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

[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.

Sure you are, my friend. I believe you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Sure you are, my friend. I believe you.

There's one troll who is going through every thread today on an angry projecting tirade. She is not rich, enlightened, open-minded. I also doubt she has kids. If she does, they def don't love her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Left for a comms position in the industry I covered. Very common.

In-house copywriter at Fortune 100 company. Six figures, 40 hrs a week. Should have done it sooner.

[Anonymous]

Buying a fixer upper and completely renovating it (80% DIY). Low mortgage and lots of equity.

[Anonymous]

Choosing to be born into the perfect family.
Choosing to marry the right man.
Choosing to have the brightest and healthiest kids.
Choosing to have kids at the right time and not have infertility issues.
Choosing to go in a job with a high pay and awesome job security.
Choosing to learn English instead of German as a second language.
Choosing to buy an awesome huge new SFH at the bottom of the real estate market.

I am so clever with my financial choices! Yay me!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buying a fixer upper and completely renovating it (80% DIY). Low mortgage and lots of equity.

Ooohh! Good one. I wish I knew how to do this kind of DIY...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Choosing to be born into the perfect family.
Choosing to marry the right man.
Choosing to have the brightest and healthiest kids.
Choosing to have kids at the right time and not have infertility issues.
Choosing to go in a job with a high pay and awesome job security.
Choosing to learn English instead of German as a second language.
Choosing to buy an awesome huge new SFH at the bottom of the real estate market.

I am so clever with my financial choices! Yay me!!

+1
Right? WTF? So stupid. No really, stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Choosing to be born into the perfect family.
Choosing to marry the right man.
Choosing to have the brightest and healthiest kids.
Choosing to have kids at the right time and not have infertility issues.
Choosing to go in a job with a high pay and awesome job security.
Choosing to learn English instead of German as a second language.
Choosing to buy an awesome huge new SFH at the bottom of the real estate market.

I am so clever with my financial choices! Yay me!!

Mostly luck, but some are really choices. Good advise not to take German, buying real estate at top of market (like now, even if it may go a little bit higher), and making good career choices. Minimizing all this to say it’s simply chance is why some folks don’t get ahead…

[Anonymous]

Stocks--park and hold for the long term

Real Estate--buy the lowest price home in the neighborhood

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. sorry i meant unhelpful not unhealthy. your experience was certainly healthy -- for you

Why? It shows you how much of life is out of one's control.

Except that's not the question!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Sure you are, my friend. I believe you.

There's one troll who is going through every thread today on an angry projecting tirade. She is not rich, enlightened, open-minded. I also doubt she has kids. If she does, they def don't love her.

OP's question is posted in the "money and finance" section. It isn't "trolling" to interpret OP's post as seeking advice relating to actual financial decisions.

So many of you are coming off as 1950s housewives. Marry well? Really? It's embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Sure you are, my friend. I believe you.

There's one troll who is going through every thread today on an angry projecting tirade. She is not rich, enlightened, open-minded. I also doubt she has kids. If she does, they def don't love her.

OP's question is posted in the "money and finance" section. It isn't "trolling" to interpret OP's post as seeking advice relating to actual financial decisions.

So many of you are coming off as 1950s housewives. Marry well? Really? It's embarrassing.

Actually “marrying well” is definitely part of the equation when discussing best financial decisions. It’s not, however, to mean marry for money. Instead, it’s meant to be select a long-term good partner. If you don’t, it will be expensive in the long run. Ever hear of picking a bad business partner?? Same with life partner, if you put into a financial context…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Sure you are, my friend. I believe you.

There's one troll who is going through every thread today on an angry projecting tirade. She is not rich, enlightened, open-minded. I also doubt she has kids. If she does, they def don't love her.

OP's question is posted in the "money and finance" section. It isn't "trolling" to interpret OP's post as seeking advice relating to actual financial decisions.

So many of you are coming off as 1950s housewives. Marry well? Really? It's embarrassing.

Actually “marrying well” is definitely part of the equation when discussing best financial decisions. It’s not, however, to mean marry for money. Instead, it’s meant to be select a long-term good partner. If you don’t, it will be expensive in the long run. Ever hear of picking a bad business partner?? Same with life partner, if you put into a financial context…

And this is why men still rule the world. They're out there making the actual financial decisions that bring in the money, while women are interpreting questions like -- what's the best financial decision you ever made? -- to mean find yourself the right husband.

If you can't see the difference, well, you're thinking like a very traditional woman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Sure you are, my friend. I believe you.

There's one troll who is going through every thread today on an angry projecting tirade. She is not rich, enlightened, open-minded. I also doubt she has kids. If she does, they def don't love her.

OP's question is posted in the "money and finance" section. It isn't "trolling" to interpret OP's post as seeking advice relating to actual financial decisions.

So many of you are coming off as 1950s housewives. Marry well? Really? It's embarrassing.

Actually “marrying well” is definitely part of the equation when discussing best financial decisions. It’s not, however, to mean marry for money. Instead, it’s meant to be select a long-term good partner. If you don’t, it will be expensive in the long run. Ever hear of picking a bad business partner?? Same with life partner, if you put into a financial context…

And this is why men still rule the world. They're out there making the actual financial decisions that bring in the money, while women are interpreting questions like -- what's the best financial decision you ever made? -- to mean find yourself the right husband.

If you can't see the difference, well, you're thinking like a very traditional woman.

Wow, how are you able to discern the gender of those who post? Are you basing it on sterotypes? I’m male and I posted the response billed above. It’s because I married a wonderful wife, who shares the same financial values, and as it turned out: she earns far more than I do and is way ahead of me in terms of financial literacy. Why would you ever be surprised by that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Sure you are, my friend. I believe you.

There's one troll who is going through every thread today on an angry projecting tirade. She is not rich, enlightened, open-minded. I also doubt she has kids. If she does, they def don't love her.

OP's question is posted in the "money and finance" section. It isn't "trolling" to interpret OP's post as seeking advice relating to actual financial decisions.

So many of you are coming off as 1950s housewives. Marry well? Really? It's embarrassing.

Actually “marrying well” is definitely part of the equation when discussing best financial decisions. It’s not, however, to mean marry for money. Instead, it’s meant to be select a long-term good partner. If you don’t, it will be expensive in the long run. Ever hear of picking a bad business partner?? Same with life partner, if you put into a financial context…

And this is why men still rule the world. They're out there making the actual financial decisions that bring in the money, while women are interpreting questions like -- what's the best financial decision you ever made? -- to mean find yourself the right husband.

If you can't see the difference, well, you're thinking like a very traditional woman.

DP, but no. "One spouse, one house" is gender-neutral financial advice. You're interpreting "marrying well" as finding a rich man, but I'm an upthread PP who considers marrying the right person to be one of the best decisions I've made. I outearn my DH threefold, but it's still a financial boon to be married to someone who shares your goals, works with you to accomplish them, and is stable themselves.