what's one thing you would've done differently?

[greenskeeper]

Should have followed through buying 10,000 shares of F stock when it was all the way down to $1.76 a share in 2009.

My thinking at the time was that if it went to zero, there'd be nothing left of the economy anyways.

Didn't do it in the end, would have had my house and probably a vacation home paid for in full with the proceeds.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I would have also not even had a wedding. We spend $5k on our wedding and looking back I'd have preferred spending $1k on just a lunch with family and getting married on the beach (we did a hotel lanai and lunch) and instead pocketing more money. MEH

[tman2004]

Would have bought a house when the market crashed. They were going for 70-90k at their low and are about 275-300 if not more now. Could have set my self up real good but I was too immature to be serious about saving up a little money even thought I was still making good money.

[Keshet]

I would put more into retirement when I was younger.

[Gailete]

Something I think my family did right - I did start my first savings account at the age of 7 though (at a credit union). I saved ALL of my birthday money, etc. to open that account and still have it. Learning to save at a young age (with my grandparents help) was great. My siblings didn't do the same, not that they didn't have the option... but a savings account didn't entice them the way it did me - mostly because I always knew I'd have to pay out of pocket for college.

I remember way back in the dark ages, our public school did promote savings and those of us who wanted to could take our spare bits of money in our bank envelope to school and it would be deposited. My older brother, sister and myself collected pop bottles to get the deposited back as one way to make money. This was in the early 60's so when I say I had around $2 in that account, (worth about $16 now). One dad my dad 'needed money. Collected our bank cards, went to the bank and got our money out. Supposedly he was going to pay it back. Well I never saw it again nor much of my dad since.

It is bad enough to have your father desert his family, but to steal from his kids to help do it, just nasty and mean. If not for men, I would have a healthy bank account as I always have been a saver, but the men in my life, but one, were magicians when it came to money - they made it disappear!

[FLA]

((Gailete))

[TexasHusker]

I would have used real estate exclusively to build wealth instead of the 401Ks etc., which has been discussed ad nauseum.

[johnpau]

Should have taken the risk and bought (stocks and real estate) when market was down (2009).

Bought Amazon stock for $250 in 2012 and now it is almost $1700

I would have retired by now

[Singuy]

Learn more about stocks when young. Maximizing my 401k vs only doing 10% while the rest of the proceed went to paying off the house.

Things I did right.

1. Lived like a college student with a 6 figure salary.
2. Married someone who also lives like a college student with a 6 figure salary.

[chestynuts]

what is one thing wise, older, current you would go back and tell young you to do differently with your finances? And what's one thing you did right?

I would've listened that nurses often end up on disability and bought disability insurance even though it seemed so expensive. Own occupation disability insurance would've saved my skin right now.

I started saving fairly aggressively for retirement at 22, I could've saved more but I think I saved enough.

I'm trying to pass these two ideas down to my college aged children but they're not too interested yet. DS has a 403B at his job that they contribute to but he doesn't put anything in. I try to show him how $1000 a year now at age 20 will be worth so much at age 65, but it's falling on deaf ears.

Likewise, what I did good was to let our children finished their studies and brought them to be smarter. However, after that I think, I should have invested money in business and property much earlier.

[rob62521]

Started exercising on a steady basis earlier.

And of course, put more money into retirement when I was younger even if I thought I couldn't have afforded it.

[bennkar]

Darn, I was putting a list together, now I see its only one item.

OK for the Bad Financial Choice: Getting married (though I learned alot about myself)

For my Best Choice: Not co-signing college loan for ex (I knew it would be terrible if I did and I was right. Not having that weight around my neck allowed me to make lots of good choices later)