At what age did you start investing?

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catchthewave
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by catchthewave »

I started making money as a paperboy at age 16 and saved up enough to buy a motorcycle. Learned how fast one can spend it. Never got any home schooling on investing, so entered that world kind of late at 31 with a life insurance annuity, which I cashed out 5 years later, when I started my Vanguard Roth. Now at 56 I am still trying to figure it out, keeping it simple and trying to keep the plan, which seems to keep changing.
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englishgirl
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by englishgirl »

I've always been a saver.

I started using a financial "adviser" (read: salesperson) when I was 26 or 27. He put me in some investments that I really didn't understand, and didn't want to understand. I left the money in there for a while. Then I sold the investments at age 32 and moved the money into some Money magazine 5-star funds. At least at that time I figured out that Vanguard charged less, so thankfully it went into Vanguard funds. But it still wasn't really investing as I didn't have a clue. Let's call this "throwing money at the stock market and hoping it sticks" scatter-shot buying of funds. After buying these funds I realized I still didn't know what I was doing so I finally decided to start learning, found the Vanguard Diehards, and actually started what I would consider now to be investing at 33.
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SAB
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by SAB »

With my first job at 16, although I had a headstart from family contributions since my birth. After an expensive Uni and early 20s I started serious saving and investing again yesterday.
chaz
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by chaz »

At age 22, while in the USAF.
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racy
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by racy »

Learned about the magic of compound interest in college. I figured out I didn't have to make a huge salary to reach my financial goals: time itself was the key. So, I got a job after graduation with megacorp & immediately invested in the 401k plan. That was at age 23. I'm now 59.
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Go Blue 99
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Go Blue 99 »

23 here. My dad and uncle taught me about the importance of investing, and steered me towards Vanguard.
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Ice-9
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Ice-9 »

Made a poor attempt to get started investing at 26.

Got serious, and also discovered the Boglehead (then called "Diehard") boards at 32.
Dealmaster00
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Dealmaster00 »

22. I had heard that a Roth IRA was a good thing to have, so I went to my bank and opened a mutual fund thru them that happened to track the US stock market (and also had a 5% load fee :(). When I was 23 I wised up and moved funds to Vanguard - expense ratio went from 1.1% to .1%. Also another thanks to retiredjg who helped me with the switchover :D
Last edited by Dealmaster00 on Mon Aug 20, 2012 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
chipmonk
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by chipmonk »

pennstater2005 wrote:I am curious as to what age some of the posters on this forum started investing? I am now 33 and started saving when I was 28 but not consistently until I was almost 30. I didn't go back to school until I was 25 and my increased wages helped me to be able to start saving more, albeit at a later age then I would have liked.
My Vanguard-loving dad had an account in my name since I was very young to save for my college expenses (thanks, pop :D). I started to make my own contributions when I was around 21... but I didn't take a very active role until I finished my PhD and had lots more money to save when I was 28. (I'm 30 now.)
Trev H
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Trev H »

It was the year 1990...

The company I worked for had grown some and offered retirement savings with a match in a Sep IRA type setup.. thru AMEX (which really sucked !!! expense wise)...

But it was a start.

I was 29 years old then.

Trev H
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pennstater2005
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by pennstater2005 »

englishgirl wrote:I've always been a saver.

I started using a financial "adviser" (read: salesperson) when I was 26 or 27. He put me in some investments that I really didn't understand, and didn't want to understand. I left the money in there for a while. Then I sold the investments at age 32 and moved the money into some Money magazine 5-star funds. At least at that time I figured out that Vanguard charged less, so thankfully it went into Vanguard funds. But it still wasn't really investing as I didn't have a clue. Let's call this "throwing money at the stock market and hoping it sticks" scatter-shot buying of funds. After buying these funds I realized I still didn't know what I was doing so I finally decided to start learning, found the Vanguard Diehards, and actually started what I would consider now to be investing at 33.
I also had a financial "adviser" unfortunately for a few long years before I started to actually read and learn about investing. Never even knew what an expense ratio was until I took over the reins of my investing. This site has been of tremendous importance and help while I navigate my way through this. Only been posting recently though.
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Pennstateclj1
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Pennstateclj1 »

Started at age 15 with the USAA First Start Fund that my dad set me up with. It did pretty horribly. We had no idea about AA, anything. At 18, I opened my ROTH with American Funds, another bonehead mistake. I finally got my act together about 1.5 years ago at age 27. So even though I've been investing for 12 years, I've only understood what I'm doing for 1.5.
Ignis
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Ignis »

Opened my first IRA at 20, started using the company 457b plan at 21, but didn't really know what I was doing... I was just throwing (minimal) amount of money at the 457b, and I cashed the IRA out to pay off a school loan that I didn't know about/had been in default for over a year. :oops:

26 now, and I have seen the light.
tjstogner
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by tjstogner »

Started at age 23 when employer automatically started putting 3% into 401k. Discovered they matched to 6%, started reading about it, and have since added a Roth ira. I'm now 25 and have accumulated about 10k in total and am very pleased :sharebeer
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ObliviousInvestor
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by ObliviousInvestor »

Bought my first stock (one share of COKE) circa age 9.

First mutual fund and IRA happened together: At age 15 after winning some money playing Magic cards, I asked my (19 year old) brother how to invest it. He told me to open a Roth IRA and buy an S&P 500 index fund. It was only years later that I realized how shockingly good that advice was coming from a teenager.

First regular investing started after college. (Prior to that, it was just a check here and a check there to my Scottrade IRA when I had some cash.)
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Grt2bOutdoors
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

ObliviousInvestor wrote:Bought my first stock (one share of COKE) circa age 9.

First mutual fund and IRA happened together: At age 15 after winning some money playing Magic cards, I asked my (19 year old) brother how to invest it. He told me to open a Roth IRA and buy an S&P 500 index fund. It was only years later that I realized how shockingly good that advice was coming from a teenager.

First regular investing started after college. (Prior to that, it was just a check here and a check there to my Scottrade IRA when I had some cash.)
Given the recent split, how many shares do you hold of Coke today?
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ObliviousInvestor
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by ObliviousInvestor »

GRT2BOUTDOORS wrote:
ObliviousInvestor wrote:Bought my first stock (one share of COKE) circa age 9.

First mutual fund and IRA happened together: At age 15 after winning some money playing Magic cards, I asked my (19 year old) brother how to invest it. He told me to open a Roth IRA and buy an S&P 500 index fund. It was only years later that I realized how shockingly good that advice was coming from a teenager.

First regular investing started after college. (Prior to that, it was just a check here and a check there to my Scottrade IRA when I had some cash.)
Given the recent split, how many shares do you hold of Coke today?
Zero. I sold it within a couple years. I have no idea whether I made or lost money. In fact, I remember that when I sold it I didn't remember how much I'd paid for it.
Mike Piper | Roth is a name, not an acronym. If you type ROTH, you're just yelling about retirement accounts.
Grt2bOutdoors
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

ObliviousInvestor wrote:
GRT2BOUTDOORS wrote:
ObliviousInvestor wrote:Bought my first stock (one share of COKE) circa age 9.

First mutual fund and IRA happened together: At age 15 after winning some money playing Magic cards, I asked my (19 year old) brother how to invest it. He told me to open a Roth IRA and buy an S&P 500 index fund. It was only years later that I realized how shockingly good that advice was coming from a teenager.

First regular investing started after college. (Prior to that, it was just a check here and a check there to my Scottrade IRA when I had some cash.)
Given the recent split, how many shares do you hold of Coke today?
Zero. I sold it within a couple years. I have no idea whether I made or lost money. In fact, I remember that when I sold it I didn't remember how much I'd paid for it.
Too bad, I was going to say, those dividends likely paid for many a "free Coke". :D
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letsgobobby
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by letsgobobby »

I started saving with my first real job as a newspaper delivery boy. My parents matched IRA contributions even at that age so I got to open an IRA in my teens and contribute half my earnings, keep half my earnings, and my parents made a 100% match. However I was 'invested' only in a money market account until 1999 (age 25) because stocks seemed terribly overpriced in my early 20s, when I finally had some money to invest. In 1999 I bought $500 of an internet startup and promptly watched that become $17. I bought 2 other $500 positions and held them for a few years with some modest gains. In 2001 I was finally a lot more educated and became a real investor so to speak, at age 27.
ragabnh
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by ragabnh »

Started Late at 41 years old, maximized my contribution to 401k and Roth Ira, now at 55 I also use catch up contribution. also invest in I-bonds and have two brokerage account for after tax saving with low six figure each. Plan on retiring in two more years.
travellight
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by travellight »

I have always saved since early childhood. I started investing at age 21 when I bought my first house. I am still invested in real estate and now have 8-10 properties.
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Fallible
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Fallible »

Started saving when I got a piggy bank around 5 or 6, but preferred playing with my toy cash register (ominous sign). Started to seriously save when I got my first full-time job after college (and then often nearly depleted my account to travel), but didn't start investing in mutual funds until the late '80s, when I was in my mid-40s. I was ready for the market sooner, but decided to stay in CDs earning double-digit interest over much of that decade. (Anybody else remember double-digit savings rates? :( )
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MNGardetto
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by MNGardetto »

travellight wrote:I have always saved since early childhood. I started investing at age 21 when I bought my first house. I am still invested in real estate and now have 8-10 properties.
You should slow down on the investing if you don't know if you have 8 or 10 properties :wink:


I started a rIRA when I was 18 and opened a 401k when I was 23. At 25 I feel like I finally understand my financial goals and I feel I am 80% sure on how to achieve them.
Cruncher
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by Cruncher »

Started as a young Captain in the Marine Corps, mid-late 90s. Saved a nice 6-figure sum in the S&P500. Of course, the "lost decade" was my fault :oops: because I was shoveling money in. As busy as Marines were (are), I didn't have much time to really study investing, nor was I taught at home. Jump forward a decade, now 35-ish, just separated from active duty and had a large pot of money (which hadn't done much the past decade, the domestic real estate market was on fire, guess what mistake I made?

First major financial mistake, still paying for it today, but I still pay my bills and it's coming around. Silver lining, that mistake led to this investment philosophy, one that I will instill on my kiddos. So big picture, it may not have been a mistake at all.

We now save around 25% of gross income (maximize 2 x rIRAs & 2 x 401ks).
SVT
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by SVT »

At age 21 when I was first eligible for the company's 401k.
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RyeWhiskey
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by RyeWhiskey »

I started in December 2011. I am 26 years old and happy to have found the Bogleheads. :beer
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madbrain
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by madbrain »

At age 19, when I first enrolled in a 401k. But I was in the default investment option, which was a money market, and the rate of return for the first year was actually 0% ...
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hoppy08520
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by hoppy08520 »

22. Nearly half my life ago.

Looking back, I thank heavens I did at least one thing right. I'm trying to remember what got me started, and I can't for the life of me recall a conversation or an insight that made me say, "Gee, maybe I should save for retirement". One of my coworkers or my boss or maybe my good ol' Dad probably told me to and mentioned the 5% salary match that I'd be crazy to pass up. I do remember that I signed up in advance so I contributed as soon as I was eligible. I'm sure glad I did. Although I barely made any money in that job, at least it got me started with saving and I came to believe that saving ~10% of income was just something you automatically do and luckily I've been able to keep it going.

It was the government Thrift Savings Plan. I contributed to it for five years and when I left the job I had $18,000. I contributed around $9,000 and the government around $4,500 and the rest was earnings. Now it's in the $50s. Actually, it was in the $50s around 2000! Yes, it was a lost decade. Shoulda been more probably but I was so clueless I just had it in the C Fund (S&P 500) until five years ago, not knowing any better, instead of diversifying into the other funds. At least I never cashed it out or rolled it over.

I'm enjoying these posts.
MNGardetto
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by MNGardetto »

I don't want to derail the topic but since a couple people just mentioned the 'lost decade' I wanted to share my favorite article on the subject.

Shoveling money in is a good thing.

http://genxfinance.com/the-lost-decade-of-investing/
dandan14
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by dandan14 »

Its hard to believe, but I started at 11. I had saved a few hundred dollars from odd jobs and a paper route and bought 10 shares of McDonalds. I remember it very well because it cost $50 in commissions. (This was pre-internet.) I lucked out...and the stock did amazingly well...nearly tripling in the 3 or so years I held it.

I've wondered in the past if I would have had my lifelong passion for investing if that first stock hadn't done so amazingly well. And in case you are wondering, I've never had another one do that well.
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c00kie
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by c00kie »

Sadly, I didn't start saving until my late 30s when Thrift Savings became available to me and a 403(b) plan became available to my husband. Every raise went into the retirement accounts until we were contributing the max.

Prior to that we didn't have money to save because at age 27 we bought more house than we should have. We went through the VA. Put 0% down and rolled the closing costs into the loan. As soon as we could comfortably afford that house we sold it and bought another house that was too expensive for our income. I didn't have a clue. We totally lucked out because our first house appreciated over 60% during the 8 years we owned it. Our second house appreciated over 80% during the 8 years we owned it. We paid cash for our third house and had lots left over.

Hey, since we made a ton on our first and second homes, technically I started saving at age 27. Right?
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hoppy08520
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by hoppy08520 »

MNGardetto wrote:I don't want to derail the topic but since a couple people just mentioned the 'lost decade' I wanted to share my favorite article on the subject.

Shoveling money in is a good thing.

http://genxfinance.com/the-lost-decade-of-investing/
Yes, the 2000s were a lost decade for the 500 index fund, if not for diversified investors. My mistake, in retrospect, was to hold my account in solely the 500 index fund the while time while ignoring the international, bond, and small cap fund. Oh well, live and learn.
turning_page
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by turning_page »

Started saving with my first job at 12, started buying Savings Bonds shortly after, bought my first stock at 18, started buying VG Mutual funds at about 20, opened my Roth at 21, started TSP at about 24, opened my wife's Roth 3 days after we were wed - at 25, and I've already opened USAA UTMAs for both of my kids (both under 5.) I will be maxing out contributions to Roth TSP once I have access to it in October and we currently have two rental properties. I'm 10 years into a military career and between savings and my pension I should be able to easily fully retire at 41 - if I choose to. I get bored too easily though and don't think I will choose to.
rikki
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by rikki »

Started just after medical school. On a pathetic internship salary (about $1 an hour) I started a 403b. The $700 (total) I saved during my 3 years of residency grew to $9000 by the time I retired last year.
Serious savings and investment started age 32, when I started with a "real" paycheck after finishing training (my first salary was $45,000 straight out of fellowship). I guess that was a different era (?prehistoric).
SGM
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by SGM »

I have always saved a little since having a paper route at age 12. I consider my earlier investments to be in education. My goals were more related to spending than saving a percentage of income. My savings rate increased more quickly than my spending rate. In retrospect, I picked a comfortable lifestyle and saved the rest.
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supersharpie
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by supersharpie »

I started contributing to my TSP (401k) account at age 24.

However, I started investing at age 27 in 11/2010 when I purchased three individual stocks and then opened a Roth IRA and converted to index investing.
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hoppy08520
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by hoppy08520 »

supersharpie wrote:I started contributing to my TSP (401k) account at age 24.

However, I started investing at age 27 in 11/2010 when I purchased three individual stocks and then opened a Roth IRA and converted to index investing.
Hmm, if you started with the TSP at 24 then you've been indexing all along. Or do you mean that at 27 you converted entirely to indexing?

Gotta love that TSP.
krannerd
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Re: At what age did you start investing?

Post by krannerd »

Age 16. Was given a birthday gift of stock of my choosing. It's increased in value 16x since then and I still own it.

Contributed to a Roth at 21 and started my 401k at 23.

Am 35 now and still at it.
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