My biggest regret is rushing into home ownership and the slew of dumb decisions that accompanied that decision.
I was young, ignorant and didn't listen to anyone's advice. I wish I had rented in the city after graduating and enjoyed the early/mid 20s with friends, but instead I thought it was best to purchase and lived an hour away from everyone as it was all I could afford. I didn't do enough research. I didn't take advice from people who had been there. I bought in 2007 (ah yes... the peak of market value before the major crash) and put 0% down. Yes that's correct... 0% down. It was that "great" 1st time buyer program later deemed predatory lending (WTAF young me!). I then used my savings to furnish my place, buy a car and other stupid shit. Needless to say I hated my place, lost absurd amounts of money after the crash and set myself for financial hardship. Oh and for fun, the financing bank forgot to account for HOA fees in my loan qualification, so I ended up with a cost of living that I couldn't even afford Older and wiser me is hates younger, naive, stupid me. SMH at myself.
I wish I had been smarter about the route I took for college. As a school counselor we give kids so much info on the best possible financial options and I didn't get any of that. And my parents didn't know anything. So I ended up going to an expensive, out of state school that was about 15 mins outside of my state of residency and doubled my cost. My parents took out major loans for me at huge interest rates. I ended up switching careers and have deferred while in grad school. Any payments I made for the first 5 years (ahem- about $650 a month) have been completely negated by interest at this point. My loan company is currently in a class action lawsuit for misleading borrowers. And I currently have about $130k in school debt from my 2 degrees.
I wish I would have worked while I was living in Hawaii. DH and I were newly married, and I was going to school online. I totally could have worked I just didn't want too, then he deployed and I figured the extra income would be enough. The extra money would have saved us from using credit cards so much and digging us into a huge debt hole we are finally getting out of.
Mom to Madison- 5 and Lillian 2....and now surprise baby #3!
I wish I had found out why my best friend distanced herself from me while I was dating my now husband. I asked her what was wrong months later and it was too late, she just said she didn't know and that we had grown apart. We had been friends since we were in diapers. I wish I could just fix it, but it's been almost 8 years and she has moved away.
If I had to pick something it would be working way too much and participating in too many extracurricular activities in college. I wish I had spent more time going out with my friends while they lived down the hall or down the street and not worrying so much about my resume. I wouldn't say its a full on regret because I still have a great group of friends from college that I see and talk to on a regular basis and got a job straight out of college, but it's definitely one of those things I would reevaluate if I went back in time.
There are several things I would "re-do" if I could... but as far as my biggest regret, I think it was a lot of the choices I made in college. I would have picked a different major (and had a different career) and I would have done a lot of relationships differently. (Made more time for my friends, not spent so much time with the guy dated at the time, etc.) I also, would have actually studied. I didn't step foot into my college library until the day before graduation.
I agree with others about paying more attention and studying when I was in college. I got distracted easily and didn't enjoy my business classes. Maybe I should have majored in the Classics like I wanted? I always loved my Greek and Roman history classes, and I also did really well in anthropology. But now I'm in finance because I majored in accounting. It's alright but not exactly thrilling.
Another student loan debt related regret here. I was so focused on finishing college asap that I didn't take the time to really think about what I wanted to do with my life and got a business related degree. I ended up going back to nursing school after a couple of years and subsequently ended up with a ton of student loan debt that I wouldn't have had if I had chosen nursing originally. I wouldn't change my career or how my life has turned out, but it certainly would be nice to have that huge monthly payment to put towards other things.
I wish I had stayed in New Zealand after doing my student teaching there. My life would be WAY different but the time I spent there and the attitude/way of life of New Zealanders really fit my personality. There would be no financial way for me to return now.
I wish DH and I hadn't stayed 2 years at our first sh*tty apartment. One year would have been too many. That place was a dump and had mold which I think contributed to my not feeling good while we were there. Other than that I also wish I had saved more money while working full time so we could have gone to Europe before having kids. Oh well, we'll get there someday.
MC Sept 2010 BFP Oct 2011 - DD born July 2012 TTC again since July 2014 First IUI 9/26/16: BFP! EDD 6/19/2017 It's a girl!
Born 6/26/17, 9lb 5oz
I regret using my wedding photographer. We ended up losing nearly $2000 when she screwed us over (along with dozens of other couples) and only got a slap on the wrist from the court system. We got digital copies of the photos thank GOD (after fighting for them) but it still brings me close to tears to think about how frustrating that experience was.
This is is such a first world problem/regret. Good grief!
My biggest regret is not doing enough research into colleges prior to undergrad. I was a first generation college student that went to a really small, rural school, so I just didn't really understand the depth of my options.
I also would have applied to the FBI academy after college instead of law school.
My biggest regret would have to be being introduced to credit cards. My mom warned me when I was in college but I didn't want to listen. I thought I could handle the responsibility with my then part time job. Boooooy was I wrong?! One credit card turned into two, then three and so on. Ugh. Although I've managed to pay off a significant amount I'm still working on getting debt free. I wish younger me would of listened to mom.
Now that I'm a Mom I feel like my biggest regret is not picking a career/degree that allows flexible schedules. I chose business and really loved it in college but I didn't end up in a field I enjoyed and I couldn't find anything flexible which lead to me being miserable and making my DH miserable until we found a way for me to stay home with the kids. I really wish I would have done nursing school instead and I still think I might go to nursing school or become a lactation consultant when my kiddos get older.
I also wish I would have allowed myself to let loose and have more fun with girlfriends in high school and college. I had a stupid boyfriend through both and was a very good student but I feel like I should have been experiencing life a little more at that age. By the time I realized that I graduated early and had about 6 months of fun before I met DH. We had a lot of fun together before we decided to have kids but I feel like looking back we rushed into buying a house and having a family when we should have traveled and relaxed more. But it's also nice being a younger mom and we are planning to be in a place financially to travel a lot more when the kids are school age. I'm looking forward to that next phase of life and being smarter now and more carefree as odd as that sounds. I love this baby stage so much too it will be hard to let go so I have to have something to look forward to!
Not buying any of the countless houses we could have for the last 16 months after selling our house and now having to move to an apartment rather than into our next home.
...okay that might not be my biggest regret but in the moment it certainly feels that way.
Getting into credit card debt and rushing into getting my masters. It got it in reading and it is doing nothing for me. I want to be a guidance counselor or a child therapist so I wish so much I would have waited a few years after graduating and working to really decide what I wanted to do once I was over being in the classroom.
Married 12/17/2011 K born 8/31/12 C born 1/11/14 BFP #3 Nov 2014: D&C January 2015 BFP #4 Sept 2016: Due May 31 2017
Everytime I got in shape and then turned around and gained it all back +10 lbs. I feel like I have spent my whole life fighting my fat.
Me: 34 DH: 35 Married: July 2009 BFP: November 2012 after 2 years of TTC DS born August 2013 Diagnosed with PCOS April 2016 3 months of trigger shot with timed intercourse BFN x3 First IUI: 9/17/16 BFP: 9/30/16 EDD: 6/11/17
Not finishing my degree. I couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to study so I didn't study anything. I didn't realize what I really was interested in until about 3 years ago, but wasn't in a stage of life to start again. Now I'm REALLY not.
@FSUNole31 I want to be a guidance counselor too! I actually started my Grad work on it but then moved from 5th grade to Title 1 and decided to give it a bit longer before going any further with it... The local University just rolled out a program in which a teacher can get their Masters in Fine Arts in 2 very intense summer semesters. You have to go to classes from 8 to 8 M-F for 8 weeks for those 2 summers but the amount of debt you acquire is seriously thousands less than if you pursued your masters via "normal" means! So now I have to weigh my options with guidance counseling and a large amount of debt or a master's in Fine Arts and not very much debt.
I regret wasting so much of my youth (6years) in an unhealthy on-and-off relationship with my ex-fiancé/high school sweetheart. I was so outgoing and confident when we had met and over the years he wore me down to a very self-conscious and timid person. He also would cheat on me and because I had no sense of self-worth I would allow him to come back. I hope my daughter never goes through that.
Going right into a masters degree after undergrad right as the economy was collapsing. Took on a bunch of debt and there has been no return on investment.
I relate to way too many of you, especially @Wino0920, I literally had guys say I lived too far to date because my condo was so far from the city. I felt so stuck for the longest time.
i regret not doing better in school, both hs and college. I don't think I pursued my true interests and passions. If I could go back I'd take more chances on relationships with men. Everything had such a finality to me back then. I would have moved around more and job hopped more. Would have valued happiness and comfort over frugality more. Right now I'm living more in line with my values and happiness despite it costing more but it just feels right
I had a very manipulative boss who only let me take a week off work when I got married. After flying home, but before my wedding, my mom cried because she didn't get to attend my bridal shower. I was only in my hometown for three days, and didn't really get to see tons of family who were there for my wedding, and some I haven't seen in the 8 years I've been married. I wish I could go back and quit that crappy job, spent a few weeks with my family, and looked for a new job after my honeymoon. Instead, I wasted 3 years working for that company.
My biggest regret is being a people pleaser and peacemaker more than standing up for myself with my mother. It took until this year when DD noticed that it snapped me out of it. I never want her to listen to someone put her down and just take it because they are family. Now that I stand up for myself, DH also said it was something that bothered him because it was hard for him to hear my mom say things to me and not just rip her head off.
I regret not hiring a professional photographer for our wedding. We used a friend so it was free but every time I see stunning professional photos I get a little sad. I'm grateful we have photos and it's not like I look at them every day but still.
I regret not hiring a professional photographer for our wedding. We used a friend so it was free but every time I see stunning professional photos I get a little sad. I'm grateful we have photos and it's not like I look at them every day but still.
Oh man, so close to this! We hired a professional who basically took photos then became "unreachable" after the wedding. We managed to get a few photos from him (bought them off a website where he posted a few), but basically lost out on all the money and never got our photos. It was horrible.
Re: Tell Me Tuesday 4/25
Mine would definitely be not doing better in school. I love to read now, and learn, and I was just so lazy in school.
I was young, ignorant and didn't listen to anyone's advice. I wish I had rented in the city after graduating and enjoyed the early/mid 20s with friends, but instead I thought it was best to purchase and lived an hour away from everyone as it was all I could afford. I didn't do enough research. I didn't take advice from people who had been there. I bought in 2007 (ah yes... the peak of market value before the major crash) and put 0% down. Yes that's correct... 0% down. It was that "great" 1st time buyer program later deemed predatory lending (WTAF young me!). I then used my savings to furnish my place, buy a car and other stupid shit. Needless to say I hated my place, lost absurd amounts of money after the crash and set myself for financial hardship. Oh and for fun, the financing bank forgot to account for HOA fees in my loan qualification, so I ended up with a cost of living that I couldn't even afford Older and wiser me is hates younger, naive, stupid me. SMH at myself.
Mom to Madison- 5 and Lillian 2....and now surprise baby #3!
I was so focused on finishing college asap that I didn't take the time to really think about what I wanted to do with my life and got a business related degree. I ended up going back to nursing school after a couple of years and subsequently ended up with a ton of student loan debt that I wouldn't have had if I had chosen nursing originally.
I wouldn't change my career or how my life has turned out, but it certainly would be nice to have that huge monthly payment to put towards other things.
BFP #1 9/1999. DD Born 6/7/2000
BFP #2 10/2011. EDD 7/11/12. MMC discovered 11/2/11. D&C 11/4/11.
DX PCOS 10/2012.
BFP#3 1/11/13. DS Born 9/17/2013
BFP#4 9/30/17. Grow baby grow!
~Everyone Welcome~
I wish I had done more slightly irresponsible things when I was younger and had youth as my excuse.
BFP #1 6/13 DD 3/14
Mirena 10/14-5/16
BFP #2 9/2/16, CP confirmed 9/8/16
BFP #3 10/10/16 EDD 6/22/17
BFP Oct 2011 - DD born July 2012
TTC again since July 2014
First IUI 9/26/16: BFP!
EDD 6/19/2017
It's a girl!
Born 6/26/17, 9lb 5oz
This is is such a first world problem/regret. Good grief!
My biggest regret is not doing enough research into colleges prior to undergrad. I was a first generation college student that went to a really small, rural school, so I just didn't really understand the depth of my options.
I also would have applied to the FBI academy after college instead of law school.
DH: 35 | Me: 29
BFP #1- 07.25.12, EDD: 03.24.13, DD born 03.26.13
Surprised BFP #2- 02.25.15, EDD: 10/29/15 |*m/c 7w4d, D&C 04.02.2015
BFP #3- 01.21.16, EDD: 09.29.26 |*m/c-blighted ovum 2.19.16 8w1d, D&C 03.04.16
BFP #4- 05.24.16, EDD: 02.04.17 |*natural m/c- 07.08.16, 9w1d
BFP #5- 09/25/16, EDD: 06.07.17 GROW, BABY, GROW!
Now that I'm a Mom I feel like my biggest regret is not picking a career/degree that allows flexible schedules. I chose business and really loved it in college but I didn't end up in a field I enjoyed and I couldn't find anything flexible which lead to me being miserable and making my DH miserable until we found a way for me to stay home with the kids. I really wish I would have done nursing school instead and I still think I might go to nursing school or become a lactation consultant when my kiddos get older.
I also wish I would have allowed myself to let loose and have more fun with girlfriends in high school and college. I had a stupid boyfriend through both and was a very good student but I feel like I should have been experiencing life a little more at that age. By the time I realized that I graduated early and had about 6 months of fun before I met DH. We had a lot of fun together before we decided to have kids but I feel like looking back we rushed into buying a house and having a family when we should have traveled and relaxed more. But it's also nice being a younger mom and we are planning to be in a place financially to travel a lot more when the kids are school age. I'm looking forward to that next phase of life and being smarter now and more carefree as odd as that sounds. I love this baby stage so much too it will be hard to let go so I have to have something to look forward to!
...okay that might not be my biggest regret but in the moment it certainly feels that way.
Me: 29 DH: 35
Married: 9/29/12
DS #1: 3/8/15K born 8/31/12
C born 1/11/14
BFP #3 Nov 2014: D&C January 2015
BFP #4 Sept 2016: Due May 31 2017
Me: 34 DH: 35
Married: July 2009
BFP: November 2012 after 2 years of TTC DS born August 2013
Diagnosed with PCOS April 2016
3 months of trigger shot with timed intercourse BFN x3
First IUI: 9/17/16 BFP: 9/30/16 EDD: 6/11/17
The local University just rolled out a program in which a teacher can get their Masters in Fine Arts in 2 very intense summer semesters. You have to go to classes from 8 to 8 M-F for 8 weeks for those 2 summers but the amount of debt you acquire is seriously thousands less than if you pursued your masters via "normal" means! So now I have to weigh my options with guidance counseling and a large amount of debt or a master's in Fine Arts and not very much debt.
I hope my daughter never goes through that.
i regret not doing better in school, both hs and college. I don't think I pursued my true interests and passions. If I could go back I'd take more chances on relationships with men. Everything had such a finality to me back then. I would have moved around more and job hopped more. Would have valued happiness and comfort over frugality more. Right now I'm living more in line with my values and happiness despite it costing more but it just feels right