Once you turn 40, you’ve reached a point in life where you need to start focusing on your financial longevity. Not that’s it wasn’t important before, but once you’re in your forties, it’s even more important to create a strategy that builds wealth while allowing you to enjoy living.

The thing is, it’s not always easy to get things going in the right direction. Whether it was a direct result of poor spending or not earning enough at your job, there ways to turn things around starting now to maintain success in the long run.

Re-Examine Your Expenses

Your expenses are more than just your monthly mortgage and car payment. You may also be paying for insurance coverage you no longer need. If you have a life insurance policy that you no longer need, you could sell it to get your hands on some easy cash. As the owner of a life insurance policy, there are certain rights you’re entitled to. One of these rights is selling your policy to a third-party buyer. This is known as a life settlement. There are two different types of life settlements you can get: a traditional life settlement and a viatical settlement. Both function a little differently, so make sure to review a guide online that goes into more detail to decide which option meets your needs.

Open a Retirement Account

If you haven’t done so already, you need to open a retirement account. People are living longer than ever, and that means they’re working until they’re older than 65 as well. Setting up a retirement account gives you more than 20 years to save up until you stop working. There are different types of accounts you can open, so be sure to research which one will yield the highest return.

Pay Down Your Debt

Even if your credit cards are paid off, you may still have outstanding debt. It’s not uncommon for people to pay on student loans well into their 50s or 60s. Whatever the case may be, strive to pay off outstanding debt as fast as possible. Not only will you feel less stressed but can then put that money into your retirement account or emergency fund. On the topic of emergency funds, make sure you have at least a couple months of bills saved up. This way, you won’t have to replace the money you took from your regular savings account.

Change Your Way of Thinking

The way you see the world now is probably far different from the way you saw it in your early 20s. Now, you might have a mortgage, children, and even elderly parents you take care of. As such, you need to think about how these life events will affect your financial status. You probably want to set aside money to help pay for your child’s tuition, or you might’ve wanted to save up to build an in-law’s apartment on your property. These kinds of priorities aren’t the same as the ones you had when you first graduated college or got married.

Prioritize Your Health

Your health is of the utmost importance. Being in poor health can make you more susceptible to various medical issues. As a result, your finances can take a massive hit with all the visits to the doctor and, in the worst-case scenario, hospital bills that can take months and years to rid yourself of the balance. Even with insurance, you still must pay a deductible. But on the off chance you don’t, you could end up paying thousands just for the visit alone. Make sure to eat right, get enough exercise and eliminate stress whenever possible.

Learn to Appreciate the Little Things

Although this tip might seem out of place, learning to appreciate the little things will also boost your financial longevity as well as your health. Why? Because once you realize that you don’t always need to spend money to have a good time, you also realize that there’s so much more to life. Being able to spend time with loved ones on a Sunday afternoon or cooking dinner with friends is invaluable. It’s also proven to boost both physical and mental well-being. When you feel at ease, your cortisol levels are lower, and you lower your risk for a variety of serious medical problems.