one very accessible tool their Web site recommends: the Actuaries Longevity Illustrator (http://www.longevityillustrator.org/).

One helpful tool is the Living to 100 calculator (https://www.livingto100.com), designed by a doctor and researcher who studies exceptional longevity.

Annuities are essentially the opposite of life insurance: When you buy life insurance, you’re spending money to protect your survivors against the risk that you’ll die too young, whereas buying annuities protects you against the risk of dying too old (outliving your savings).

What’s the best way to spend our money for maximum enjoyment and in order to generate maximum memories? Now, you already know some of my answers to this question: Invest in experiences that yield long-lasting memories, always bear in mind that everyone’s health declines with age, give your money to your children before you die instead of saving for their inheritance, and learn to balance current enjoyment with later gratification.

But I still ask you: Why wait until your health and life energy have begun to wane? Rather than just focusing on saving up for a big pot full of money that you will most likely not be able to spend in your lifetime, live your life to the fullest now: Chase memorable life experiences, give money to your kids when they can best use it, donate money to charity while you’re still alive. That’s the way to live life. Remember: In the end, the business of life is the acquisition of memories. So what are you waiting for?

Where to Get the App As a reader of this book, you can get the app for free from the book’s Web site: DieWithZeroBook.com