Scardey, no need to apologize, I only used the example as a historical reference. Everything happens for a reason. Had I lucked into a windfall I would have squandered it. Keep in mind I was a 40 year old divorced guy, I wouldn’t have paid off my house I would have bought some exotic car, found a gold digger for wife #2 and been on these boards looking to make up for poor decisions once again. Because I pussed out, I found a wonderful, reasonable, low maintenance wife who insisted on a pre-nup so my kids would not resent her as an inheritance thief. A decade later, my wife is still the same person I met and I’ll never have to donate real estate again or find another wife. So you did me a favor, because I do not believe I was mentally equipped to handle that money at the time. Once again, everything happens for a reason, and I chose to take that advice so it’s on me and any regrets are in jest, I’m grateful for how life turned out. I did like your self actualization on your wife and how her strategy is likely better. Even Brian admitted others are better at this, thus his endorsement of mutual funds. I like these new admissions.
FLU, spot on once again. Leaving alone retirement funds is fantastic advice, my experience in the investments I’ve left passive have been the most successful, furthering my understanding as I age that my emotions are my greatest enemy. When I enter a casino and play 3 card poker, I win more at 3 card poker when I play “blind.” Furthering my theory that emotion and money should be kept separate, not that casinos are a good investment. I only say this because I have to attend a wedding in vegas soon and I’ve decided I’m not playing any games of skill while there, especially given my proclivity to partake in the free beverages on offer there. It took 50 years to learn my faults, but at least I learned them.
