Getting involved with Time Shares.

flashguy

Not buying Amazon and Google at IPO prices

When I graduated high school in 1995 I had about $5,000 in money I had saved working at Publix and in gifts from people. My dad was really big on this new computer trend and he was adamant that I should buy stock in Apple. I didn’t because 17 year olds are incapable of contemplating the future.

It was $5 per share.

Not the worst decision, but back in the early 80's I chose not to buy a couple of full auto MP5s for 650.00 each, choosing instead to paint my Firebird. What could I sell one of those MP5s for today?

quote:

Originally posted by DaveL:
When I graduated high school in 1995 I had about $5,000 in money I had saved working at Publix and in gifts from people. My dad was really big on this new computer trend and he was adamant that I should buy stock in Apple. I didn’t because 17 year olds are incapable of contemplating the future.

It was $5 per share.

Yup...not buying Apple when Forrest Gump told me too.

Truly though...I very much regret not joining the service out of high school.

Not buying 4 ghost years for retirement the day I could have. Only would have cost $23k for me to buy 4 years then, today it would cost about $72K!!! With the way things are currently it may very well be worth every bit of $72k to be able to leave in 2 years and not 6.

Having 3 kids is up there too. The kids individually are awesome any combination of 2 of them is awesome. But goodnight when all 3 are together it is absolute nonstop mayhem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not to sound like a pompous ass, but I can't think of one really, really bad decision in life. Other than ending up drunk in some bushes in college, or buying something awful off the menu, or arguing about politics with a leftist family member, IMO, just a bunch of minor mistakes. Knock on wood...

Turning down a job opportunity with NASA when I graduated from college in the mid-sixties.

Oh. Where to start?

Wife #2 surely right up towards the top of the list.

Not paying attention to Administrative memos years back, losing 52 months I could have bought into my retirement program for about $5K.

Not applying myself as well as I could have in school.

For me the worst decision was not staying in the military.

To pick up smoking cigarettes after 25 years of quitting just to lose weight. Lost 60 pounds but still smoking

I bought 100 shares of Amazon near ipo. Sold it in 2005 out of boredom. No money in books and cds.

Keeping a condo I bought in the end of 2005 to do the right thing during the real estate debalacle. I paid $180,000 with closing costs. I lived in it 2006-beginning of 2010. Rented, it still cost me $6000 per year LOSS, every single year, until I paid the mortgage off last year......It's worth $95k now........I should've let the bank foreclose on it, like everyone else did, right after I used all of my cash to by a 4 plex in 2009.

Not getting divorced when her house of cards fell down. I was in a contract job with no benefits, ex was about to get laid off, son was 7 years old, needed to get COBRA or short term health policies, recession was bad.

The jobs stabilized within a year and I started traveling 50% of my time for my new job. Lasted another 2 years. Would have been MUCH better to travel those 2 years single.

In hindsight, marrying her wasn't the best idea either, but it seemed right at the time, and my son is a great kid and I wouldn't ever wish he didn't exist.

Second biggest mistake was not running as far away as fast as I could when I realized my girlfriend had female narcissistic traits.

Not going to the college I wanted to attend.
Instead the high school counselor pushed for me to go to a state school then maybe transfer to the college I wanted.
Two years later I was doing well and had a strong circle of friends. So I stayed.
What did I miss? ROTC was offered at the other school. Without doubt I’d have enrolled and earned a commission. Instead, I joined the Army one step ahead of the draft. Starting as a private was really not as good as starting as a lieutenant.

Marrying my first wife. Should have listened to my nana, who told me she was just trying to get her hooks into me because she had a baby already. What did I know I was only 19 and didn’t know that women are like monkeys, they won’t let go of one branch until they have a hand on another.....ruined my credit, lost a $20,000. New Jeep, lost my kids...and I never did anything wrong.

There are two people I’d piss on their graves she and Jane Fonda...

My kid did figure it out when he was 18 though and came to live with me...the other one was recently disowned by his mom and he called me outta the blue to tell me how she tread him, and that he didn’t see it until recently, how bad a person she was.

re: "I think my absolute worst decision was not asking my girlfriend at the time if she wanted to get married"

Odd...my own absolute worst involved driving with my red-head girlfriend to Mexico & getting married there....

My plan at 20 was to be out of school, single, and have $10k in the bank by age 25. Close...I did graduate, was single via divorce & owed $10k in bills from guess who....

I suppose for a starter wife I've heard worse tales.

going to work for my father.

NOT signing to join the Military in 1983 during my Senior Year in HS. I don't recall my ASVAB score, but it was VERY High! Paperwork was prepared and I was NAVY Nuke Power bound for an eight year commitment! Ultimately, I let my Mom talk me out of it. She was a worrier, and I couldn't put her through that....I'm sure she would have been proud, but I didn't want to break heart if something went south.

Shouda' Woulda' Coulda'!

Worst decision = staying too long with a certain GF/fiance.

Best decision = Breaking it off completely with said woman and then dating/marrying my wife. Our 10th wedding anniversary is only a couple months away.