If you had the opportunity to do it all over again...

[Ima saver]

I wish I had continued on at a bookkeeping job I had with a small savings and loan. The following year, they got a computer and gave training. I never had a job with a computer and still don't know anything about them.

[pearlieq]

A million little things. It's not that I'm consumed with regret, it's just that I'm a tweaker--I can always see little things to make it better.

So, I would have:

1.) Avoided credit cards. I didn't get in too deep, but I did charge a lot of junk.
2.) Applied myself a bit more at work. I could have made more money if I had been more focused and disciplined.
3.) Started with one major (business) and stuck with it. I could have gotten out in 2.5 - 3 years instead of 3.5. Since I was footing the bill, that would have made a difference.
4.) Invested in the tech boom (and gotten out in time, of course!)
5.) Spent a little more and had a nicer wedding. Sounds crazy, I know, but I think I would have been happier with that choice.

[cashqueen]

I definately would have started saving for retirement! I feel like I got a late start and am way behind where I should be right now.

[arctanx]

Without a doubt in my mind:

1) Avoid running up my credit card
2) Put a hefty amount in 401k from day one at my job

I started working for a corporation at 21, I didn't even know what a 401k was...and there was no probation, you were 100% percent vested (and they matched up to 6%) from day one!!!! I started after 3 years, I kick myself everyday for not starting sooner.

[pennrj430]

I'm torn on this question. My first thought was to say if I was 20 again, I wouldn't have gotten into big credit card debt. But, because I was in so much CC debt, at 25 I started learning about paying off debt, saving, and investing. I'm now CC debt free, and for the past 4 years have been maxing out my Roth and my 401K up to the company match. I'm not sure that I would be on this track if I hadn't gotten myself in a mess to begin with.

Knowing what I know now though, I would of course go back and start maxing out my Roth, and 401K starting at 18.

[The Budget Man]

I'm torn on this question. My first thought was to say if I was 20 again, I wouldn't have gotten into big credit card debt. But, because I was in so much CC debt, at 25 I started learning about paying off debt, saving, and investing. I'm now CC debt free, and for the past 4 years have been maxing out my Roth and my 401K up to the company match. I'm not sure that I would be on this track if I hadn't gotten myself in a mess to begin with.

Knowing what I know now though, I would of course go back and start maxing out my Roth, and 401K starting at 18.

What a great story. Congratulations.

[boefixepa]

It's hard to say..as I am what I am today because of my past.

I would like to have learned what I know now sooner, but I think I learned it when I was ready to. I can remember coming across the basic idea years ago in a church class....and I just didn't 'get' it. It didn't make sense to me, so ingrained was my upbringing. So I think I did the best I could.

[Exile]

I would be more questioning and skeptical about my parents'--especially my mother's-- claim that they couldn't help finance my education, this despite my mother's urging me to be the best, blah blah. It's true that I didn't know what professional direction I wanted to take at the time. But I'll never know why high school and college counselors never suggested pursuing what was known at that time as a liberal arts degree. And if my parents were hard up, I don't know why I received 0 guidance in finding a scholarship.

Eventually, I did get a few years of college in along the way (I'm now 62 and retired), and strangely I think a lot of my financial decisions when I left home at 19 were more sound than in later years.

[debtfreecb]

I would not have purchased some much stuff on credit.