I have lived in Chicago for quite a while and have never been married.

When I was younger, I also lived in New York and had spent some time in Orange County near LA.

Due to my job, I lived as a contractor for about a year, so it was easier to live alone.

Except for my parents (since I'm not married), I didn't have to worry about anyone else, and I thought I could just spend my money as I earned it.

Even when I heard that I should buy a house or prepare thoroughly for retirement, it didn't resonate with me much.

However, this time my apartment lease ended, and I had to move to another place. I got quotes from moving companies, and the cost of hiring people and using a truck was significant.

In the end, I decided to rent a U-Haul to save money. But as I started moving my stuff one by one, I realized how old I really was.

Boxes that I used to lift easily now felt heavy. Carrying one down the stairs made my back ache and left me out of breath.

I couldn't even lift the mattress by myself, and dragging it was tough. It took all my energy just to get a sofa out the door.

I kept lamenting to myself, "Why am I doing this myself at my age over sixty?"

But I know the answer. It's because of money.

If I had enough money, I would have hired someone. If I had a little more to spare, I would have paid $1,400 to have everything taken care of from packing to transporting.

Instead, I just had to grab my wallet and phone and drive to the new apartment.

Since I didn't make enough money when I was younger, I'm now paying for it with my body.

Accepting that fact is quite sad.

If the weather were nice, it wouldn't be so bad.

But as a renter, can I really choose my moving date?

There's the end date of the lease and the move-in date for the new apartment.

If it falls on a cold winter day, I have to do it then, and if it's a hot and humid summer day, I have to sweat through it.

If the house were mine, I could move according to my own schedule, but as a renter, I have to stick to the contract dates.

What's even sadder is that I have no family.

I've lived single my whole life, so I have no wife or children.

It feels awkward to call friends to help me move.

My friends are over sixty too. If my back hurts, theirs probably does too.

In my early forties, I could just invite friends over for drinks, and that would be the end of it, but now even asking for help feels unreasonable.

Looking back, as I age, money ultimately takes on the role of people.

If I have money, I can hire someone to clean, have heavy items delivered, and buy a new car if mine breaks down.

Even when moving, I could hire someone.

But without money, I have to do it myself.

That's what retirement assets are all about.

I used to think that having a lot of numbers in my bank account meant I could buy a nice car and travel a lot, but now I see it differently.

Retirement assets are the money that replaces the labor my aging body has to do.

In my thirties, I took pride in doing things myself to save money.

"Why hire someone for this? I can do it myself."

But saying the same thing after sixty feels completely different.

Now it's not "I can do it myself" but rather "I have to do it because I have no money."

That difference is truly sad.

Growing old as a renter is also tough. If rent goes up, I might have to move again.

If the landlord's situation changes, I might have to move. Then I'll have to pack boxes again.

At sixty-five? At seventy? Will I still have to drag the mattress down myself then?

Thinking about that scares me.

Now I understand a little why people advised me to buy a house when I was younger and to save for retirement.

It's not sad to have no money in retirement because I can't drive a Benz or go on a European trip.

What's sadder is losing the choice to avoid doing things I don't want to do.

Today, as I unloaded the last box from the truck, I straightened my back once.

My whole body ached.

And I thought to myself, "I should have earned a little more and saved a little more when I was younger."