Afraid you won’t have enough to retire comfortably? You’re not alone, and a debt-fueled lifestyle is often a big part of the problem. As the 2014 EBRI Retirement Confidence Survey notes:

Fifty-eight percent of workers and 44 percent of retirees report having a problem with their level of debt. Furthermore, 24 percent of workers and 17 percent of retirees indicate that their current level of debt is higher than it was five years ago.

Cost of living and day-to-day expenses head the list of reasons why workers do not save (or save more) for retirement, with 53 percent of workers citing this factor.

Retiring rich means you can maintain a comfortable lifestyle without constantly worrying about money. The plan for getting there isn’t complicated: save more; spend less; invest well. That doesn’t mean it’s not difficult. This might sound like a no-brainer, but it’s downright impossible to save more unless you spend less—and for some folks that means a lot less.

Sad to say, many baby boomers were never taught to live below their means. Quite the contrary; the credit card culture that blossomed as boomers moved into adulthood encouraged them to spend, spend, and spend some more. If you don’t have the cash, just charge it! This is no way to get rich. Most boomers knew they should save early on, but many kept putting it off until later. Unfortunately, those who let “later” run up against their 60^th birthday are screwed.

The Not So Mysterious First Step

Anyone who doesn’t want to be screwed should begin the first step toward saving today: get out of debt. It might take three months, three years, or a decade (hopefully that means you’re 30). Whatever your time frame, this demands a change in attitude and lifestyle. For people used to using debt for instant gratification, it can be a challenge on par with quitting smoking or hiking Mt. Everest. But remember, some people do quit smoking, and others do, in fact, hike Mt. Everest.