It was recently reported that nearly half of the members of my generation are delaying retirement as rising costs and stagnant wages are draining savings. Even worse, a new Gallup poll found that as many as 69% of all workers fear they’re not saving enough for retirement.

I get it. I feel it too. But whose fault is this, really? The government? Businesses? I think it’s time we all look in the mirror.

Just two generations before us, people in the US were having to ration food and essentials because of world wars. Most were farmers living at the mercy of natural forces. Workers – including many children – were making less-than-living wages. Today, most of our population earns more money than our long-dead relatives could have dreamed of having. And yet …

Healthcare, student debt, rents and grocery prices are high, while for some wages aren’t keeping up. For low-income workers, as always, life is really hard.

But for those with disposable income, there’s an obvious solution to ease your fears: make better choices. It’s not that complicated. Increase the money coming in, or decrease the money going out. Many retirement problems are less about economics than expectations, lifestyle inflation and unwillingness to sacrifice.

Negotiate better compensation with your boss. That didn’t work? Change jobs or work more. Join the millions of people who started up new businesses in just the past five years. Or educate yourself. Learn a new skill that can generate more revenue for you.

Yes, this takes time and money, so you’re going to have to figure that out. But there is no better way to build your own personal value than to invest in yourself.

None of this is easy, especially for people balancing children, ageing parents or multiple jobs already. You don’t need to make excuses or even feel guilty. Live your life! But please remember that you’re making a choice.

If you choose not to bring in more income, then you still have another way to save more for retirement: reduce your expenses.

Cut down on the small stuff. A cup of coffee from Starbucks three times a week is $750 per year (that’s about a thousand bucks before taxes). Delivery fees are adding hundreds to your annual bill. Your Amazon account has way too many discretionary purchases. Your monthly fees for Netflix, Verizon, LA Fitness, Spotify and PlayStation can all be reduced or eliminated.

You’re spending $40 on a chicken parm, $15 on a caesar salad and $85 for an 8oz steak at nearby restaurants when you could be making the same dishes at home for 80% less. You’re spending $22 on an old-fashioned, $16 for a third of a glass of wine and $12 for a shot of Jameson when you could be buying bottles of that stuff. Your closet is full of shoes, your drawers are stuffed with too many shirts, and your refrigerator has gourmet jellies and rotting fruit. Mine too.

Or maybe you pull back on the big stuff. Do you really need to go to Europe? That resort vacation? Are you leasing a car instead of buying? That’s not a good long-term financial move. Are you planning an enormous, six-figure wedding instead of a low-key party? Are you still paying rent for that upscale place when you could be paying a mortgage on a more reasonable property that’s yours and appreciating?

Again, choices.

There are a few things you can do to push yourself into the right financial frame of mind. For example, buy whole life insurance, which not only takes care of your loved ones (tax-free) but also includes a forced savings component to build up cash value. Maximize your 401(k) and Roth contributions every year. Do the same with your health savings accounts if your employer offers them. Arrange with your financial institution to take a piece of your paycheck automatically each month for savings. Check your credit card statement every day to keep things real. Set a monthly and annual savings goal.

We all have financial worries. We want security. This is what drives us as humans and these desires have driven humans since there have been humans. But today’s problems are different from those of the past. For many people today, their financial concerns about having enough retirement savings is a fixable problem. Like anything in life, these solutions aren’t easy. But they’re available if we choose them.