Are you concerned about out-living your money?

A friend of mine who sells insurance asks people who have reached retirement age what their greatest concern is. The most common answer: outliving their money.

I can relate to that. I’m 74. My wife, Dottie, is 70. We have modest savings and monthly income. Medicare is our health insurance.

Our goals are to be physically, mentally, and financially independent until we die.

So what are the prospects for people our age?

Living expenses go down. Housing, food, entertainment, automobile, clothing, and family expenses are all less.

Health-related expenses go up. It’s the stage of life when sickness and disorders are common. Medical expenses are the most common reason for personal bankruptcy for people in retirement.

And unless you’re personally very wealthy, you, too, can be a victim.

The most feared problem is cancer.

According to Dr. Suni Pai, the total cost for treating cancer from Stage I through Stage IV ranges from $320,000 to $1.4 million per patient. That’s for the first occurrence. If the patient survives, there is a 50% to 80% chance of recurrence within five years. Even the best insurance requires a copay of 10 to 20 percent.

That would bankrupt us. I suspect we’re the norm, not the exception.

So what is the chance of getting cancer? The most common claims are that one of every two males will get cancer during their lifetime. For females, it’s one of every three. That’s 50% for men, 33% for women. For a married couple, that’s an 83% chance that one of them will get cancer during their lifetimes.

My wife and I have never had cancer. For us to remain physically and financially independent, not getting cancer is critical.

I am personally confident that we will not get cancer. In my 12 years of researching natural health, I am convinced that we know enough about cancer to drive the chance of getting it to near zero.

But to do that requires adjusting one’s lifestyle, including taking nutritional supplements.  And their costs are not covered by insurance. That becomes an issue for people who are concerned about outliving their money.

So we’re faced with a choice. Do we spend money now to stay physically independent, or not spend money and risk getting cancer? We choose to spend the money. Without taking action, the risk of getting cancer is too high and the costs are too great.

Our decision is easier because we believe that God will provide for our needs. Good stewardship requires us to take care of our bodies. How can we do otherwise?