i can tell you a lot about what not to do.
1. I retired with a buy out and with a lot of "sage advice" invested it with a major broker Smith Barney. The market took several dumps and wiped out most of the balance and it was impossible to recover from that hole. Keep in mind to recover from a 50% loss you need a 100% gain. Had I put it all in long term savings bond which had a very high interest then (1994), I would be fine. So, my advice is to be conservative in investing.
2. We looked ok for a while then my wife was diagnosed with a long term incurable nero-muscular disease which is slowly winding its way to near total paralysis. You can't plan for that and the meds and medical ould have bankrupted us early except for insurance Rx and Medical (medicare Part F). So make sure you have good medical insurance.
3. Start adjusting your life style to a slimer model. Less entertainment, trips, etc. Of course this is predicated on a slim income in the future. Do the math on inflation: My medicare has increased a total of about $100/mth in the last 15 years. Food has increased about 300%. Used to fill a couple baskets a month at Costco, now less than one.
You're starting very very late but you can do it if you plan for it. Good luck!
•"Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end." - O. L.
• "America's not at war; her military is. America's at the mall."