1. Rent instead of buy. For most people at or near retirement that advice comes too late. Many of us have owned our own home for years. But if you're still paying on a mortgage, plan to pay it off as quickly as possible.
2. Consider a Roth. Before you leap into a conversion, consider what Bankrate.com says about conversions. The first $20,000 of income that you take from a tax-deferred account, such as a regular 401(k) plan or traditional IRA, will be free of tax. So why pay tax upfront with a Roth if you have less than $400,000 in savings?
3. Focus on stocks with dividends. This isn't a game for amateurs. Even Kiplinger warns that picking stocks that pay high dividends is more complicated than it sounds. Get knowledgeable assistance before you dump a lot of money in a stock that ultimately is going to be a loser.
4. Keep cash for emergencies close by. When the stock market tanked in 2008, retirees who survived best were those who didn't have to sell stocks because they had a year or two worth of living expenses in cash. That gave their investments time to recover.

• Disability and life insurance -- if you have no one depending on you for support, then you don't need life insurance. And if you aren't working, disability won't pay, even if you need it.
• High investment fees -- If you're putting your money in safe CDs -- the choice of many retirees -- don't pay investment fees at all. Just march yourself to the bank and buy them. No expertise needed.
• Your house. Getting rid of a property that comes with high utility and maintenance costs as well as a big tax bill can result in significant savings.
• Landlines. Not many people these days need both a landline and a cell phone.
• Interest payments. People living on tight budgets can't afford debt.
• Inefficient appliances. Spend money to save money by getting rid of expensive-to-operate refrigerators, dryers, air conditioners, heaters and replacing them with new, energy efficient models.

• More than 20 million people have more than one number associated with their name.
• More than 40 million numbers are associated with more than one person.
• More than 100,000 Americans have 5 or more numbers associated with their name.
• More than 27,000 Social Security numbers are associated with 10 or more people.

• Good health: Be healthy enough to enjoy yourself.
• A significant other: It doesn't matter whether you're married or just living with a partner and enjoying life, so long as you have someone to share the good times.
• A social network: Socialize not just with your children and grandchildren, but with plenty of friends and acquaintances as well.
• Avoid TV: At least two studies confirmed that unhappy people watch the most TV.
• Intellectual curiosity: Do things that keep your brain chugging along.
• Don't be overly ambitious: If it's important to you to be the top dog, you probably won't like retirement.
• Enough money: You don't have to be rich, but you need to be able to pay the bills. You won't be happy if you spend all your time worrying about where your next buck is coming from.

Yet getting rid of Social Security or even reducing payments to current or soon-to-be recipients would be an incredibly hard sell. About 26 percent of retirees depend solely on Social Security. The National Center for Policy Analysis also calculates that Social Security provides one-third of the retirement income of the highest-earning households -- couples with pre-retirement incomes of $500,000 and singles who earned at least $250,000.

For some options to reform Social Security, take a look at the American Academy of Actuaries' "The Social Security Game," where you can try your hand at coming up with alternatives. Personally, I'm in favor of pushing the retirement age a little higher and making everybody pay Social Security taxes on every dollar they earn, instead of capping payments. This year's cap is $106,800, which means a lot of high earners don't pay on a large portion of their income.

But if you think my ideas are bad ones (or even harbor some better ones), the actuaries offer lots of other alternatives that work and preserve this important safety net. Plus, you can always comment below.