Comments on: Poll: What Part of Your Finances Give You the Most Difficulty? http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/ Helping a unique generation achieve financial independence. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:51:06 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: TJ http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-79739 TJ Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:04:49 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-79739 Choosing the right investments has been hard for me. I make a good living and save almost 50% of my salary. I put almost all my savings into the market, this has been since 2003 or so and as of now I've barely made a profit. My total return is less than 10% over the past 5 years. That is horrible beyond belief. But to be fair the market is pretty much less than that. Right now the market is just about where it was when Bush took office. Choosing the right investments has been hard for me. I make a good living and save almost 50% of my salary. I put almost all my savings into the market, this has been since 2003 or so and as of now I’ve barely made a profit. My total return is less than 10% over the past 5 years. That is horrible beyond belief. But to be fair the market is pretty much less than that. Right now the market is just about where it was when Bush took office.

]]> By: Rob O. http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-24639 Rob O. Fri, 21 Sep 2007 08:36:37 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-24639 Chosing the best investments is quite a challenge. We've done well with low-risk stuff but the one foray we made into stocks was a miserable failure. Like others, We're trying hard to cut back on food expenses. We've been focusing on cooking more at home and packing lunches for work in the past couple of months. Sure, in the short term, the grocery store receipts are considerably higher, but we're making real long-term headway on reducing the amount we'd been spending on eating out. We're generally very frugal folks and really weigh the options thoroughly before making larger purchases. And it helps that my wife & I have a policy to not spend more than around $50-75 on something without checking with the other person first. At first, this felt confining, but after 11 years, it's not even something I think about - just fits naturally with us. Chosing the best investments is quite a challenge. We’ve done well with low-risk stuff but the one foray we made into stocks was a miserable failure.

Like others, We’re trying hard to cut back on food expenses. We’ve been focusing on cooking more at home and packing lunches for work in the past couple of months. Sure, in the short term, the grocery store receipts are considerably higher, but we’re making real long-term headway on reducing the amount we’d been spending on eating out.

We’re generally very frugal folks and really weigh the options thoroughly before making larger purchases. And it helps that my wife & I have a policy to not spend more than around $50-75 on something without checking with the other person first. At first, this felt confining, but after 11 years, it’s not even something I think about – just fits naturally with us.

]]> By: sara http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-23192 sara Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:48:43 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-23192 I wanted to pick a few of them. In my current situation, the hardest thing for me is paying down debt when I also need to save for an impending move. I need to find a good balance between the two. I wanted to pick a few of them. In my current situation, the hardest thing for me is paying down debt when I also need to save for an impending move. I need to find a good balance between the two.

]]> By: ChristianPF http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-23123 ChristianPF Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:17:13 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-23123 I am with Leroy Brown... "No problems increasing income, paying the bills, or making basic investments. My biggest single financial difficulty is one that many overlook - food. I spend far too much money on food - money that could be saved or invested." I too waste too much money on food - I suspect that most americans have no idea how much money they waste, even if they don't go out to eat much. I used to throw away over $100 a month in food that spoiled, got stale, or expired. I am sure that I was not the worst one out there... I am with Leroy Brown…

“No problems increasing income, paying the bills, or making basic investments. My biggest single financial difficulty is one that many overlook – food. I spend far too much money on food – money that could be saved or invested.”

I too waste too much money on food – I suspect that most americans have no idea how much money they waste, even if they don’t go out to eat much. I used to throw away over $100 a month in food that spoiled, got stale, or expired. I am sure that I was not the worst one out there…

]]> By: The Decision Strategist http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22618 The Decision Strategist Fri, 07 Sep 2007 20:48:50 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22618 My big problem is deciding how to invest. I'm just about out of credit card debt, and looking to start putting away as much as possible, but I don't really have much of an idea where to start. None of my parents or friends have been involved in investing, so I haven't picked up any knowledge. There's a lot of resources on the web, but it's difficult to tell which mutual fund to invest in (for example) as there are a million of them. My big problem is deciding how to invest. I’m just about out of credit card debt, and looking to start putting away as much as possible, but I don’t really have much of an idea where to start.

None of my parents or friends have been involved in investing, so I haven’t picked up any knowledge. There’s a lot of resources on the web, but it’s difficult to tell which mutual fund to invest in (for example) as there are a million of them.

]]> By: Jay Wilson http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22512 Jay Wilson Fri, 07 Sep 2007 02:25:55 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22512 Saving for retirement has proven most difficult for me because after paying bills, rent, and taking out some minor leisure cash, I have scraps for savings - which is making the process move along so much slower. Saving for retirement has proven most difficult for me because after paying bills, rent, and taking out some minor leisure cash, I have scraps for savings – which is making the process move along so much slower.

]]> By: junger http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22511 junger Fri, 07 Sep 2007 02:24:29 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22511 Worrying TOO much about it. I've got an emergency fund, have a 401k and filled Roth IRA in indexed funds, live frugally and am able to increase my income. But sometimes I harp on money too much -- it isn't worth constantly thinking about it. Worrying TOO much about it. I’ve got an emergency fund, have a 401k and filled Roth IRA in indexed funds, live frugally and am able to increase my income.

But sometimes I harp on money too much — it isn’t worth constantly thinking about it.

]]> By: Paul Bradish http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22493 Paul Bradish Thu, 06 Sep 2007 23:38:32 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22493 Keeping up with bills has always been my biggest problem. I've never had a collection drawn, and I have an excellent credit score - but I have a terrible memory when it comes to which bill is due when. I've been using that auto bill pay as much as possible and it's been a huge help. Keeping up with bills has always been my biggest problem. I’ve never had a collection drawn, and I have an excellent credit score – but I have a terrible memory when it comes to which bill is due when.

I’ve been using that auto bill pay as much as possible and it’s been a huge help.

]]> By: Rue http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22462 Rue Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:14:55 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22462 Paying down debt - Every time I start to make progress, something comes up. This summer it was the suspension in my car and a roofing problem that were both larger than I feel comfortable paying for out of my emergency fund. So it went on the credit cards. Paying down debt – Every time I start to make progress, something comes up. This summer it was the suspension in my car and a roofing problem that were both larger than I feel comfortable paying for out of my emergency fund. So it went on the credit cards.

]]> By: Randy Peterman http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22455 Randy Peterman Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:48:23 +0000 http://genxfinance.com/2007/09/06/poll-what-part-of-your-finances-give-you-the-most-difficulty/#comment-22455 My 'other' is being patient. That's difficult because I want to be done with debt, saved up for retirement and just adding to that stash and giving. My ‘other’ is being patient. That’s difficult because I want to be done with debt, saved up for retirement and just adding to that stash and giving.

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