Things you have learned on the forum

[Tetto]

- Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day

 

[bigcmagor]

Learned I needed a bigger herd or a smaller hat.

 

[Graybeard]

I learned about TLH and how it is not as simple as not buying the investment 30 days before or after the sale.

I learned how easy it is to buy T bills and why bond funds are not what I always
read about them.

I thought it was nuts to not reinvest dividends and cap gains back into the fund that generated them, I see there are good reasons why that isn't always a good idea.

CO rises and is not heavier than air! I moved my CO detector 6' off the floor level.

I was amazed at how many people here are introverts, analytical types (engineers or IT people), frugal and LBYM, all traits I have but thought I was an outlier!

 

[Sue J]

I learned a lot about investing and retirement. But the most life changing thing that I learned about is

PRE COOKED BACON

 

[38Chevy454]

I learned when to take SS, whether I pay off my mortgage, to use the 4% rule, what 60/40 AA is the one for me, how to take pension or buyout, annuities can be good or bad, and to budget every expense. My income can be a 3 legged stool, 2 legged or single pogo stick. Having different buckets for money, dividends are the answer, and taxes to avoid or pay. You are supposed to go whee when the market goes down. AUM Financial Advisors are not needed if you are on the forum. RMD and Roth conversion, and trusts and wills or probate.

I'm sure there are more.....but I wanted to stay away from the divisive topics

 

[EastWest Gal]

I learned that I could FIRE in 2014 when I joined. FireCalc gave us 100% success. 4% rule. I do use a FA, but cut our cost considerably and may be able to cut it more, and I'm searching for a fee only FA currently. In 2018 or so I learned about sous vide. The benefits and downsides of trusts (we decided we didn't need one). This year I learned about I-bonds. Many many more things than I can possibly list.

I also learned that this forum is full of really smart, successful, and experienced people, with many different skill sets that they share with others.

 

[ERD50]

Feelings override data.

Data overrides feelings.

I don't think I learned that here (I have learned many things here), I think I've known it for a long time.

Flying is safer than driving. Feelings don't change that.
YMM(ay not)V - Facts are facts.

-ERD50

 

[Markola]

The Rule of 55, which allowed both DW and me to step away from full time work when we were still 54. Thanks Forum!

 

[ERD50]

I learned this in high school but I practice it everywhere, including here.

A smart man only believes half of what he reads or hears; a wise man knows which half to believe.

Another wise man once said, "Trust but Verify"

And around that time, I recall this from the song "Heard it Through The Grapevine" (Gladys Knight, Marvin Gaye, CCR):

People say believe half of what you see, son
And none of what you hear

But researching that, I learned it was fro Edgar Allan Poe:

https://poemuseum.org/did-poe-really-say-that/

I've told my kids: "A smart person learns from their mistakes, a wise person learns from the mistakes of others." I doubt I'm the first on that one.

-ERD50

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

I have learned that numbers is hard. That if I am not polite and do not keep my posts civil, I cannot learn anything.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

No real epiphanies for me on this particular forum as I was well on my FIRE journey when I came here (late 90's Retire Early Homepage/Campfire on TMF is where my online FIRE journey started although I had an FI mindset in my teens albeit without much structure or strategy other than "save and invest"). Lots of nuggets and good explanations here; especially on the mechanics of certain strategies though. I may not have recently bought T-Bills if not for the forum, I didn't learn about them here but recent threads reminded me.


The biggest value to me was probably more encouragement and sense of community. Especially as I neared the end of my working career. We are a very small portion of the population and even most of the FIRE sites are very heavily populated by the aspirational but this community is more balanced with many more inspirational folks that have done it! And the moderators do a great job and cannot be thanked enough!

 

[Ronstar]

I learned a lot about:

1. Finances - Lots of info on when to/ when not to take SS. How to do a Roth IRA.

2. Decluttering - I never decluttered anything until I found this board.

3. Travel tips

4. How a retired person lives and goes about their day.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

I have learned that numbers is hard. That if I am not polite and do not keep my posts civil, I cannot learn anything.

And the mods will take you behind the woodshed and learn you right! This is the most civil corner of the internet because of them!

 

[jimbee]

Data overrides feelings.

I don't think I learned that here (I have learned many things here), I think I've known it for a long time.

Flying is safer than driving. Feelings don't change that.
YMM(ay not)V - Facts are facts.

-ERD50

I agree, but a significant number of people do not.

 

[Alan]

I've learned so much that I can't really remember what my first questions were.

First thing I discovered today is that from my profile page when I try and find the first post I made it only shows the last 8,000 of my posts, going back to 2019. Rather than dwell on that problem I looked for the first thread I started with a FIRE question and it was a question about SS and spousal SS (this was back in 2005).

Just about everything I know about FIRE, from SS to SWR, to the concept of "backcasting" with FIRECALC, I learned here.

I'm still learning from this site but instead of the firehydrant of information it initially was it is now much more manageable.

 

[steelyman]

I’ve already replied to this thread but want to add one more thing.

I’ve found that e-r.org has helped me learn a lot about myself and my attitude about retirement, simply by reading other members’ posts.

Opinions/actions are all over the map; some I agree with, others not. It’s up to me what I do but it’s never bad to consider others’ viewpoints. I don’t think anyone has all the right answers but that’s OK.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I like the different perspectives

 

[John Galt III]

Converting Traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs in order to generate 'income' so my annual income got up high enough to take advantage of the extremely beneficial (for me, but not everyone) Affordable Care Act for health insurance, while retired and not yet on Medicare.

 

[Badger]

I learned the importance of carefully vetting responses in order to be selective in who I can have the most confidence.

I also learned that even with only a little knowledge but a lot of caution and a conservative approach to investing most anyone can become financially stable.

Cheers!

 

[street]

I learned just about everything from what to do and not to do in the financial world. I also learned that not all great advice, solid advice fits for everyone. I learned that people got to where they are today taking different avenues, but the end point resulted the same to ER.

I learned a few common denominators for ER folks and that most LBM were early savers/investor and had a plan that worked for them.

I've learned that the people here are very trustworthy and have helped me every time I have had a dumb question.

I also like and learned that there are some social threads and categories to talk about life other than money. I have learned much from the Health category and many others.

I'm very thankful for what I have learned from such quality very educated people on sooo many subjects.

 

[jimbee]

Income tax tips.
Cash back offers from credit cards and other financial companies.
I learned about Firecalc here.

 

[ERD50]

Feelings override data.

Data overrides feelings.

I don't think I learned that here (I have learned many things here), I think I've known it for a long time.

Flying is safer than driving. Feelings don't change that.
YMM(ay not)V - Facts are facts.

-ERD50

I agree, but a significant number of people do not.

OK, but then you need to add "In some people's minds, feelings override data".

If someone thinks the Earth is flat, that doesn't make it so. Would you say the Earth is flat, because some one 'feels' that is true? No.

-ERD50

 

[jimbee]

OK, but then you need to add "In some people's minds, feelings override data".

If someone thinks the Earth is flat, that doesn't make it so. Would you say the Earth is flat, because some one 'feels' that is true? No.

-ERD50

Congratulations on your promotion to moderator.

 

[Rianne]

-LBYM, the true definition
-How to keep income low for ACA
-HSA Bronze plan for ACA, saved us thousands
-Treasury/individual bond purchasing as opposed to bond mutual funds
-Firecalc
-learning from certain posters for specific advice
-travel tips
-pet care
-insurance, LTC
-spending specifics, good deals, etc.
-taxes
-realizing different states have different rules and benefits
-Covid information, saved us big time!
-realizing, anonymous friends live here

Actually, too many things to remember

 

[ncbill]

fixed income options thanks to all the posters in those threads, especially freedom56

how to avoid bond funds & their locked in low yields when interest rates are rising by buying individual issues instead