Salary is never enough, appraisals or job switches make you hungrier, which is quite natural for the kind of luxury it brings along. However, when one is younger, retirement planning is often postponed as a task for the future, and conscious efforts to create a corpus are never made. Which lands the retirees in a situation of being retired without a financial support system, and a lifetime liability for their immediate family. This is especially true if you are not earning enough to save, which makes retirement planning all the more difficult.

If you exhibit at least 3 of these 7 signs, chances are you're Not Earning Enough To Retire Comfortably

1) You runout of money even before the month ends

You're living hand-to-mouth towards the end of the month. A single day's delay in crediting your salary could shake up daily life-sustaining tasks. Before retirement, ask if you're making it to the month-end?

So, what do I do? If you have a skill-set that could help you earn an additional income beyond traditional working hours, look at ways to monetize it. If your expenses are all over the place, and you're still feel like you're missing out on life -simply choose your experiences more judiciously and your expenses too will come down. The money saved is money earned. The money earned can be money grown.

2) You spend more than you earn

If you fully utilize your credit card limit, or you somehow need to borrow money by the end of the month, you're living by the skin of your teeth. Get your pencils out and start planning before it is too late. Because it already is.

So what do I do? Spend, but don't get spent. Prioritize your outgoings in 3 steps. First, pay off any debts (like EMI for your home loan). Second, calculate your monthly income and set aside money for basic needs like rent or buying household items. And third, always save a portion and invest so that you could spend when you need it most. You'll pat yourself on the back for this.

3) You do not have an emergency fund

Ideally, one should have 3 months' salary set aside for unexpected situations, like loss of job due to the company's liquidation or an unfortunate medical emergency.

So what do I do? Turn emergencies into opportunities to say "I got this". Invest a small portion of your savings in a good protection plan. HDFC Life's Click 2 wealth is one of such instruments that can safeguard you from financial emergencies.

4) You do not have any investments If the only investment you've made is your provident fund, remember the mantra: the future isn't half as fun without funds.

So what should I do? The good news is, it's never too late. If you plan to start saving, do some digging and find out what kind of investment plans really suit your style. And of course, meet your needs. HDFC Life's Click 2 Wealth ULIP is one of such plans, where you can invest as per your goals and risk appetite. Besides this, you can also ask for advice from your colleagues. Invest long enough and pretty soon you'll be the one giving advice.

5) You keep borrowing money

According to the G20/OECD INFE Report on Adult Financial Literacy in G20 Countries, 54% of Indian respondents turned to friends and family for informal borrowing.

If you fall into this category, it's time to live life on your terms, not those of others.

Pray tell, what do I do? There are various financial instruments in the market which enable investment according to your budget. Once you make up your debts, you can build on your own investments and perhaps build your own legacy too.

6) You have no provisions for a holiday or a bigger expense

You may be a person of bare means, but sometimes the heart wants what it wants, doesn't it?

What do I do then? Just like you, your finances need a little me time. It's not much but it adds up to a lot. Take time out to plan for something exciting. What's the worst that can happen? The plan will work out and you'll end up having the time of your life.

7) "I'll save when I make more money"

If you believe you don't earn enough to save, you're mistaken. Remember that tomorrow comes today. So take a good look at your expenses and get your act together.

What should I do? The wisest of men have said, 'you only regret the things you didn't do'. So if you don't have the time or patience to make more money, the very least you can do is to save what you've got. If years from now, you've saved enough for you and your loved ones, you'll be okay.