What’s the e best financial decision you’ve ever made?

[Anonymous]

1. Married the right spouse (25 years and counting). Fantastic spouse, parent, contributor (financially and emotionally)
2. Selected the right careers for our strengths and then dive head first into our careers, while trying to balance families. It was five and take at different times (when one flexed, the other flowed).. Maxed 401ks. Took sideways career risks, while demonstrating longevity when necessary. Took position with pension mid-career, while other got lucky with start-ups.
3. Only 2 kids (by accident, but in hindsight it was perfect for us financially)
4. Public school educations for kids (and opened 529 before each was born). Each attended public undergraduate and MBA programs, with high reputation in their majors. Well-rounded and we never got caught up in the early race for privates (which have advantages but not enough to offset price in VA public schools and out of state public universities)
5. Purchased the biggest house we could afford in late 20’s (before kids), and paid off mortgage (refinancing along the way). Did not move (to avoid transactional, remodeling, and other costs). Paid for remodeling / redecorating over time, but selected the best layout / floor plan for our future needs up front.
6. Bought investment real estate early, selling in high markets, buying again a few years later when markets dipped. Personally, that was pretty easy as when things get too frothy (like now), sell. Then when things seem to drop and plateau, then wait a year and rebuy. Won’t time it perfectly of course - but General swings are cyclical over decades.
7. Buying lots of Apple early and riding the wave.

Biggest mistake: not investing in overall stock market aggressively enough. Very good gains over the decades but not fantastic (a few points under market average). Who knew??!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Married the right spouse (25 years and counting). Fantastic spouse, parent, contributor (financially and emotionally)
2. Selected the right careers for our strengths and then dive head first into our careers, while trying to balance families. It was five and take at different times (when one flexed, the other flowed).. Maxed 401ks. Took sideways career risks, while demonstrating longevity when necessary. Took position with pension mid-career, while other got lucky with start-ups.
3. Only 2 kids (by accident, but in hindsight it was perfect for us financially)
4. Public school educations for kids (and opened 529 before each was born). Each attended public undergraduate and MBA programs, with high reputation in their majors. Well-rounded and we never got caught up in the early race for privates (which have advantages but not enough to offset price in VA public schools and out of state public universities)
5. Purchased the biggest house we could afford in late 20’s (before kids), and paid off mortgage (refinancing along the way). Did not move (to avoid transactional, remodeling, and other costs). Paid for remodeling / redecorating over time, but selected the best layout / floor plan for our future needs up front.
6. Bought investment real estate early, selling in high markets, buying again a few years later when markets dipped. Personally, that was pretty easy as when things get too frothy (like now), sell. Then when things seem to drop and plateau, then wait a year and rebuy. Won’t time it perfectly of course - but General swings are cyclical over decades.
7. Buying lots of Apple early and riding the wave.

Biggest mistake: not investing in overall stock market aggressively enough. Very good gains over the decades but not fantastic (a few points under market average). Who knew??!

I should also add 8. Never bought expensive depreciating assets like autos. Alway bough 1 year old and held for at least 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't view marrying or how many kids you have as being "financial decisions." Silly and wholly unhelpful answers. OP's question is what decisions did you make with your money?

The best decisions that we made with our money were (1) to fully fund retirement accounts from the start and aggressively and (2) take advantage of the DC area's top public school and state university systems and not throw your money away on private schools.

Then you don't understand how life decisions impact your bottom line. You're either young or stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being born to upper-middle class parents who guided me and paid for college. (I know this isn't what you meant, but I find it helpful to remember that much or most of our financial outcomes are outside of our control.)

But to answer your real question, buying a DC condo for around $100,000 in 2000, then selling it for over $300,000 in 2005. (When I bought it, I was confused as to why my mortgage payment was so much lower than the rent I'd been paying.)

This is me. I was able to save to buy my first condo in 1999 b/c I didn't have student loan debt. Sold it in 2004 years for 70% more. Used that profit (along with fiancee, who did the same) to buy our first home.

Close second is contributing to 401(k) early (again, benefiting from not having student debt) and maxing as soon as possible.

[Anonymous]

Bad Financial Decisions often turn into best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Married the right spouse (25 years and counting). Fantastic spouse, parent, contributor (financially and emotionally)
2. Selected the right careers for our strengths and then dive head first into our careers, while trying to balance families. It was five and take at different times (when one flexed, the other flowed).. Maxed 401ks. Took sideways career risks, while demonstrating longevity when necessary. Took position with pension mid-career, while other got lucky with start-ups.
3. Only 2 kids (by accident, but in hindsight it was perfect for us financially)
4. Public school educations for kids (and opened 529 before each was born). Each attended public undergraduate and MBA programs, with high reputation in their majors. Well-rounded and we never got caught up in the early race for privates (which have advantages but not enough to offset price in VA public schools and out of state public universities)
5. Purchased the biggest house we could afford in late 20’s (before kids), and paid off mortgage (refinancing along the way). Did not move (to avoid transactional, remodeling, and other costs). Paid for remodeling / redecorating over time, but selected the best layout / floor plan for our future needs up front.
6. Bought investment real estate early, selling in high markets, buying again a few years later when markets dipped. Personally, that was pretty easy as when things get too frothy (like now), sell. Then when things seem to drop and plateau, then wait a year and rebuy. Won’t time it perfectly of course - but General swings are cyclical over decades.
7. Buying lots of Apple early and riding the wave.

Biggest mistake: not investing in overall stock market aggressively enough. Very good gains over the decades but not fantastic (a few points under market average). Who knew??!

Murdering your unborn children 👶 as a brag is weird. I only have three but could not imagine killing the third one to buy apple stock

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Married the right spouse (25 years and counting). Fantastic spouse, parent, contributor (financially and emotionally)
2. Selected the right careers for our strengths and then dive head first into our careers, while trying to balance families. It was five and take at different times (when one flexed, the other flowed).. Maxed 401ks. Took sideways career risks, while demonstrating longevity when necessary. Took position with pension mid-career, while other got lucky with start-ups.
3. Only 2 kids (by accident, but in hindsight it was perfect for us financially)
4. Public school educations for kids (and opened 529 before each was born). Each attended public undergraduate and MBA programs, with high reputation in their majors. Well-rounded and we never got caught up in the early race for privates (which have advantages but not enough to offset price in VA public schools and out of state public universities)
5. Purchased the biggest house we could afford in late 20’s (before kids), and paid off mortgage (refinancing along the way). Did not move (to avoid transactional, remodeling, and other costs). Paid for remodeling / redecorating over time, but selected the best layout / floor plan for our future needs up front.
6. Bought investment real estate early, selling in high markets, buying again a few years later when markets dipped. Personally, that was pretty easy as when things get too frothy (like now), sell. Then when things seem to drop and plateau, then wait a year and rebuy. Won’t time it perfectly of course - but General swings are cyclical over decades.
7. Buying lots of Apple early and riding the wave.

Biggest mistake: not investing in overall stock market aggressively enough. Very good gains over the decades but not fantastic (a few points under market average). Who knew??!

Murdering your unborn children 👶 as a brag is weird. I only have three but could not imagine killing the third one to buy apple stock

NP here. PP where did you get murder from that post? I didn't get that at all. I only had 2 by accident because God only wanted me to have 2. I wanted more, but God had other plans. I kept trying and had my last at nearly 40, then I stopped trying. Perhaps you're being a bit presumptuous or misread the post?

[Anonymous]

Marrying my spouse

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't view marrying or how many kids you have as being "financial decisions." Silly and wholly unhelpful answers. OP's question is what decisions did you make with your money?

The best decisions that we made with our money were (1) to fully fund retirement accounts from the start and aggressively and (2) take advantage of the DC area's top public school and state university systems and not throw your money away on private schools.

Then you don't understand how life decisions impact your bottom line. You're either young or stupid.

Not only am I neither of those things, I'm also rich.

All I'm saying is that I don't think that's what OP was asking.

[Anonymous]

Being born ti wealthy financially literate parents is all you need

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't view marrying or how many kids you have as being "financial decisions." Silly and wholly unhelpful answers. OP's question is what decisions did you make with your money?

The best decisions that we made with our money were (1) to fully fund retirement accounts from the start and aggressively and (2) take advantage of the DC area's top public school and state university systems and not throw your money away on private schools.

Then you don't understand how life decisions impact your bottom line. You're either young or stupid.

Not only am I neither of those things, I'm also rich.

All I'm saying is that I don't think that's what OP was asking.

I agree, unless you literally married for the money, it’s not a financial decision the same way maxing out a 401K is. It has financial implications for sure but so does basically everything else in life. I guess you can say marrying is the decision that was most impactful on you financially but to me that’s not the same as a “financial decision.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Married the right spouse (25 years and counting). Fantastic spouse, parent, contributor (financially and emotionally)
2. Selected the right careers for our strengths and then dive head first into our careers, while trying to balance families. It was five and take at different times (when one flexed, the other flowed).. Maxed 401ks. Took sideways career risks, while demonstrating longevity when necessary. Took position with pension mid-career, while other got lucky with start-ups.
3. Only 2 kids (by accident, but in hindsight it was perfect for us financially)
4. Public school educations for kids (and opened 529 before each was born). Each attended public undergraduate and MBA programs, with high reputation in their majors. Well-rounded and we never got caught up in the early race for privates (which have advantages but not enough to offset price in VA public schools and out of state public universities)
5. Purchased the biggest house we could afford in late 20’s (before kids), and paid off mortgage (refinancing along the way). Did not move (to avoid transactional, remodeling, and other costs). Paid for remodeling / redecorating over time, but selected the best layout / floor plan for our future needs up front.
6. Bought investment real estate early, selling in high markets, buying again a few years later when markets dipped. Personally, that was pretty easy as when things get too frothy (like now), sell. Then when things seem to drop and plateau, then wait a year and rebuy. Won’t time it perfectly of course - but General swings are cyclical over decades.
7. Buying lots of Apple early and riding the wave.

Biggest mistake: not investing in overall stock market aggressively enough. Very good gains over the decades but not fantastic (a few points under market average). Who knew??!

Murdering your unborn children 👶 as a brag is weird. I only have three but could not imagine killing the third one to buy apple stock

NP here. PP where did you get murder from that post? I didn't get that at all. I only had 2 by accident because God only wanted me to have 2. I wanted more, but God had other plans. I kept trying and had my last at nearly 40, then I stopped trying. Perhaps you're being a bit presumptuous or misread the post?

I’m the one who posted the 8 points: some folks don’t get it or just think snarky is funny. Fortunately for me and my finances, neither applied for me

[Anonymous]

+ 1 for using "wastrel"

[Anonymous]

Leaving journalism

[Anonymous]

At least two people have said, "leaving journalism."

If you or your spouse left journalism for something that paid more, what was it and how did you do it? I have a resume with decades of journalism experience.