What brought you here

**Jluke** · 03-14-2016, 06:37 AM

Originally posted by Bob B. View Post

The other broad group is members who seem to have always had it together financially. Sound financial management is and seems to always have been part of who they are.

It's the other group that I can't quite figure out. If you have always been financially disciplined, if you have never had a financial mess that needed to be cleaned up, what brought you here?

I have a couple hypotheses, but I'd like to hear from those of you that fall into that category. I could name names, but I'd hate to embarrass, or forget anyone.

No matter how well you do something, there is always someone out there who is doing it better.

I think I'm good with my money in a simplistic way but I wanted to take it to another level.

**disneysteve** · 03-14-2016, 06:44 AM

Originally posted by Bob B. View Post

The other broad group is members who seem to have always had it together financially. Sound financial management is and seems to always have been part of who they are.

It's the other group that I can't quite figure out. If you have always been financially disciplined, if you have never had a financial mess that needed to be cleaned up, what brought you here?

Well if the only people populating this site were people whose finances were a mess and who didn't have a clue how to fix it, the site wouldn't be very helpful to anybody.

The people you want to get advice from are those who are winning, those who have their act together.

I'm happy to share my knowledge, give advice that I hope people find useful, and I pick up my share of tips along the way, too. I love having a place to hang out where there are others who understand my interest and obsession with handling money responsibly, since most people I encounter in my day to day life aren't like that at all.

Even though I've got things together, I still have questions from time to time and others here have helped me plenty of times. You don't have to be a train wreck to benefit from some outside information.

**97guns** · 03-14-2016, 06:46 AM

i found my way here a year after i put my real estate portfolio together and retired, surfing the web is one hobby of mine

**Bob B.** · 03-14-2016, 07:22 AM

Originally posted by disneysteve View Post

Well if the only people populating this site were people whose finances were a mess and who didn't have a clue how to fix it, the site wouldn't be very helpful to anybody.

The people you want to get advice from are those who are winning, those who have their act together.

I'm happy to share my knowledge, give advice that I hope people find useful, and I pick up my share of tips along the way, too. I love having a place to hang out where there are others who understand my interest and obsession with handling money responsibly, since most people I encounter in my day to day life aren't like that at all.

Even though I've got things together, I still have questions from time to time and others here have helped me plenty of times. You don't have to be a train wreck to benefit from some outside information.

Understood, but what actually physically brought you here? Why did you go looking for a site about saving advice?

**disneysteve** · 03-14-2016, 07:27 AM

Originally posted by Bob B. View Post

Understood, but what actually physically brought you here? Why did you go looking for a site about saving advice?

You expect me to remember how I found this site 10 years ago? I haven't got a clue. Chances are I was searching for the answer to some financial question and one of the links brought me here, but I honestly don't remember.

**tripods68** · 03-14-2016, 07:28 AM

I was like everyone else, regular Americans—married with a mortgage, car payments, and multiple credit card holders with balances that constantly changing. After being in this site for over 8 years, I’ve turned around our finances because I learned a lot from other people’s advice and still do. We follow financial principle (Dave Ramsey) that works so we do not go back to our “old” ways of making bad financial decision. In some ways this forum is lifestyle. You live what you preach! It’s make you accountable. It’s great that people comes here with problems (often makes me feel better) knowing I was not alone making bad financial decisions too. If I can help I’ll chime in. In general, it’s great to hear people rant, rave, and make financial progress over time that inspires people to do the same.

**creditcardfree** · 03-14-2016, 07:28 AM

We definitely haven't always had it together. Our marriage started with my husband's failed business debt. I figured how to get that debt paid off fast by reading books primarily. Soon after, I was a customer service representative helping people with their mutual fund transactions where I learned more about investing. And then left my job to stay at home with our daughter's. I needed an outlet to continue to help others.

Eventually, that led me to starting my own blog on this site where I could write about our financial goals, progress and successes. This made me accountable to myself as well as those reading. And making progress financially while helping others at the same time is a bit addictive!

**Jluke** · 03-14-2016, 07:28 AM

google search led me to the forum.

**creditcardfree** · 03-14-2016, 07:29 AM

I think I was looking for something financial in nature to read. I don't know that I even knew how these forums worked when I found them.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 03-14-2016, 07:40 AM

we were pretty financially responsible. The only issue we had more was student loan debt. We saved, didn't overspend, lived frugally but the student loan debt? Well it always made me uncomfortable. But everyone said it had to happen and take out the maximum. I found this because of it. To weigh the pros and cons of paying it off versus not. We weren't in total financial trouble but I think we fell where a lot of people fell in their 20s. Okay except the student loans were the problem.

**MonkeyMama** · 03-14-2016, 07:49 AM

Personally, I just like personal finance. It's fun to discuss. I don't know that I necessarily realized this until I found this website (or others like it). I wouldn't remember how on earth I stumbled upon this website. It was nothing I Was specifically looking for, but I do find it addicting.

What I enjoy is finding other people who are like minded. The bar is set incredibly low in our culture. In real life it's always been, "You have no debt!? & you have more than $100 in the bank? Why would you ever worry about money?"

???

I enjoy discussing finances with people who are far beyond me and that I can look up to. I just need a different perspective. I personally have exceptional real life mentors, but they are not my age and it's just helpful to surround yourself with more people on the other end of the spectrum. People who push you financially. Is not anything I have found among any real life people that I know.

**Joan.of.the.Arch** · 03-14-2016, 08:48 AM

Exactly what I was looking for when I first came here, I don't remember. Probably I was just looking for small tips on economizing, 'cause I'm always up for that.

At first I just checked into the forums every now and then, but I'd say my visits picked up when I found myself reading the ongoing stories of some people who posted frequently about their financial plans and problems. I think I started reading the blogs at about that same time.

I am happy to read about people who have majorly turned their financial life around for the good. There have been some great stories of beating back debt and turning from hyper-spending to healthy saving. I think that is so commendable to be able to stick with a plan for big positive changes. How do they do that?! What internal reserve have they called upon? I don't know if I've ever made an equivalent big change in my life, so it really impresses me that others can do it.

Dealing with money, earning, saving, spending, giving is so connected to every thing we do. So the forums and blogs can touch on anything you can think of. Reading here presents endless opportunities to re-evaluate myself, find practical ideas, and even inspiration. Sometimes I talk with my husband about things I've read here, so it even enlivens my "real" life.

**ua_guy** · 03-14-2016, 10:43 AM

I joined because I realized I was 27 and I realized I didn't know that much about personal finance, but desperately needed to understand.

I was a privileged kid with parents who understood and managed their own finances very well, but it was something they never really talked about with us kids. They taught me the value of money and how to SAVE money, but beyond that, we never talked "money" at large.

I didn't really understand investing, or what a "bad" mortgage was, and I didn't know the value of my labor--I never knew what my parents made until well into my 20's. At 24 years old, I blindly signed an awful mortgage on an awful house and my folks said nothing to me about it. They either assumed I knew what I was doing or figured I'd learn from my own mistakes (I guess?).

I don't blame anybody, that's why I took it upon myself to LEARN, because I got myself in a jam of owing too much, with not enough cash flow to cover repairs and everything else. I never asked for, or borrowed money from them. My partner and I considered every option before finally boot-strapping it out of there when we sold the house free and clear in 2013, 7 years later, after dumping more than $100k cash into it in repairs and remodel. That house put us way behind on our financial trajectory, something we're still feeling today. Lesson learned, that will never happen again.

So here I am, still puttering around trying to save and invest.

The segue to why I am STILL here? Well, now I'm dealing with the fallout of taking a career I never really cared about while owning that last house, just so we could make ends meet. Now that we're in a new place and the future is bright, I'm really struggling with my career choice, and I'm contemplating ways to find work that I feel is worthwhile and makes me feel productive, and engaged. That takes a lot of financial re-jiggering at this stage in life, to cover the costs of additional schooling, or starting over in a new industry, while still securing retirement savings and meeting current obligations.

**dczech09** · 03-14-2016, 04:28 PM

I joined the forum when I was about 22 or 23 years old, fresh out of college, and asking a question about whether or not I should arbitrage my credit card for investment returns and if it was okay to have multiple brokerage accounts. Oh how young and naive I was...

Fast forward to today. I am 28 years old and in very good financial shape for my age. I am on here now because I love the topic of personal finance and enjoy helping people get a handle of their finances. My financial IQ and opinions have certainly evolved over the years, but I still remember when I first joined the forum. I also learn something new from time to time on here, so I enjoy coming back. I believe the day you stop learning is the day you start dying. And I plan on being on this planet for a while, so I want to learn more!

Ultimately, I came here because I wanted help and advice. And I stayed because I enjoy providing help and advice.

What brought you here