March’s Wine, Women & Wealth started with a recap of the ways to save for retirement since having little or no savings was one of the Five Mistakes Women Make with Money that were discussed during February’s seminar.

Believe it or not this month the guest was a guy and not one of the two we usually make an exception for at Wine, Women & Wealth! Steve Albritton, CFP and Regional VP from Howard Capital Management spoke about how challenging it is to pick what to invest in inside of your 401k. Despite the challenges, he gave the following stats on how many people seek professional help.

For less than $80 a year they offer a product called the HCM 401(k) optimizer that gives you personalized, professional recommendations on what to pick within your employer-provided 401k, 403b or 457a. If you were in attendance, you could have gotten 1 of the 2 free trial memberships he gave away. For more info, email Ms. ME.

In closing he shared the video below that demonstrates why it’s to your benefit to get professional help versus going it alone.

Our second guest speaker was our friend Jen from MetLife. She spoke about the importance of and the steps involved in creating a plan for retirement.

1. Decide when in the future do you want to retire
2. Determine the money you need for essentials, wants and wishes
3. Create a plan from now to retirement

The last thing she discussed is how to make your savings last. She mentioned three sources of “guaranteed” income. Do you think you know what they are? Do you need help determining how to make it last?

In closing, one way to save that she stated is often overlooked is through cutting costs. Go through your monthly bills and look for ways to save at least once a year.

Next month’s Wine, Women & Wealth Topic: Your Grandma’s Yellow Platter. If you’re in Jacksonville, Florida don’t miss it. Check back for the link to reserve your seat.