Anno, there is certainly nothing wrong with 'living loosely'! That is one of the great things about life, to learn what is worth the effort and what things are not.

It confounds my MIL that DH and I don't live on a schedule. Left to herself she would stick to a rut because that's most comfortable for her.

Trouble is, that inflexibility has also contributed to her dementia. Her refusal to think about critical issues has led, decades later, to an inability to think about almost anything.

We consider retirement one of those subjects that is too important to be treated casually. We have seen too many of our friends and family unable to retire, because their planning was inadequate. Outside of the very wealthy people we know, we are the only ones in our circle who were able to retire at age 56, despite not ever earning an above-average income between the two of us.

Knowing the questions you need to answer before retiring, can be half the battle. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to having options as you age.