I do sometimes.

At the rate I'm currently saving for retirement, it's as if I've met the love of my life and we're lying in bed with our toes intertwined. You know how that is. Pillow-talking about sailing around the world when we're 50.

But in reality I have no such dream.

I'm totally, utterly, fundamentally single ... and more than that. I love my job. I love working. I love fixing things and solving problems, putting out fires and feeling respected.

If I picture myself retiring anytime in the foreseeable future, I can't help feeling like it would be boring and lonely.

The only savings goal I feel really excited about is helping my sister pay for college. That gives me a warm fuzzy.

I've been writing a lot about helping my family lately but today I want to plan my own savings a little. I got paid today! 401k withdrawals didn't start yet ... I guess that will start in July.

Anyway, I'm compressing the $16,500 allowed 401k contribution into 6 months. Starting in July. July is when I'll eligible for the 401k since I'll have been a full-time employee for the required 2 months.

Maxing out the 401k this year was an easy choice: the IRS allows it, my employer allows it, my spending history allows it, and (best of all) it will lower my taxable income significantly. I love that! I'm in a much higher tax bracket now than I expect to be in when I retire.

Depending on how my taxes look at the end of the year, I *might* also be able to max out to my SEP-IRA from my contractor job. That would lower my taxable income too! 2010 might be a very good tax year if I can focus on these retirement savings.

I might be adding almost $20,000 to my retirement savings this year! $16,500 minimum though.

Next year I'm spreading out the 401k contribution over 12 months so I can just leave it alone until the maximum allowed contribution changes.

This paycheck that I got today - about 1/3 of it is going to pay my June rent, and the rest will go into a 6-month CD. The CD will (hopefully) still be there at the end of the year so I can use it for the SEP-IRA contribution. But if some emergency comes up between now and then, I can still withdraw it. The CD penalty is a good incentive for me to leave it alone except for a true emergency.