One of the best gifts you can give yourself is financial independence. So, how do you get that? You spend less than you make. A study done by Hewitt Associates shows that saving $1 at age 25 becomes $8 at retirement age. At age 35, it becomes almost $5. And, at 45, it’s worth $3. That’s why it’s so important to start saving as early as possible. If you’re in your 40s and you haven’t saved a dime, you may be feeling like a heel right about now. But you can still make a decent amount. Just get it started! And, if you have kids, get them started in a plan once you’ve started one for yourself. Clark has a “Daddy Match” for his kids, which gives them more of an incentive to save.