What have you learned from this forum?

[Moemg]

1-Postpone SS
2- The happiest people are retired or soon to be retired

 

[Bram]

I have learned:

1. The niggling doubts I had about purchasing a VA were well founded & I was able (with the wise counsel/encouragement of posters here) to cancel it without too much damage.

2. I don't need to contribute to the wallet of a "Financial Advisor" who is more apt to be more concerned with his financial future, than mine. (He & Ameriprise have been DUMPED.)

3. Vanguard's Target Retirement Funds; delaying SS; a wealth of on-line & other resources for educating myself about investing and financially securing my/DH's retirements; how to read an electric meter; and what a great forum this place is!

 

[redduck]

I've learned a whole lot--plus some of what I thought I knew got reinforced.

1. The value of diversity (including fixed income investments).

2. Which books might be helpful to read regarding investments.

3. The importance of low fees (I've just about closed out all my higher fee mutual funds). I had thought that most funds were probably ok regarding costs as long as they didn't have a load.

4. How helpful the people on this board are.

5. And...

I almost understand TIPS now.

 

[RP]

1> How many others hated their 9 to 5 job, I always thought I was a loner/malcontent. How low and stable my BP and cholesterol counts have become since I took _the_ step.

2> How effective the US health care industry's propaganda is on making people focus on health care issues to the exclusion of what their life is really about. So many folks are virtually deer in the headlights unable to make choices on their own. Worrying about all the issues that may or may not happen instead of living each day as the gift that it truly is.

3> How little chance there is of being bored in ER. There are times I wish I could go back to my old job just for a few days to get a break, sitting in my swivel chair with nothing truly important to do.

4> How many really smart people post here and share their knowledge ... wish i had started here many years ago, I'd be soooo much smarter on ER and life issues in general.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

1) That anyone else took money seriously. Some pretended to (saving
just long enough to buy a new car, etc.), but I never knew anyone else
had serious plans to retire early before the FI/RE forums, primarily this one.

2) Understanding the 72(t) rules

 

[GOJAGATORS]

1... The importance of figuring out what we are actually spending and not the usual percentage of pre-retirement income guideline that I had always heard about.

2.... Annuities appear to be worse investments than what I already suspected.

3.... 1% adds up to a whole lot more than I ever realized.

 

[Arc]

I learned that I live in a McMansion (I think - still not sure of the exact definition). Thought it was just a nice house.

What is the exact definition - fries did not come with it!

 

[bright eyed]

so far...

1) i have a lot more reading to do

2) if they made books into an online forum i'd have finished 5 by now

3)that cheap frugal people have great humor and well-balanced insight into life...