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.