Tim Phillips Show, 4/7/26

For some of us, retirement feels like it’s a lifetime away, but that may be a good thing when it comes to saving. Northwestern Mutual’s 2026 Planning & Progress Study has just come out, revealing Americans’ “magic number” to retire comfortably has gotten bigger. People now think they’ll need $1.46-million, but few have hit that goal yet.

According to the study, which is based on the financial services company’s poll of 4,375 adults, that “magic number” for retirement has jumped $200-thousand in the last year. And nearly half of the non-retirees polled admit they don’t think they’ll be financially ready when they actually do retire.

Even worse? Half say it’s likely that they’ll outlive their savings.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of those with retirement savings say they have just one year or less of their current income set aside for it.

Gen X is the group closest to retiring and only 13% of those respondents say they’ve saved 10 times their income or more.

The majority of Gen Xers report having saved four times their income or less for retirement.

As a result, only 49% of them think they’ll be financially prepared to retire, and half of Gen Xers plan to keep working in retirement.

Surprisingly, Gen Z, whose oldest members are almost 30, seems to be most on track for retirement.

The survey shows nearly three-quarters of Gen Z have already saved over a year of income for retirement. They started early, at an average age of just 22.

The typical Gen Xer was a decade older, not starting to save until age 32.

Thanks to their early planning, Gen Z is the most confident about retirement savings, with 58% expecting to be financially prepared for it.

Source: USA Today

Two For Tuesday - MIGHTY QUINN THE ESKIMO -    BOB DYLAN,    MANFRED MANN (#10 in 1968)

The subject of the song is the arrival of Quinn (an Eskimo), who prefers a more relaxed lifestyle ("jumping queues and making haste just ain't my cup of meat") and refuses hard work ("Just tell me where to put 'em and I'll tell you who to call"), but brings joy to the people.^{[original research?]}

Dylan is widely believed to have derived the title character from actor Anthony Quinn's role as an Eskimo in the 1960 movie The Savage Innocents.^[5] Dylan has also been quoted as saying that the song was nothing more than a "simple nursery rhyme". A 2004 Chicago Tribune article^[6] said the song was named after Gordon Quinn, co-founder of Kartemquin Films, who had given Dylan and Howard Alk uncredited editing assistance on Eat the Document (1966).

Dylan first recorded the song in 1967 during the Basement Tapes sessions, but did not release a version for another three years. Meanwhile, the song was picked up and recorded in December 1967 by the British band Manfred Mann,^[7] who released it as a single in the US on 8 January 1968 under the title "Mighty Quinn".^[8] A UK single followed within a week.^[8] The Manfred Mann version reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for the week of 14 February 1968, and remained there the following week

Whether you’re crashing hard after overdoing it on Easter candy or you just have a case of the Mondays, there’s no need to suffer through your day. What you need is a boost of your “happy hormones” - dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins. These are some simple, but specific ways to trigger the release of these neurotransmitters.

Dopamine - According to Harvard Health, “Dopamine is most notably involved in helping us feel pleasure as part of the brain’s reward system. To boost it naturally, try:

Celebrating your wins - Recognize the small accomplishments to help your body release dopamine. Even something as minor as checking off something on your to-do list can be a positive reinforcement.

Dance to upbeat music - Make a playlist full of tracks that make you happy and shake off that stagnant energy.
Treat yourself to a shopping spree - A little retail therapy can definitely trigger a dopamine rush. While you can’t always buy new clothes or home decor when you’re feeling down, it will do the trick.

Serotonin - This hormone is “responsible for boosting mood, as well as a host of other functions,” Harvard Health reports. Think of serotonin as your body’s “mood stabilizer,” and increase it by:

Getting outside - Soaking up some sunlight is one of the easiest and best ways to support your serotonin levels. Even spending 15 minutes in the morning sun will help give your serotonin and mood a boost.
Meditate - Focus on deep breathing, visualization and staying in the moment to increase serotonin.
Oxytocin - According to Harvard Health, oxytocin’s “main function is to facilitate childbirth,” but our bodies also make it when we fall in love and when we get frisky with our partner, which is why it’s nicknamed the “love hormone” and the “cuddle hormone.” To boost oxytocin naturally:

Cuddle with a loved one or pet - Physical touch and intimacy will increase oxytocin production, but it doesn’t have to be romantic. Snuggling with your kids or pets can do it, too.
Join a local community - Feeling loved, supported and connected can also boost oxytocin. Try volunteering, joining a book club, or going to yoga class to give that sense of belonging.
Endorphins - These are the “body’s natural painkillers,” Harvard Health explains, and they’re released in response to pain or stress. Endorphins can relieve pain and “create a general feeling of well-being” and these are two ways to trigger it:

Exercise - Working out is the best and easiest way to get these “feel-good” chemicals flowing.
Watch something funny - Beyond a good sweat sesh, laughter is another great way to encourage the release of endorphins.
Source: Vice

Tim's News You Can't Use 

Want to be successful with your morning routine? Make it realistic. Building a morning routine doesn’t mean waking up at 5 a.m. every day or copying some picture‑perfect influencer checklist. The routines that actually work are the ones built for real life — not your fantasy self. The key is focusing on simple basics, like waking up around the same time each day, getting some natural light, and doing one small thing that gently gets your body moving. Basically, instead of cramming in a dozen habits every morning, pick a few “anchors” you can stick to even on low‑energy mornings. The goal isn’t to impress anyone or be ultra‑productive — it’s to feel a little more human and grounded when the day starts. 
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Need to really relax? Book a trip to Costa Rica. Travel + Leisure asked six experts to name the most relaxing destination in the world, and all of them picked the same place. They say Costa Rica’s slower pace of life, strong connection to nature, and “pura vida” [pure life] mindset make it easy to unplug almost instantly. From rainforests and volcanoes to beaches and hot springs, the landscape itself encourages you to slow down. Wellness is built into the experience, whether that’s forest bathing, surf sessions, or spa rituals near the country’s famous Blue Zones, where people live longer, healthier lives. In short, Costa Rica makes relaxation feel effortless.
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Gas prices are climbing, and drivers could be paying a whole lot more at the pump if they fall for a costly scam called "pump‑switching." It starts when a stranger approaches you at the gas pump and offers to help. Even if you say no, scammers try to get control of the nozzle — and crucially, not return it properly. That keeps your credit card transaction open. Then once you drive away, the scammer fills up the next car, takes cash from that driver, and sticks you with the bill — sometimes until your card maxes out. Police say victims often don’t realize what happened until days later. Reports have surfaced across the country, and women are often targeted. To protect yourself, always return the nozzle to the pump yourself, make sure the transaction ended, grab a receipt, and don’t engage with aggressive strangers at the pump. If something feels off, lock your car and call 911.
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The NY Post says some cruise lines may add a $250 fuel surcharge. Oil prices have risen by 40% since the start of the U.S.-Iran war. Cruise lines may add a daily charge if oil stays high. On a prepaid week-long cruise, a family of four could pay about $250 to $280 in fuel surcharges. 
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CNBC says the average tax refund is about $350 higher this year than last year.  As of March 27th, the average refund for individual filers was $3,521, up from $3,170 roughly a year ago. IRS data shows about 88.4 million returns have been received, out of about 164 million expected by the April 15th deadline. 
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United Press International says a cat in Overland Park, Kansas recently got stuck inside a mechanical reclining chair while trying to avoid a vet visit. The Overland Park Fire Department used a saw to cut through the chair to free the cat. The feline is fine and was eventually taken to the vet.
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CBS says 15 bunnies recently survived an F1 tornado in the Quad Cities in Iowa. Danielle Klosterman says the bunnies were in a shed when winds caused it to start rolling. As soon as the storm passed, Danielle and her family chased down the shed and removed each bunny one by one. All of the rabbits are healthy and accounted for. She has no idea how they survived the storm 
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The mistake of some placing orders on behalf of a Scottish grocery store ended up benefiting the entire community. The intent was to order 380kg, or 837 pounds, of bananas. What they received, however, was 380 boxes, which gave the store 38K bananas, instead of the 3,000 they actually wanted. So, the Tesco store was left with two options…let them go bad by sending them back…or give them away. After putting the word out, the local community responded with a full list of food kitchens, charities, childcare centers, and other organizations that were all blessed with more bananas than they could possibly use.
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A completely fake, AI-generated musician called Eddie Dalton somehow landed 11 spots on the iTunes Top 100 singles chart and reached the number three album position with fewer than 7,000 track sales
The operation exposed a weakness in iTunes' chart system, which gives heavy weight to downloads rather than streaming numbers
Music industry insiders noted the songs have not gotten radio play, and some say that remains the real test of whether this kind of manipulation matters
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Not many beach activities involve a toothbrush, and this might be a hint as to why. A 31-year-old woman was arrested in Seattle on Sunday after allegedly stabbing a man in the back of the head with a toothbrush at Alki Beach. The incident happened outside Salty's Seafood Restaurant around 11 am; police say both people appeared to be intoxicated and had been arguing before the assault. The man had a scratch and some dried blood, but refused medical treatment and was released from the scene. The woman was booked into King County Jail on assault charges.