Looking for Advice from Long Time ER's with Experience

[dscott745]

I'm looking for advice from those that have been retired through all of the market ups and downs since 2000. If any of you qualify, would you be willing to provide advice to others about your experience?

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your younger self? Is there anything you would have done differently? What are your plans for the future based upon what your past experiences have been?

 

[Walt34]

There have been a number of threads on that over the years. These are a couple:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/advice-to-younger-family-members-24593.html

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/if-you-were-in-your-mid-40s-70900.html

 

[clifp]

I retired in 99 at 39. I made some very smart/lucky moves in 2000 (moving from 85/90% equities mostly high tech) to 60/40 with lots of TIPs which minimized much of the damage done in the 2000-2002 bear market.

The 2008 crash caught me by complete surprise and I was overly invested in bank stocks,because of their high dividends. I never had anything thoughts of selling everything (which I suspect is pretty unusual.) I had actually the opposite problem bought too heavily, including selling long term puts which it exposed me to more risk than I should have taken. If the bear market had continued through 2009, I am not sure I'd still be retired.

My main learning from 2008 was to have a CD ladder which provide several years of modest living expense. So I take advantage of the Pen Fed CD deals.

 

[dscott745]

Thanks for the responses. Good stuff.