By: Revanche

Forget the have/have nots, how about what you did/didn’t do?

January 28, 2009

Things I wish I’d done in the last five years:

1. Started a CD ladder. Even if it were just a little thing with a few hundred per step, I wish I’d realized that I wouldn’t need everything in the e-fund immediately.

2. Contributed more to the Roth: it’s the only investment I have that’s doing well in this market.

3. Applied for a job in San Diego in the comic book industry two years ago. I was afraid to take the leap and it would been really cool to have a foot in that door.

Conversely, I’m glad that I did not:

1. Go straight into grad school out of college. Not only would I be in debt, I wouldn’t have known what my professional strengths and likes/dislikes were.

2. Continue to bail out my brother. Telling my brother that his free ride was OVER might have been painful for me to say, unbelievable for him to hear, and shocking for fellow bloggers to read, but it was past time that he started to grow up. Of course, my decision alone didn’t matter until he’d hit rock bottom, but it was the right thing to do at the right time.

3. Let go of my responsibilities before I was ready, as some friends encouraged me to do. They just worried about me, but my OCD attachment to PF over the years has been a blessing in this blog, the friends I’ve made through the community and the knowledge I’m able to use and share.

While washing my hands this morning, I had two long term goals occur to me:

1. In the job after next, I would like to be earning a six figure income.
2. And I want to save half of that income. My portfolio/net worth would be SO awesome!! Muahahha…..

Anybody else reflecting on their dids and didn’ts lately? Care to share?

7 Responses to “Forget the have/have nots, how about what you did/didn’t do?”

  1. Wellheeled says:

    Things I wish I’d done in the last five years:
    1. Really, and I mean, really, taken the time to figure out what I like and dislike in a job instead of following the herd into finance and consulting.
    2. Started a Roth EVEN earlier!
    3. Been more adventurous.

    Conversely, I’m glad that I did not:
    1. Go straight into bschool / law school after college – I would never have realized what matters to me (interesting work and a sustainable lifestyle) and probably would have been lured by the same things that lured me after college (“prestigious” industry, good paycheck)
    2. Spend beyond my means. It’s amazing how less-stressed I feel knowing that I’m living on 50% of my salary.

  2. J. Money says:

    This is one of the best posts i’ve seen in a while – YOU FREAKIN’ ROCK!

    I’m a bit too tired (and hungry) to conjure up an entire lists of wishes and wish-nots at the moment, but i’ll try and squeak a cple out šŸ˜‰

    WISH I’VE DONE:
    – tracked my spending!
    – NOT bought a house…although it helped me to track my spending & start a blog! haha..so maybe this doesn’t go here?

    GLAD I DIDN’T:
    – keep splurging on bling.
    – jump out of my current job field!

    …and i’m spent.

  3. This is a fun little exercise!

    I wish I’d done:
    1. Really considered a roommate when moving rather than getting skeeved out by the craigslist prospect (and also, taken extreme advantage of company paid temporary housing to figure this out)
    2. Moved all my money to safe investments in October 2007. šŸ˜‰
    3. Had more patience in my personal life.

    I’m glad I did not:
    1. Go to grad school right away (common theme?). I threw this idea away at least 2 years before graduating, but before that I was set to be an academic research nut. Ew.
    2. Wait any longer than I did to move to California!

  4. Bart says:

    What did/do you want to do for grad school?

  5. Sense says:

    Wish I:
    –had taken that job in Hawaii right after i got my MS, even though i was heart-broken and home-sick; (the deepest part of my heart still resides there, but now i’m afraid that if i go back, it’ll be gone…)
    –had left my last job as soon as i knew it sucked for me
    –started my phd at any point in the last 5 years

    glad i did not:
    –reject XBF. even though i kinda knew it wasn’t going to work out, i’m glad i gave it a chance.
    –wait before going to grad school! i had no idea what i wanted to do; wasn’t ready for the real world, and it couldn’t have worked out as well if i had waited… (technically this is not within the last 5 years, but i felt compelled to note that sometimes it IS good to go straightaway)
    –waste any more time getting my financial house in order, paying off debts, etc.

  6. Revanche says:

    Wellheeled: #2D: Definitely on the Roth. [Overachiever! šŸ˜‰ ]

    #1DN: I think our first jobs after college tend to be major discovery zones.

    J.Money: D’aw, thanks! That made me smile after a hard day’s work.

    You can come back and try again when you’re less hungry, if you want. šŸ˜‰

    #2DN: It’s awesome that you like your job so much!

    stackingpennies: #1D: Would you, if you weren’t moving in with T, consider going the roomie route now?

    I’m trying to convince myself that that IS an option.

    #2DN: What made you decide against academic research? “Nut” – you would have been, those crazy academics! šŸ˜‰

    Bart: I’m now leaning towards an MBA of some sort, or accounting/finance related stuff. I didn’t realize how much I love finance. Back in the day, I would have probably pursued some lib arts, but I knew I didn’t want to teach or write for a living.

    Sense: #1D: What job would you have been doing?

    #2 and 3DN: Always good to have another viewpoint. There’s a little part of me that still wishes that I HAD gotten that degree already, if only so I don’t still have to knock that out. Financially, it wouldn’t have made sense, though.

  7. I just don’t know.

    It would be really hard to adjust to, but after living here and seeing how incredibly common it is for people my age (which it really wasn’t where I was from)… I might give it a try. Might.

    And for number 2, nothing in particular. Once I started working an internship, I realized there were other routes I could take, and that people would pay for my school while i worked, and if I wasn’t 100% sure, I should wait.

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