Like most people, I like to focus on the positives rather than the negatives. This post is all about the positives! More specifically, this post is all about the best investing/financial decisions I’ve made to date. Feel free to use these in your own life! I’m all about “spreading the wealth” and helping others around me succeed. That’s what it’s all about!
1- Vanguard From Day #1
Co-workers ask me on a regular basis about who they should invest through. My answer is Vanguard every time. Sometimes I feel like they are expecting a different answer. I will always tell you to invest in Vanguard and I’m glad I started with them from day one. They are reliable, have been in business from day one and have the lowest management fees in the industry. Oh, and their funds outperform the big boys. It doesn’t get much better than that.
I also love the simplicity of investing with Vanguard. I have my money pulled from my checking and transferred to my Vanguard Roth-IRA set to automatic so I don’t even have to think about it. I also invest in their 2050 Target Retirement Fund. It’s a diversified fund with three index funds: international, domestic, and total bond. My money is invested, it grows, and I don’t have to check the markets on a regular basis. Do yourself a favor and invest through Vanguard.
2- Invested in my Education with Cash
I’ve talked to so many other graduates and I guess what I did during college is a rarity. I went to an in-state public University (Go UW Huskies! woof woof!) and paid my way through school with cash. Tuition was around $7,500/year at the time, so I was still able to pay cash. Looking back, it was so hard to do this! But then again, I was driving a Geo Prizm and lived at home.
Whatever the case may be, I worked my butt off and graduated without a dollar of debt. Thanks to parents who could help me out when they could and work opportunities from the Lord, I graduated with freedom from debt. No one owned me and it still feels amazing to this day.
3- Avoiding Taxes
I have learned early on in my investing life that taxes are the devil. So to avoid government taxes, I have utilized “tax efficient” investment vehicles. My two main retirements include a 401K with my employer and a personal Roth-IRA.
To be honest, I’m surprised our government has given us these types of opportunities. They truly are a tax shelter and I’m so happy this is where I focus most of my investments. They may not be the most exciting investments in the world but they are tax efficient to the tenth degree. If you hate taxes like I do, open a Roth-IRA right now.
4-Trusting God
You know the best part about being a Christian and relying on the Lord to provide for your needs? I never stress out about my money! I know that God is going to be right there by my side and has a plan for my money (well, it’s really His).
All I have to do is make wise financial decisions and let God do the rest. This freedom and absence of anxiety is what people search for their whole lives. God is great and is sovereign. I trust the Lord with everything, especially my own finances. A big thanks goes out to my Mom and Dad for teaching me to rely on the Lord with finances. I laugh when people say miracles don’t exist. I’ve seen so many just in my own life it’s ridiculous!
5- Starting This Blog
I’m a proponent of multiple streams of income. When I graduated college, I wanted to work. But I also wanted to explore other avenues of income. This blog has turned into a business and is thriving! Although I can’t live on the money from this website alone, it is nice to know that if I lost my job, I would be OK. Another benefit of starting this blog and creating a second stream of income is that my goal of retiring early is becoming more and more realistic. 55 is my goal and this blog is helping me get there. Heck, at this pace, I might retire at 50!
Conclusion
What do you think readers? Any disagreement with my financial decisions? I want to hear from you! Comment below with your best financial decisions, I’d love to hear them!
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