Comments on: Squawkback: What Are Your 3 Best Financial Decisions?

By: –› Free Money, Blog Action Day, Lending Club and More!

–› Free Money, Blog Action Day, Lending Club and More! — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:04:38 +0000

[...] What Are Your 3 Best Financial Decisions? [...]

By: Susy

Susy — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:11:48 +0000

Tom’s first decision is so right: 1.) Learning to say ‘no’ to people – don’t know how many times I used to pay for people, ‘lend’ them money, etc.

Often family members try to guilt us into giving them $ out and we said “NO” from the beginning. We offer to come help them set up a budget and track expenses but will never give cash (sadly we’ve never been taken up on the offer for help in 12 years). If we had given we’d be roped into giving for the rest of our lives like a few other family members that gave in. Sadly, they’re all giving to the same family member (Mr Chiot’s mom). It’s hard especially when all the other members are in on in and also trying to guilt you into giving and complaining that you are a terrible child for not senidng money, but the gravy train stops here!

By: Rick S

Rick S — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:03:12 +0000

My best financial decision was to pull my 401k out of stocks and put it into Bonds about 1 1/2 years ago. I was concerned that this was a bad decision when the market kept going up but I left the decision as it was. My fear was that with all that was going on in housing and energy that the market would tank. I was right but a bit off on the timing. I had a decent year last year because I gained on my 401k when almost everyone I know lost significant amounts of value. Now I am considering re-entering the market but again I need to get the timing right.

By: Check Out this Week’s Personal Finance Carnival | Oh My Aching Debts

Check Out this Week’s Personal Finance Carnival | Oh My Aching Debts — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:24:39 +0000

[...] to end on a positive note, check out Squawkfox’s article on her readers 3 Best Financial Decisions. Make sure to read the comments as there are lots of interesting [...]

By: Bret

Bret — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:02:57 +0000

1. I started saving and investing at age 21.

2. I bought a nice house cheap in the ’90s crash.

3. I focused on increasing my income.

By: chb

chb — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 03:22:29 +0000

1) educating myself about budgeting & finances.
2) trying to forgive myself for the uneducated decisions I’ve made in the past.
3) Not really a decision, but thanks to the way I was raised, I really don’t want a lot of “stuff”, and therefore I’ve never bought a lot of “stuff”.

By: dawn @ iowahippiechick

dawn @ iowahippiechick — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:17:00 +0000

1.) I bought a house without asking my hubby – while at a high school football game.
2.) Sticking with getting my husband on the same page as me financially. I’m a saver … He’s a former spender).
3.) Doing the whole cash/envelope thing for our variable expenses: gasoline for our vehicles, groceries, and our personal allowances.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:51:32 +0000

1.) Learning to say ‘no’ to people – don’t know how many times I used to pay for people, ‘lend’ them money, etc.
2.) Made a decision to not care about the latest fancy gadgets or what people think.
3.) Pay myself first – set up an automatic savings plan to take the money before I can spend it.

By: Treva

Treva — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:32:25 +0000

1. Bought a used car when my other one was totalled (not by me!). Used cars are so much easier on insurance, taxes, etc. And since public transportation where I live is almost nil, a car is necessary. Oh, and we are a 1 car family! So few of those left!

2. Got through college debt-free thanks to my dad’s Chap 35 benefits, working part-time, and then going into VISTA. I have never had school debt!

3. Keeping a budget. I never did until about a year ago. Now I’m hooked. Even more amazing — there’s more $$ in my bank account now than ever before and I’ve not dipped into my emergency fund in over 6 months b/c I actually know when stuff is coming up due. Part B) Make a weekly menu. One stop to the grocery each week and that’s it. If it’s not in the house we just have to make it to the next shopping day. Saves oodles and makes us economize certain things we normally just plow through (like milk!). While grocery prices keep going up, my monthly grocery bill has been dropping.

By: Doctor S

Doctor S — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:50:53 +0000

Wow! Some of these people have made some really good decisions!

@Susy You started that thing in high school? I am 25 and barely am contributing to a retirement account, good for u!!!

I would probably win if we did 3 WORST Financial Decisions, but here are mine:

1. Living at home after college with my parents. I pay for groceries and contribute when needed, its a good deal.

2. Paid off all my credit card debt. As of the end of this week all my CC debt will be gone and the cards are all out of my wallet.

3. As soon as I started workign I began contributing to my 401k with 4% of my salary. My company has a very good match of up to 4% and a nice 10% annual gift to our retiremnet as well.

Great work people and great post FOX.