According to a 2020 study by the World Bank, the average life expectancy of Filipinos is 71, which is 2 years below the global average of 73.  The same study also shows the average life expectancy of Filipino males is 67 and females is 76.   As a Filipino male, this does not give me too much time left, so allow me to share life as a senior and give you some tips on how to buy you a little more time in this world. As a senior, there are some advantages and certainly a number of disadvantages as well.  Among the advantages are the benefits of a senior citizen discount, preferred parking, shorter lines and the like.  On the other hand, you can feel the onset of age by getting weaker, being more forgetful, lethargy, the passing of close friends and relatives and of course retirement and the inability to earn a living. No one lives forever so perhaps the best alternative is simply to live as long as possible in as healthy state as possible.  The first step is to face the reality that we have gotten old and in most cases have passed our prime in terms of physical strength, mental acuity and financial opportunities.  While possible, it would be unrealistic to assume that the best is yet to come.  Therefore, it is about time to do away with the wishful thinking and face reality. The first thing to do is to assess your current condition, in terms of your physical, mental and financial situation.  With an honest assessment, you need to plan on how to live within your means and capability and make the best out of it.  Making foolhardy or high risk investments would probably be not in your best interest specially if you cannot afford to make them.  Expenditures beyond your capability are probably not in your best interest as well, which is the reason why some people downsize their homes and sell off unnecessary assets, to raise enough funds to keep themselves within a certain lifestyle they have been accustomed to. Unfortunately, many people who have been moved into desperation have gambled away their remaining assets for that last golden opportunity for a chance at winning a lottery that was nothing more than a Ponzi scheme.  Oftentimes, many older people take unnecessary risk, over reach their goals and even get too greedy by taking things that are not theirs and end up losing whatever they have and suffer the legal consequences of their criminal action.  These actions also have a detrimental effect on their lifespan due the stress it creates. Learning how to live with what you have sometimes is the best option.  Enjoy the life that you have worked for.  It is too late to change your financial future when you are in the twilight of your years.  If you could not make things happen in the prime of your life, what makes you think that you can do it now that you are in a state of decline? (The views and comments of the author are his own and not of the newspaper or FINEX.  Dr. George S. Chua was 2016 FINEX President, FPI President from 2010 to 2020, a regular member of the National Press Club, an entrepreneur with investments in Broadcast, Media, Telecommunications, Fintech and Properties.   Comments may be sent to