My personal savings pillow is rather large compared to my expenses (20+ years on a good standard), but I would not want to count on it to spend my golden years.

My personal savings pillow is rather large compared to my expenses (20+ years on a good standard), but I would not want to count on it to spend my golden years. Money (even large sums) can be gone really really quick. Every self sustaining elderly person I admire is doing it on renting out paid off property. If you can aquire a couple of houses/flats in your lifetime before you stop working taking care of those alone will let you live really well and also provide for the next generation.