(METRO) The average person will spend more than 50 years in the employment sector. As retirement draws closer, many professionals begin to daydream about giving up the commute and having more time to pursue their personal interests.

Even if planning for retirement has been many years in the making, it can take some time for a person to become acclimated to having less income.

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “older households,” which are defined as those run by someone age 65 and older, spent an average of $45,756 in 2016, or roughly $3,800 a month. That’s roughly $1,000 less than the monthly average spent by typical American households.

Housing, transportation, health care, and food are some of the biggest bills retirees will have to account for. Aiming to have savings in addition to any other retirement income or government subsidy coming in to cover that amount is a step in the right direction.

Retirees can make their money go further if they take ...