What financial advice would you give to your past self?

amother

Today at 11:40 am

Let’s take you all the way back to when you first got married or when your first started your career (whichever was earlier). What financial advice would you give to yourself?

amother

Molasses

Today at 11:44 am

You don’t have to look like a beggar and shop for kids clothes at the dollar store. You don’t have to call your husband from the store for permission to buy a shabbos robe. Take a more active role in your finances, figure out what you can actually afford, and agree on a budget together.

amother

Skyblue

Today at 11:45 am

Invest now in real estate. Even if it's a one bedroom. If you can't afford it locally, drive 3 hours and invest there.

agreer

Today at 12:24 pm

Start working as early as possible to see what jobs you like/don't like. This will help you plan your career path more wisely (I didn't).

justforfun87

Today at 12:26 pm

Don't take out so many student loans.

amother

Mocha

Today at 12:28 pm

I wouldn't have listened to parents who said it wasn't a good time to buy property...

amother

Brunette

Today at 12:47 pm

I wish I'd have saved and invested aggressively when I was single and working and didn't need to worry about bills

amother

Tangerine

Today at 12:50 pm

I would have bought a house a year after marriage. We had the down payment but weren't sure where we will end up etc. we had a cheap 1 bdrm and weren't desperate. By the time we bought many many years later prices went up so much, even if we moved somewhere else we could have sold at double profit.

amother

IndianRed

Today at 12:54 pm

Start a simcha fund for your kids and make automatic small payments to them. Either for a simcha or for them for the future.

amother

Aquamarine

Today at 12:56 pm

Invested more
Spent more on our home

amother

Oatmeal

Today at 1:01 pm

Start investing immediately, even if you’re young and can’t afford to invest much. The power of compound interest is on your side since your money has time to grow. Even $100 a month can make a huge difference after 20 years when you’re ready to marry off kids, etc. I would recommend opening a both a brokerage account and Roth IRA and invest in index funds in each.

amother

Oxfordblue

Today at 1:50 pm

Buy bitcoin for pennies and hold on

amother

Cream

Today at 2:11 pm

I'd tell myself: you're doing a good job, but consider more ways of investing if/when you can: more in your HSA, more in your 401K, 529 accounts...

amother

Slategray

Today at 2:17 pm

Live in a one room hovel and eat nothing but beans all week rather than accept money from parents who feel their generosity gives them license to control you.

amother

Eggshell

Today at 2:19 pm

amother Slategray wrote:

Live in a one room hovel and eat nothing but beans all week rather than accept money from parents who feel their generosity gives them license to control you.

Im so sorry

amother

Diamond

Today at 2:24 pm

Don't rush into a degree/career. Take the time to intern and try things out and shadow professionals even though it's considered weird.

A job you love doing while raising kids (both in terms of hours/flexibility and enjoyment) makes a lot more than an SAHM.

amother

Birch

Today at 2:37 pm

Don’t be so quick to trust financial planners . Many of them have a long term relationship with specific mutual funds and brokerage houses. That is what they are going to try to sell you. Even if there are plenty of better funds out there with less commission.

amother

Crystal

Today at 2:43 pm

I can’t believe I’m writing this … but nothing!
We bought very young and dumb before we knew anything abt where we’d end up. Bought for 500k a 2 fam house. Fast forward 12 years, it’s on the market for 1.3

amother

DarkPurple

Today at 2:45 pm

Study something that has an actual direction that will bring in a decent salary.

amother

Jetblack

Today at 2:54 pm

Don't get a credit card with a limit higher than a week of your salary.

A credit card is handy at times for things like renting a car, or a very short term loan until a check clears. But it is also very easy to overuse. It's better to live with your debit card and make do with what you have. Don't let yourself get in over your head.

And never, ever, ever pay tuition on a credit card.