How long were you in the markets before FIRE

[Rick_Head]

What does "in the markets" mean" DW & I had MFs for quite a while b4 FIRE. Got discount brokerage accounts about 3 years b4 FIRE.

 

[athena53]

I bought my first stock at age 19; the account had to be a UGMA in my parents' name. I made plenty of mistakes early on, but that's the best time to make them.

 

[Dreaming of Freedom]

I am not FIRE yet, but I have been invested in the market via mutual funds since I was 30, or about 10 years. Hope to be in the market 15 years or less before I am fully able to FIRE.

Racing for the FIRE finish line, but I don't know where it is.

 

[Del Q]

I invested my life savings of $5,000 in the market in October of 1987, the Thursday before black Monday. I watched it shrink to $3,000 on my first statement. I've invested everything I can in the market ever since and haven't sold a thing. I'll FIRE in January of 2016 at age 50.

 

[RE2Boys]

Started with mutual funds about 1973 at age 23. First brokerage account in 1982 at 32. Now 65 so 42 years.

 

[hnzw_rui]

I'm not FI yet and am far from RE but my first foray into the market is through the 457 plan in 2007 at age 23. Opened a Roth IRA shortly thereafter (Vanguard STAR).

I barely had any savings and it was hard seeing all the losses in 2008 so I moved funds and switched contributions from the pre-defined "Aggressive" portfolio to the Stable Value Fund (big mistake). The Roth IRA, I just left as it is because I couldn't really do anything about it. I didn't check account balances all throughout 2009-2010. By the time I logged in to my accounts again in 2011, the Roth IRA had more than recovered its starting value. I have been unconsciously following Warren Buffet's recommendations since - that is keep enough in cash to help me sleep at night and invest the rest in an index fund (although I prefer Total Stock and Total International Stock instead of just S&P 500).

 

[DFA]

Age 30; first investment 25 shares of Walmart. but had a lot of CD with high interest rate before that.

 

[Car-Guy]

I opened my first brokerage account when I was in my late 20's. (Don't recall the exact age) However, I do remember it was with Merrill Lynch. I switched to Schwab a few years later and then got out of the market for ~15 years (except for my 401k). I got back in the market in my late 40's with Schwab and have stayed there (so far).

 

[karen1972]

21 years to FIRE. Started the minute I finished college. Looked at buying stock prior to that but just couldn't figure out how as none of my friends/family knew anything about investing.

 

[MRG]

Well Megacorp started my profit sharing when I started, 29 years later I retired. Along the way a 401k got added, then started DIY with my own brokerage firm.

 

[Dog]

Started in 1980 with GTE ESOP until switch to 401k plan in 1983. Currently most retirement funds in market with Vanguard. I retired 8/2014 and DH retires next June. He has participated in TSP since 1986.


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[rbmrtn]

About 23 yrs to FIRE. Started shortly after starting work with the company savings plan (401k) around 1984. Opened a brokerage account later, first thing purchased was Fidelity Magellan.

 

[Bikerdude]

1982 until 2000. A great run.......until the end.

 

[GTFan]

About 25 years.

Ditto.

 

[38Chevy454]

Started with 401k savings with first real job out of college 1987, and have been almost 100% stock market mutual funds until about 1 year ago when I reduced to 70/30 mix. Also consolidated several of the old 401k/403b accounts into self-directed IRA at same time as the allocation change. Never did much after-tax savings until I sold a house and received a big cash infusion; up until then I was just rolling extra cash from house sales into next bigger nicer house purchase.

The main thing I did right was continuing to do the 401k/403b savings, and always putting in at least enough to get maximum company match. Also have stayed the path of mutual funds for most part, only individual stocks were those as part of company match given in company stock.

 

[lem1955]

My first "real" job after college had no paid retirement plan. I persuaded the owners to open IRA's for the five or so employees and add cash to our paychecks to fund them - totally illegal method, I'm sure. It was 1981 or 1982. I was 26 in '81 and feeling behind already. Took a new job with a kosher 401(k) in 1988 - excellent benefit. The company contributed ~ 20% of compensation each year as well as a 2% match. I ventured into individual stocks during the tech bubble thinking I was a great investor and learned some important lessons. Stuck to mostly index mutual funds after that. It will be 34 years in the market when I retire in Dec. I expect to be in the rest of my life.