Early on, I signed on with Edward Jones primarily because my friends used EJ and really liked our local rep. Met with them, set up a plan and left it on auto pilot with not alot of attention to all the details. As retirement got closer i joined a Facebook group called Retirement Planning and Education hosted by Andy Panko and the real education began. It didn't take long to start paying real attention and learn that the fees charged at EJ were detrimental to my success. After reading The Simple Path to Wealth I left EJ and moved to Vanguard and began with their advisory service. I immediately saw Vanguard fees charged per quarter were less than EJ charged per month and with very little change in the service provided which is by phone rather than an office visit. EJ employs lots of really nice people but at the end of the day there is a big price to pay if you aren't paying attention to ALL the details meaning the plan they sell you also includes paying plenty of fees. Lived and learned!
Sign on my desk. Falling in love with less is a very lofty goal. Stop buying the unnecessary. Toss half your stuff, learn contentedness. Reduce half again. List four essential things in your life, do these first, stop doing the non-essential. Clear distractions, focus on each moment. Let go of attachment to doing, having more. Fall in love with less.
I look forward to reading your posts each time and marvel at your ability to continue to look forward in spite of all that has come your way. This may not sound reasonable, but it seems that having an end date on the horizon provides some small luxury of time. Saving, planning, forecasting and dreaming of the retired life were all ripped away from our horizon with the sudden and unexpected death of my SO of 25 years. It was to be a routine medical procedure, a short recovery then on with our wonderful retired life. But in six hours time it was all gone. It feels like losing half of your body and not knowing how to make the other half work. It was just not a consideration to us that it could happen. My prayer is that in making plans for your family to live without you, it can help them soften the harsh blow of reality. Thank you for sharing your heart and soul in this space. Your life work is a true gift that supersedes time.
Comments
Early on, I signed on with Edward Jones primarily because my friends used EJ and really liked our local rep. Met with them, set up a plan and left it on auto pilot with not alot of attention to all the details. As retirement got closer i joined a Facebook group called Retirement Planning and Education hosted by Andy Panko and the real education began. It didn't take long to start paying real attention and learn that the fees charged at EJ were detrimental to my success. After reading The Simple Path to Wealth I left EJ and moved to Vanguard and began with their advisory service. I immediately saw Vanguard fees charged per quarter were less than EJ charged per month and with very little change in the service provided which is by phone rather than an office visit. EJ employs lots of really nice people but at the end of the day there is a big price to pay if you aren't paying attention to ALL the details meaning the plan they sell you also includes paying plenty of fees. Lived and learned!
Post: Among Friends
Link to comment from February 27, 2025
Sign on my desk. Falling in love with less is a very lofty goal. Stop buying the unnecessary. Toss half your stuff, learn contentedness. Reduce half again. List four essential things in your life, do these first, stop doing the non-essential. Clear distractions, focus on each moment. Let go of attachment to doing, having more. Fall in love with less.
Post: Mind Over Money
Link to comment from February 1, 2025
I look forward to reading your posts each time and marvel at your ability to continue to look forward in spite of all that has come your way. This may not sound reasonable, but it seems that having an end date on the horizon provides some small luxury of time. Saving, planning, forecasting and dreaming of the retired life were all ripped away from our horizon with the sudden and unexpected death of my SO of 25 years. It was to be a routine medical procedure, a short recovery then on with our wonderful retired life. But in six hours time it was all gone. It feels like losing half of your body and not knowing how to make the other half work. It was just not a consideration to us that it could happen. My prayer is that in making plans for your family to live without you, it can help them soften the harsh blow of reality. Thank you for sharing your heart and soul in this space. Your life work is a true gift that supersedes time.
Post: Why We Struggle
Link to comment from January 4, 2025