Older posters, help the younger posters out!

[TomInMN]

Let's hear something that current you wishes younger you would have grasped earlier in life? Life advice, career advice, relationship advice, whatever you'd like to put out here. Thanks all!

 

Inspired by this conversation: 

 

[A.J. Holst]

1. Don't spend money like a sailor on shore leave, like I did.

2. If you want to attract and retain Mrs. Right, work on being Mr. Right

3. Ask God to help you with decision making

 

[Grayfox54]

Never pass up a good opportunity to shut up. 

[No_0ne]

"It's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt ..."

[hipower]

2 hours ago, No_0ne said:

"It's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt ..."

My credo...but in reverse.

[Garufa]

Your parents won't be around forever.

[Chucktshoes]

Before opening your mouth, always ask yourself these three questions. 
 

1) Does this need to be said?

2)Does this need to be said right now?

3) Does this need to be said right now, by me?

[krunchnik]

If it walks like a duck-it's probably a duck.

In other words if it seems too good to be true-it probably is.

[Ronald_55]

One day you will regret doing some things and not doing others. Try to make the second list as short as possible.

[tacops]

Save 15% of everything you make and don't touch it until you can't make anymore.

"Want" and "need" are not the same thing.

Remember that the "Big Picture" is not a self portrait.

[TomInMN]

Thanks all.

I definitely should have learned to be better about money sooner in life. It's not everything, but it does frequently represent options.

I'd add, be honest with people even if it's not what you think they want to hear. Polite, caring, diplomatic, yes, but also frank and complete. Even if it makes you feel uncomfortable.

A good start: tell another man that you care about him. Look him in the eye and say those words. It might make you squirm, it might make him squirm, but it'll be good for both of you. 

[btq96r]

It is dangerous to be reasonable with stupid people.

[Glenn]

Take care of yourself. I worked hard and played harder. Now I am 66 and broken down.

[Grand Torino]

Get some integrity back in your life. Make your word actually be your word.

Be honest with yourself as well as others.

Don't be feeble in your quality or character.  Everyone believes in something ...whatever it is stand up for yourself....and you don't have to be an ass while doing it.   

 Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. Think about that as you make your life decisions.  

                  

[toby1304]

No one ever told their grown kids “ I wished I had spent more time at work!”

[Trekbike]

3 hours ago, Grand Torino said:

 Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. Think about that as you make your life decisions.  

                  

X 10

[Handsome Rob]

Travel. 

Your perspective & opinion are no more important than anyone else's.

You learn a hell of a lot more with your mouth closed.

[owejia]

If you want clean shoes don't step in the crap!!!! Life is hard then you die!!! Not mine but very true, "I asked God to give me happiness, God said no, I gave you blessings, happiness is up to you." The grass always looks greener on the other side, but when you get there it's all the same.

[TripleGGG]

Learn more about nutrition and how the body works with food. 

[10-Ring]

Spend your 20s working hard, living cheaply, and save as much as you can.  Don't touch what you saved.  (I only did about 1/3 of this)

Depending on how young the people taking this advice are:

If you go to college, go with purpose and a plan.  If you are going to get a degree, get one that will help you.  

If you don't like math, learn it anyway.  The few years that you will spend taking math classes will pay off for the rest of your life.  

[DaveTN]

We all get very busy with our careers so our family can be prosperous. But spend all the time you can with your kids. When you retire and have plenty of time to spend with your kids; they will be busy, and will have to try to work you into their schedules.

You owe it to your kids to teach them that life is not fair. There are winners and losers. They will be judged when they enter the workplace. Teach them they don’t have to respect the person; but they will respect the rank. (“Rank” could be teachers, bosses, cops, etc.)

Teach your kids to not be criminals, drunks or drug addicts. A big part of that is by example.

There is a lot of good recommendations here about money. Heed them; life is easier when you have money.

Don’t live beyond your means.

[superduty]

Most of what I would have to offer has already been said.

Live below your means. Have a budget, and learn how money works.

Listen closely to your parents and grandparents. There are lessons there. And ask them questions...in the words of my late grandfather, "once the library is closed, its closed baby".

Never pass up a good opportunity to shut your mouth.

If I had a nickel for everything I've ever said or done that I wish I hadn't,  I'd have a large pile of nickels. On the flip side, if I had a nickel for everything I'd never said or done that I should have.. it would also be a large pile of nickels. As a previous poster noted,  try to make the second list shorter than the first.

 

Edited February 17, 2020 by superduty

[Tuffus]

If you need a car or some other big ticket item and you don't have the money to pay cash for it, you need a different one that you can. I paid off a car in my twenties and continued to make the payment to myself in a special account until I needed another one. Haven't financed a car in many years. Keep all that interest that would go to the bank for yourself.

[10-Ring]

9 hours ago, Tuffus said:

If you need a car or some other big ticket item and you don't have the money to pay cash for it, you need a different one that you can. I paid off a car in my twenties and continued to make the payment to myself in a special account until I needed another one. Haven't financed a car in many years. Keep all that interest that would go to the bank for yourself.

I see broke people finance cars that are way above their means all of the time.  I'm sure that the novelty of that car wears off long before the payments do.  

[E4 No More]

I wise man learns from the mistakes of others.