When you picture retirement, what do you see?

Imagine the moment you crest the final hill of a long hike, cross the finish line of a race, or step back to admire a painting you’ve poured your heart into. That feeling – that deep sense of accomplishment and arrival – is what retirement can be.

But retirement isn’t one-size-fits-all. For some, it feels like stepping into a room with no clear purpose. For others, it’s the joyful culmination of a meaningful journey. Wherever you are on that spectrum, Your Retirement Sketchbook is here to help you shape what comes next.

This book is not a rigid plan – it’s a flexible, creative guide to help you explore your unique vision for retirement. Whether you’re thinking about location, timing, activities, finances, health, or relationships, you are invited to reflect, imagine, and evolve your plans over time.

Because retirement isn’t the end – it’s a new beginning. And your future deserves to be designed with intention.

Retirement planning experts Jamie Hopkins and Bonnie Treichel explore 125 essential concepts for your journey, leaving space for you to reflect and journal on each one. Whether you’re just starting to save or nearing the finish line, Your Retirement Sketchbook will inspire you to craft a plan that achieves your retirement goals and builds financial confidence along the way.

This isn’t a textbook; it’s a creative journey. Let’s start exploring.

If you've ever received an e-mail from a displaced political refugee requesting your help with depositing a substantial amount of money into your bank account, then you've been the target of advance fee fraud. Commonly referred to as 419, this scam is named after the Nigerian criminal code that defines it and its penalties. But what began in Nigeria has now become a global epidemic.

Concerned Nigerian native Chidi Igwe analyzes 419 from a historical, political, and economic perspective in an impassioned effort to raise public awareness about the scandal that has tainted his country. Delving into the origin and propagation of 419, Igwe presents candid interviews and detailed accounts of people intimately involved with the 419 community-from the victims to the operators themselves. Igwe also discusses the different variations of 419, the failure of Nigerian law enforcement to contain the outbreak, the effects of advance fee fraud on other countries' economies, and how to avoid becoming a 419 victim.

More than a guide to understanding advance fee fraud and how to protect oneself against it, this is also a call to arms for a worldwide cooperative mission to eliminate the scam and eradicate Nigeria of the taint of 419.

Financial management principles presented in story format. In this "True Story of Cinderella and How she (Really) Became a Pricess" the fairy tale that one gets ahead with the wave of a magic wand is replaced by sound financial advice.

Identity obesity-the excessive and inappropriate collection, retention, and sharing of personal information-tends to escalate over time, as people share and mismanage more details about themselves in various places. Like overeating, it can be extremely hard to reverse the effects. This behavior forms the root cause of an identity theft epidemic. Despite the dangers, consumers and companies handle personal information carelessly, without understanding the risks. Consider these startling statistics: In 2009, more than eleven million people were affected by identity theft, which was a 10 percent increase from 2008. The majority of victims don't detect identity theft until three months after fraud occurs. It takes some people years to discover that something went wrong. Stolen wallets and documents account for 43 percent of all identity theft cases, which shows that theft doesn't always involve technology. In more than 50 percent of all identity theft cases, the victim knows or has done business with the criminal. Businesses will lose millions of dollars a year because of identity theft, and fraud will destroy families and individuals. But you can trim your identity fat with a proven program that allows you to understand risks, identify bad habits, and implement best practices with an "Identity Diet."

In the Secret of the Ages, Robert Collier shares with us the secrets of success. This book gives you the tools to have a happier and more successful life. Collier will show you how the way you think and the decisions you make have a direct influence on how successful and happy you are. With out the foundation that Collier laid herein, Rhonda Byrnes' The Secret could never have been written. Long before Michael Losier and James Arthur Ray reminded the world just how effective the power of positive thinking could be in Laws of Attraction and The Science of Success, there was Robert Collier's Secret of the Ages. www.widerpublications.com

Are you achieving your dreams and goals? Are you where you want to be financially and personally? Are you tired of making financial mistakes and ready to get ahead? In FLIRTING WITH FINANCE, our main character Samantha Davis learns about finance the hard way. It s complicated at first, but determined to uncover the true game of finance; she learns what her incredible best friend, Morgan, describes as a different language .

FLIRTING WITH FINANCE uses real life stories to explain complex financial concepts in an easy to understand way. Join Samantha as she goes from college to career: conquering checking accounts, retirement accounts, investing, knowing the difference between a stock and a bond, buying real estate, cars, getting an inheritance, and eventually, after taking a few bumps along the way, making smart personal choices.

Instead of cramming facts and laws into the text, we broke up the endless information into a captivating story which contains all sorts of useful, humorous and even fascinating information to make the task of balancing your financial life with your fun life diverting, and even downright entertaining

FLIRTING WITH FINANCE will place you on the road to financial confidence, and help you achieve financial freedom

Holidays help define our culture, but people forget that they are closely connected with economics.

Author Holley Hewitt Ulbrich combines her lifelong fascination with our nation's most special occasions and her love of economics in this fascinating account. You'll learn why Punxsutawney Phil might play a role in economic forecasting; how Valentine's Day could just be an example of heartless capitalism; how Earth Day provides insights about property rights; how Father's Day and Mother's Day helps us understand the history of the American family.

Holidays are about communities, cultures, history, and our relationship with the natural world, and they offer a way to highlight a context in which we make our choices. Since they are scattered throughout the year, they help us explore emerging ideas of behavioral and neo-institutional economics in small, seasonal doses.

Join Ulbrich as she explores what these occasions say about our economic system, our society, and ourselves with Economics Takes a Holiday.

Could you go a whole year without shopping? In her late twenties, that's exactly what Cait Flanders did. Despite having cleared nearly $30,000 of consumer debt, she still struggled to save money. When she realized that nothing she was doing or buying was making her happy, she embarked on a year-long shopping ban. The Year of Less documents the 12 months during which Cait spent money only on the essentials - food, bills, car fuel - and steadily cleared out 70 per cent of her belongings. She learned to make do and mend, imposed a television ban and researched the zero waste movement. The results were profoundly transformative: the less she consumed, the more fulfilled she felt. In the process of decluttering her apartment, she also decluttered her life and overcame long-held toxic habits. With advice and practical tips from Cait, The Year of Less will leave you questioning what you're holding on to in your own life - and quite possibly lead you to find your own path of less. 'For your friend who has already Kondo'd her cupboards after reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying, The Year of Less will inspire them to do the same to their finances.' Metro 'What is an incredible personal journey is also a stark reminder of how materialistic many of us have become. The Year of Less will certainly change your perspective on how you spend your money.' The Independent

Many successful people, despite their high incomes, are ineffective at creating wealth. Individuals, and especially couples, fail to achieve economic security and personal freedom - not for lack of effort - but because they were never prepared or "conditioned" to achieve financial success. The 10 Laws of Conditionomics will change the way you and your spouse think about money. It will change the way you think about yourselves and your ability to create and use wealth. The book is short and to the point. Read it with your spouse. It will immediately help the two of you see a new way to plan your future together, starting right here and right now.

The Employer's Handbook to 401(k) Savings Plans is a must-have resource for any company that is considering implementing, or is already sponsoring, an employee benefits plan. Author Christian D. Rahaim expertly guides employers through the challenging, ever-changing, and heavily scrutinized processes involved with employee benefits and compensation. this approachable guide more invaluable than ever before. Rahaim covers the three major components of offering a 401(k) savings plan: preparation, implementation, and maintenance. Rahaim walks employers through the plan-selection process, which involves careful research, analysis, and, most importantly, the assistance of outside experts. He continues with advice on putting the plan into practice, investing 401(k) monies, understanding fiduciary responsibilities, and improving communications. The Employers' Handbook to 401(k) Savings Plans also includes a thorough discussion of recent laws, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Economic Growth and the Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (EGTTRA). Savings Plans is the only source employers, fiduciaries, advisors, and administrators need to remain informed and updated on the increasingly controversial, legislated, and litigated topic.

People often do not fully understand the consequences of their choices when it comes to their money, leaving them vulnerable to overspending and financial crises. Financial literacy contributes to alleviating this problem. Good financial decision making has a positive influence on overall wellbeing, allowing people to maximise their opportunities and lead more fulfilling lives. Personal finance teaches individuals financial skills so that they can manage their money better.

Personal finance encompasses many areas and core topics such as decision making, cash-flow management, savings, credit, debt, housing and planning for the future. Useful websites and appendices are provided for additional information and reading.

Today, more than ever, in an overwhelming world of financial complexities, there is a need to reintroduce simple concepts about money management. Contrary to popular thought, the real answers are not the exclusive property of the affluent, white-collar population. We all have the ability to succeed financially-through basic discipline and common sense.

In "Fields of Green," author and CPA Terry Brown shares some commonsense strategies for intelligently navigating today's complex financial opportunities. From his days growing up on a farm, Brown learned a strong work ethic and a clear vision of financial realities from a young age. Years later, lessons gleaned from working in corporate finance rounded out his approach to financial management and stewardship. Regardless of background, education, or vocation, everyone faces similar challenges-needs and wants, credit card debt, college funding, and retirement planning. Today, retirement and medical plans are much less attractive than they were even a generation ago. The keys to financial security are within your reach, but you need to understand the basic truths first-and those are what Brown offers here.

By breaking down what most consider to be impossibly complicated financial theories, Brown shares these truths with the layperson. Financial wisdom is really quite accessible, once you break it down to the basics. In "Fields of Green," he gives you the tools you need to confront today's toughest financial challenges.