What would you like to tell your younger financial self?

Not all of us have always been true mustachians aiming for FIRE, I reckon.

In my 20s, being a student, I naturally had little to no money. I had to be frugal. Little room for wasting money. Little room for investing, too.

I got my first “real” job after university in my late 20s, and that’s when I started investing in outrageously expensive, actively managed strategy funds that my bank marketed and sold to me. Over the years, the funds prospered and made me some money, however at a TER of around 1.6-1.8%.

In my 30s I was more preoccupied with building my career. Luckily, I continued to occasionally invest in my strategy funds. I was not exactly living a lavish lifestyle but was also less aware of money than I wish I had been. Some sort of “financially ignorant bliss”. I was flying on autopilot.

It’s only now, in my early 40s, that I turned my serious attention towards my financials. That also sparked an interest for the topic. I started reading, devouring finance books and newspaper articles, and discovering blogs and forums.

In hindsight, I did start early enough with investing, albeit not with the awareness and discipline and financial vehicles that I would recommend to my younger self. But then, better late than never!

I guess many here are a bit younger still, but what would you like to tell your younger financial self?

Me: educate yourself in finance, take control, be aware of where your money goes and what becomes of it.

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Just one thing probably: get the freaking master!
Improve your salary is better than improving your saving rate…

Right!

That was part of my “autopilot flight mode”, luckily: finish your studies and get out of university.

We already had that thread. Here’s my previous response (I still agree with myself):

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Ah, I only went through the “Share your story” section. Apologies for the double thread.

No worries, it happens all the time here. :wink: