Most people understand the importance of diligently saving for their retirement. They sign up for a plan through institutions such as the David Barcomb Group, they make regular contributions, and by the time they reach the age of 65, they take great joy in leaving their job for the golden years that await them.

After the first few months away from work, fears and insecurities creep in from the shadows. Do they have enough money in their retirement account to last them the rest of their life? If you are having the same doubts, this article is for you.

Here’s how you can make your savings last you throughout the entirety of your retirement.

1) Putting off taking social security

If you live in the United States, there are great benefits to delaying the start of Social Security payments. While you are eligible to begin receiving this monthly supplement at age 66, there are premiums in place to incentivize people to delay their entrance into this program.

If you wait until age 67, you will get 8% more per month. If you wait until age 70 (the maximum amount of time you can wait), you can receive 35% more per month.

If you are in good health and love your work, there are huge financial benefits to waiting longer to receive your government entitlements.

2) Consider purchasing longevity insurance

With advances in medical technology and the fact that some people simply have genes that allow them to live very long lives, you might not have enough money to last you the rest of your life.

To guard against this unforeseen circumstance, it may be worth your while to purchase longevity insurance. For a nominal premium per month, you will be protected against the possibility of running out of capital at a time when you have little or no capacity to re-enter the workforce.

3) Stay active and eat healthy

Of all the expenses that confront us throughout our lives, medical bills are among the most costly. Even with a relatively good health insurance plan, co-pays and premiums can cost us a significant chunk of our budget per month.

It’s hard enough when you’re working, but big medical bills can be devastating if you are on a fixed income. As such, it is important that you pay attention to your health by eating right and getting enough exercise. If you follow through on these two items, you will avoid the enormous costs of morbidity (loss of motion, chronic disease, etc) at the end of your life.

4) Start a business or take a part time job

If there’s one thing that surprises most new retirees, it’s the fact that the removal of work leaves a void in their lives that is so large that many of them consider going back to work.

While you don’t have to plunge in full bore, getting a part-time job will provide you with the social contact that you might be missing in your golden years. With retirement savings backing you up, you can pursue a job in a field that interests you personally, making your daily life more fulfilling.

Of course, having a source of income also allows you to avoid drawing heavily on your life savings, making it more likely that you will have wealth left over when the time comes for you to depart this Earth.