I learned how NOT to invest from my parents. I have absolutely no formal education, never took any kind of financial classes, but I’m a do it yourselfer when it comes to most things, including investing. I purposely keep it simple and boring. I was a Teamster, blue collar guy, but we managed to raise 3 kids, 2 with Master’s degrees with little college debt and accumulate a 7 figure portfolio thru years of modest saving and investing, index funds only thru Vanguard. If I can do it, anyone can.
We get cable, exterminator, lawn maintenance salesman frequently. That comes with having a neighborhood in the process of being built out. Having a camera is definitely the way to go. Unless it’s someone I know or they’re delivering something, I just don’t answer. If I’m outside when they approach, I cut them off pretty quickly. They have no business going door to door if they don’t have a thick skin.
We are 5 days in to having our 2 grandchildren, ages 2 and 4, for 2 weeks! Too much of a good thing! Just kidding. At age 72 and 67, it’s exhausting but I wouldn’t trade this time with them for anything!
I’ve used Gemini to research an auto immune condition I’ve been experiencing. It actually suggested a relationship to other auto immune problems I’ve had in the past. Lots to talk about with my rheumatologist. You can definitely go down a rabbit hole with these AI tools!
My parents had almost all of their retirement savings invested in a small second mortgage company. I tried to get them to diversify, but they were addicted to the interest rate returns. Long story short, one disgruntled investor sued the company, they declared bankruptcy, and it took years to sort out. Both my parents died before they were made whole, on the principal only.
Your bias is showing. The media wasn’t quieter. You also conveniently failed to mention Covid and its impact. Covid and it’s repercussions, unlike today’s wounds, were not, for the most part, self inflicted.
Both my parents and my wife’s parents lost the vast majority of their retirement savings late in life due to bad investments. My parents didn’t invest in the stock market. They chose to put almost all of their savings into a small second mortgage company that paid good dividends. They got addicted to the dividends and refused to diversify. I had many talks with my dad over this but he refused to see the risks. Eventually the company got sued by one of the investors and the company declared bankruptcy. They got a small percentage of their investment back, but it took years and was a mess.
My in-laws started a small business in their mid sixties with a “friend “ who ripped them off and they walked away with very little. Watching both sets of parents lose almost everything late in life was very sobering. Fortunately we didn’t follow in either of their footsteps.
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I learned how NOT to invest from my parents. I have absolutely no formal education, never took any kind of financial classes, but I’m a do it yourselfer when it comes to most things, including investing. I purposely keep it simple and boring. I was a Teamster, blue collar guy, but we managed to raise 3 kids, 2 with Master’s degrees with little college debt and accumulate a 7 figure portfolio thru years of modest saving and investing, index funds only thru Vanguard. If I can do it, anyone can.
Post: How financially illiterate are Americans?
Link to comment from June 21, 2026
We get cable, exterminator, lawn maintenance salesman frequently. That comes with having a neighborhood in the process of being built out. Having a camera is definitely the way to go. Unless it’s someone I know or they’re delivering something, I just don’t answer. If I’m outside when they approach, I cut them off pretty quickly. They have no business going door to door if they don’t have a thick skin.
Post: He Said I Wasn’t Very Nice
Link to comment from June 19, 2026
Thank goodness for a few hours of daycare during the week!
Post: A Sunday Thought About Money
Link to comment from June 17, 2026
We are 5 days in to having our 2 grandchildren, ages 2 and 4, for 2 weeks! Too much of a good thing! Just kidding. At age 72 and 67, it’s exhausting but I wouldn’t trade this time with them for anything!
Post: A Sunday Thought About Money
Link to comment from June 16, 2026
I’ve used Gemini to research an auto immune condition I’ve been experiencing. It actually suggested a relationship to other auto immune problems I’ve had in the past. Lots to talk about with my rheumatologist. You can definitely go down a rabbit hole with these AI tools!
Post: ChatGPT’s Portfolio Advice
Link to comment from June 7, 2026
My parents had almost all of their retirement savings invested in a small second mortgage company. I tried to get them to diversify, but they were addicted to the interest rate returns. Long story short, one disgruntled investor sued the company, they declared bankruptcy, and it took years to sort out. Both my parents died before they were made whole, on the principal only.
Post: Private Credit Stress?
Link to comment from March 25, 2026
Your bias is showing. The media wasn’t quieter. You also conveniently failed to mention Covid and its impact. Covid and it’s repercussions, unlike today’s wounds, were not, for the most part, self inflicted.
Post: My Window is Open – Come In
Link to comment from March 23, 2026
Schrodinger’s investment 😏
Post: Buffett’s 90/10 is Wrong. Even Though it’s Right.
Link to comment from March 9, 2026
Both my parents and my wife’s parents lost the vast majority of their retirement savings late in life due to bad investments. My parents didn’t invest in the stock market. They chose to put almost all of their savings into a small second mortgage company that paid good dividends. They got addicted to the dividends and refused to diversify. I had many talks with my dad over this but he refused to see the risks. Eventually the company got sued by one of the investors and the company declared bankruptcy. They got a small percentage of their investment back, but it took years and was a mess. My in-laws started a small business in their mid sixties with a “friend “ who ripped them off and they walked away with very little. Watching both sets of parents lose almost everything late in life was very sobering. Fortunately we didn’t follow in either of their footsteps.
Post: How did you avoid being in the 39%?
Link to comment from March 6, 2026
“As Job once observed “. For a second, given the subject of the article, I thought you were quoting Steve Jobs.🤣
Post: Is AI going to affect our investments
Link to comment from February 27, 2026