Confident about retirement? You may not be ready to retire for another 20 or 30 years or more. Even though that date is decades away saving a small amount that can accrue interest over a long period of time will give you something to live on in your golden years. Employee Benefit Research Institute found in the 2010 Retirement Confidence Survey that only 16% of workers feel that they will be able to have a comfortable retirement. This number has increased 3% over last year, yet most Americans haven’t saved enough money, and don’t know how to plan for retirement. Over half of Americans have $25,000 or less saved.

Retirement money has been cashed out and used prematurely because of joblessness. But too often retirement savings is often considered the annoying clingy friend you lost touch with. You know you need to call and keep in touch, you just don’t feel like it.

Retirement money should be treated like a piggy bank with no stopper. Keep adding to it until it is time to break it open. This doesn’t mean using it as a down payment for a home or for some other purpose. If there is no other choice like a job loss or medical emergency then use it, but retirement has a price.

Unless there is a revolution in the world of and a change in the way people think about long term money plans this could be a big problem.

I like things – nice things like other people do, but I know I don’t want to have to work after I’m 70 unless I want to. Many people come out of retirement or postpone retirement because they have to, not because they want to. Saving a little more and not investing all of the money in one place or type of asset there is a greater chance that there will be some money for retirement.

No calculator can give you the right amount you need to save for retirement. Use the guidelines of saving 10-15% of your annual salary and adjust it to your needs. For every person who has a lot of money to spend in the retirement there are dozens who are barely making ends meet.

Not adequately preparing for retirement seems like a gloom and doom story and it is for some people.

The new recommended amount to save is 15% of your pay. For a while 10% was the recommended amount. Yet the question still remains for people who are barely making ends meet or who aren’t in the mindset of saving for the future.

In an ideal world people would not have a large amount of debt to repay and would be able to just focus on their current expenses. Life gets in the way and sometimes debt does accrue. Still putting something toward the future even if it is less than you want to save is better than saving nothing. Those with debts that need to be repaid shouldn’t give up on trying to save something. If your employer offers matching 401(k) funds or match up to a certain percent, don’t let the “free” money go down the drain.

If you are employed or employed after a period of unemployment, get back into the habit of saving again, but be realistic, if you have to drive to your new job instead of taking public transportation or buy new attire of equipment for the position, then start saving more moderately until you figure out how much you can spend – especially in long term vehicles. You can always increase your savings after a few paychecks. Waiting longer than 3 paychecks may make you too accustomed to this extra cash and the temptation of spending the money that you have left over.

Heavily in debt? Then 15% may be too much until you pay off some debt. Don’t give up on saving even if you are in debt, save 5%. As your debt decreases, then increase your savings and investment.

Consider this… no one has ever said they saved too much for retirement.

Finally, I made a decision about a water bottle and purchased a Klean Kanteen. I researched the product on their site and from opinions of others and choose two a 27 ounce blue one with a flat cap. The 27 ounce bottle itself seems to be great and has saved me at least two dollars by using the bottled filled with tap water and ice instead of using bottled water.

Since I have had it less than a week the savings isn’t that great yet, though some of the reviews that people had regarding the metallic taste or the cap leaking I have not encountered. When I got the bottle, I washed it out with soap and very warm water and let it air dry some.

Saving money by buying your own container will definitely make a difference in your budget. In Chicago, there is an additional tax on waste so buying your own could save you several pennies on each purchase.

Not every municipality has palatable drinking water. The water may be potable but not to everyone’s tastes. Those who like the water (and if the pipes that supply the water aren’t corroded) would definitely save money by owning their own bottle. Also having your own bottle would make could reduce the garbage that you toss. When I go to the park, generally I carry a bottle of water and if I don’t finish it before I go home, I would carry it with me and toss it when I got home. Our building is pushing recycling so we don’t have to pay for more dumpsters. Carrying you own refillable water bottle can help you save on paying for trash collection as well, if you have to pay for a recycling or garbage service.

The variety of sizes and caps available in the Klean Kanteen line are great for all ages. Instead of buying a “wine karafe” which is also 27 ounces you could search online and buy a 27 ounce bottle with a stainless steel flat cap for less in a color. The only difference is that the bottle wouldn’t say wine in several languages on it. If you are using your container to put wine into for consumption in a park where alcohol is not allowed maybe having one that says wine on it isn’t the most stealth move. A larger bottle would work just as well if not better if you are toting a more wine for several people – the 40 ounce container will not hold a magnum – which is 1.5 liters or just under 51 ounces but will hold more than a standard bottle.

Really, truly. Manufacturers and other businesses have been decreasing the size of grocery items while keeping the prices steady. Remember when ice cream was in a half gallon container? There are still a few manufacturers that sell half gallons, but most are smaller containers. I saw a half gallon container of ice cream at Trader Joe’s and was surprised at how  much larger the container seemed compared to what is being sold now. Instead of the 1.75 or 1.5 quart containers of ice cream, this was a full half gallon. When the package size decreases and the price stays the same, this is increasing the price per ounce. In the case of ice cream, this is over a ten percent price increase.

Even when an item is on sale, this doesn’t mean that the price is a good deal. Remember when notebook paper came in 200 sheet packages? The packages have decreased to 150 sheets. A dozen pencils, not anymore, more like 10 in a package.

To thwart this, wait until items are on sale or check the price or a larger or smaller sized package. Figure out the cost per piece or ounce. Even when items are on sale, the sale price may not be as great a deal as the regular price of a smaller or larger sized item. Think this isn’t true… next time you go to a fast food restaurant, check the price of a small medium and large soda. The price difference is generally negligible but the largest one is generally the best deal.

Are there times when you still want to save some money but want to do it in style? Check out these banks at Oddee.com. Though according to Wallet Pop the piggy bank is a worthless piece of junk. Obviously, they haven’t found the right one yet and don’t realize that the concept of savings has to be taught as well.