We’ve been tracking our investments yearly since 1992. We have changed from an early all equities portfolio to a mixed one with CDs and Money Markets gradually as we’ve aged. We rebalance about once a year. We describe it as “couch potato” investing. Our average annual return has just been a bit over 7%. We feel comfortable with that and also watching that return drift slowly lower through the years.
Mike, That was exactly our thought process. Our heirs can inherit our assets. But not our SS. (or other pensions for that matter). We want to leave as much as we can to our children, grandchildren and - with luck - great-grandchildren. Others can feel and act differently.
That’s GOOD!
William, Thanks for the excellent post! And it is the same with Trees. The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is today!
Comments
We’ve been tracking our investments yearly since 1992. We have changed from an early all equities portfolio to a mixed one with CDs and Money Markets gradually as we’ve aged. We rebalance about once a year. We describe it as “couch potato” investing. Our average annual return has just been a bit over 7%. We feel comfortable with that and also watching that return drift slowly lower through the years.
Post: For Richer, For Poorer: 37 Years of Compounding
Link to comment from April 29, 2026
Mike, That was exactly our thought process. Our heirs can inherit our assets. But not our SS. (or other pensions for that matter). We want to leave as much as we can to our children, grandchildren and - with luck - great-grandchildren. Others can feel and act differently. That’s GOOD!
Post: Rethinking the “Right” Time for Social Security
Link to comment from April 25, 2026
Congratulations! Sounds like you two did everything correctly!!
Post: Buying and Selling our Condo (Our Big “Little” Move, Part 2)
Link to comment from April 15, 2026
None.
Post: Financial regrets about parenthood?
Link to comment from April 5, 2026
Greg, Your four steps is almost exactly what our retirement “strategy” has been. I agree 100% with your post. It certainly works/worked for us.
Post: Perfection, enemy of good
Link to comment from April 5, 2026
We put most of our bills on autopay. We still do check our credit cards by hand though.
Post: Simplify Everything
Link to comment from March 31, 2026
Adam, Another excellent post. Please keep them coming!
Post: Doubt the Forecast
Link to comment from March 29, 2026
Mark, Thank you for the great post! Reading about how others handle their money is one of the strengths of Humble Dollar.
Post: Loose Change
Link to comment from March 2, 2026
William, Thanks for the excellent post! And it is the same with Trees. The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is today!
Post: It’s Never Too Late
Link to comment from February 27, 2026
An adequate emergency fund should probably be most peoples/couples first savings goal.
Post: Something Borrowed, Something Saved.
Link to comment from February 23, 2026