Best Decision you made in the last 15 years

[Praying Colonel]

Refinancing our mortgage from a 30 to a 15. That light at the end of the tunnel is now the possibility of a good retirement and not an oncoming train.

 

[Micca]

Blue cheese over Thousand Island.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Blue cheese over Thousand Island.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Going to that Walmart last minute at night to hang with some friends when I was 19. It set in motion events that led to me meeting my husband some 6 or 7 months later.

 

[BrianL]

Well, I don't know if it was really the "best" in the grand scheme of things, but I think deciding to take my first vacation as an adult and going with a friend to Walt Disney World. That put me on the path toward multiple, regular trips, also to Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Resorts. The magic permeates my life!

A financial planner may disagree with the above assessment.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Almost exactly 15 years ago, we made our best decision-to downsize from our 3000 square foot house to an 1800 square foot house on the water. It saved us so much in mortgage, taxes, and house insurance. That savings went a LONG way toward helping our retirement account, so that, now that we're recently retired, we're more financially secure. Also, our new house is on the water, and since our main hobby is bird-watching and mobility issues have really reared their ugly head, we love that we can sit on our back deck and watch the wide variety of birds flying/swimming by.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Marrying my wife 8 years ago.

Actually, we've been together for 11 years. So getting into a serious relationship with her has changed my life in every way imaginable.

She got me to focus on being a man and letting go of childish things.

 

[rinnythepooh]

Retired early. Last 4 years have been the best in my life.

 

[saucymb]

Just over 3 years ago, we moved from a large city, in a large house in a great neighborhood, back to my hometown. The reasons were numerous - lower cost of living; I had opened a small business here though when we opened it we weren't planning to move here; my aging mother was taking care of her own 90-something mother, and I could tell she was going to need help soon; my husband's employer had just told him he could work from home 100%; I wanted my kids to know their aunts and uncles and grandparents and cousins.

Best decision ever. We weren't sure how it would go or if we would stay. But here we are 3 years later, living in the (very small) house my great-grandparents purchased in the 1930's, next door to my mom and grandmother, husband still loves his job, kids love their small school and playing with cousins weekly. Mom had a breakdown about 3 months after moving here, which in hindsight I think she was holding on until we got here and then she could let go of it all, and she has recently been diagnosed with dementia - and she still cares for her own mother. So I help out a lot there. And being able to visit with and cook for aging aunts and uncles is priceless, and my kids are involved with them as well and I think it's teaching them valuable lessons.

 

[Kitty 34]

In my last 15 years, I've become a retired empty nester with married sons, a couple of grand babies (one on the way in a month ) and me dealing with a lung disease. Not choices I truly made, just life happenings around me and to me.

 

[bobbiwoz]

In my last 15 years, I've become a retired empty nester with married sons, a couple of grand babies (one on the way in a month ) and me dealing with a lung disease. Not choices I truly made, just life happenings around me and to me.

Yes to these happy things! You have a great attitude!

 

[NYCgrrl]

To put my elaborate and well thought-out empty nester plans on hold and help raise my DGD.

 

[bobbiwoz]

15 years ago, 2003, we bought into DVC, and I joined the Disboards, and the family/friends and vacations we have enjoyed with connections to both have made my life richer.

 

[mamacatnv]

For me:
I let my gray come out - I stopped trying to cover it, hide it etc. I just went with it - I LOVE IT.
I have lots of varying tones of gray, I get tons of compliments, I no longer spend big bucks on coloring (I started to spend a bit more on the cut, totally worth it) and I have no roots or growth to deal with. Very liberating!

For my kid:
My daughter took a gap year following high school, best decision ever!

For our household:
6 years ago when the new owner of my company asked me to move to Texas. This was a major leap of faith, we did, we haven't looked back and no real regrets.

 

[ChrisFL]

Taking up the offer at my job to work overseas for a few months, hence getting my passport and being able to see other countries (only Asia so far). It's the best decision I've ever made and I love every time I have a chance to fly overseas.

 

[BLAZEY]

Having DD9. And we bought our house just before the housing prices went crazy. We paid $244000 for a house that would sell for over $800000 in our neighbourhood now. For what we pay in mortgage of our 2300sq ft house we couldn't even rent a bachelor suite apartment. We will be mortgage free in less than 8 years before DD heads of to University.

 

[Domo]

Discovering Disney

 

[georgina]

Pulling some money out of the stock market about 5 years ago and putting it in fixed annuities. Annuities have a bad rap, but that is variable annuities. Fixed annuities are better than bond funds and great for peace of mind for us now retired folks!

Over the last 10 years all 3 of our kids have graduated from high school and then college and are self-supporting. We supported them in their dreams (I worried most about DS who majored in video games) and it worked out well. Letting them choose their own paths and trusting them was hard.

 

[low-key]

To put my elaborate and well thought-out empty nester plans on hold and help raise my DGD.

oh that happens all the time, I know another lady her on the dis that she is doing that, no one plans it, but you keep care of blood, and the rewards are awesome

 

[OhhBother]

Accepted a job offer to move to the coast of South Carolina in 2013. I left a job with a bigger company in Louisiana where I would be making more money today, without question. But my husband and I are extremely happy here - I have a job I love, we've found a wonderful church, and we've made lifelong friends. We count our blessings every time we go for a walk on the beach - which is less than a half-mile from my home.