Financial Missed Opportunities.

**Surilda** · 09-07-2009, 05:19 PM

Through the years, I bought lots of things I wanted and charged
most of them. Hey, I had a good job and could work overtime
whenever I wanted, right? No problem paying my bills at all.

Well, the overtime is a thing of the past. Only a bit is available
now. So, I am trying to pay bills without the overtime and it is
a rude awakening to how FOOLISH I was!

When I had the opportunity to really snowball and pay the bills OFF,
it really didn't occur to me to do that. I was just happy to go along, paying my bills every month, always more than the minimum and sometimes much larger payments, but I was still only "paying" the bills". This is one of my biggest regrets in life:

FINANCIAL MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Times when I have had the perfect opportunity to do SOMETHING and I let it slip away.

For example, when I first started the job I have now, I was able to rent a little garlow house. The rent was $150.00 a month. I think back now on HOW MUCH MONEY I could have saved while living there! I lived there over 5 years. What's worse is that I can't even remember what I did spend my money on.

Tax refunds.....gone
Bonus checks.....gone
Part-time money......gone

I know I can't dwell on the past and have to move forward!

I have one dream left, and I am not letting that dream go, even though I feel that it is unattainable due to my lifetime of financial irresponsibility.

I am doing everything that this wonderful site teaches you, and I am so thankful that I found it! Even when Greebo takes a hard line. lol

My eyes have been opened and even if I have to use toothpicks, they are going to stay that way!

**Maine Girl** · 09-07-2009, 05:28 PM

Over five years ago i was still living with my parents paying a small rent to them...I was also stupid by not paying off my debt. Today I am paying a mortgage and i am trying as hard as i can of paying off my debt. But my saving grace is finding this site and learning how to live within my means and pay off debt also.

**Incognito** · 09-07-2009, 06:05 PM

We're only human...and to be human is to err.
And we make decisions and act on what we think is right at the time, but only in hindsight do we see where we could have done things differently.
Welcome to the club!

**frugalfranny** · 09-07-2009, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Surilda

I know I can't dwell on the past and have to move forward!

My eyes have been opened and even if I have to use toothpicks, they are going to stay that way!

And that is as it should be.....you can't beat your self up for what you should have done.....move on, make sure you have learned from the past, and don't make the same mistakes twice.

Take the time to not only stop and smell the flowers but to pat yourself on the back once in awhile for progress made!

GOOD LUCK!

**kita** · 09-07-2009, 06:25 PM

Ididn't realize that $7 an hour was great since I had 15-30 hours of overtime and my rent was $125 a month. WHere did that money go??

**never2late** · 09-07-2009, 06:48 PM

I think a lot of us are in that same boat with you. I thought it was going to be my destiny to be old and in debt some day. But thanks to Dave Ramsey and Frugal Village, I honestly feel like I'm getting a second chance. (Note my login name - Never 2late - it's not too late to jump ship and make that change!)

**Ocean_Beach_Dweller** · 09-07-2009, 06:50 PM

I was living with my parents and had 8k in savings, I told myself I could either use that savings to move out or to buy a car. I decided to buy a car, but then decided 5 months later I really needed to move out too and so I did lol

Oh well, i'm not in too bad of shape actually, and i'm getting really good at budgeting now!

**Greebo** · 09-07-2009, 07:11 PM

Past money mistakes are nothing to regret, as long as you learned from them.

I'm curious:

I have one dream left, and I am not letting that dream go, even though I feel that it is unattainable due to my lifetime of financial irresponsibility.

What is the dream?

**forHISglory** · 09-07-2009, 09:48 PM

We've all had these missed opportunities, I'm sure. My earliest one was when I was 18 and just graduated from high school. I took a 4-H demo to the state fair. The demo was on dairy snacks and I made up the recipes. A man came up to me after the demo and offered to buy the recipes. I was young and didn't know what to do, so I turned him down. Turns out he worked for Carnation Milk, and was legit. I could have had money ahead then!

Another time I quit teaching to raise my family. We needed the money,, so I withdrew my money in my pension fund. Retirement was the farthest thing from my mind then. If only I had left it there! We're not doing badly now, but I could have retired earlier with an income stream.

But we can't dwell in the past. Like the rest of you, I just had to shake it off and go on and try to be a little smarter.

**PlainCash4** · 09-07-2009, 10:31 PM

Its ok as long as you learn from it. I could have a down payment on house with all the money i blew on partying over the years. I'm alot smarter now, especially after finding this site

**BigTony** · 09-07-2009, 11:11 PM

My God, same here, OT was like 32 hours a week and now I have to make due without it ... I can relate! But we have to keep fighting !!!!!!!!!

**wwe11** · 09-08-2009, 10:42 AM

I think of all the money we could of use to pay off debt when I was working but I blew it instaed and now I am determined to get this paid off on one income. I am so glad I find this place to help me along.

**a.nonymous** · 09-08-2009, 10:44 AM

I have no regrets, really. I believe everything I have done, whether right or wrong, have in some way made me the person I am today. And to be frank, even with plenty of shortcomings, I quite do like myself.

**shortstack** · 09-08-2009, 11:11 AM

I couldn't agree more. I like me just as I am and the journey that took me to this place included all of the mistakes I've made along the way. So remember the mistakes but don't let them own you and certainly don't dwell on them but rather learn.

Andrea

Originally Posted by a.nonymous

I have no regrets, really. I believe everything I have done, whether right or wrong, have in some way made me the person I am today. And to be frank, even with plenty of shortcomings, I quite do like myself.