What were you doing when you were my age?

[84porsche]

I am 27 approaching 28 and I am curious what were you guys doing when you were my age?

The basics - I have a college degree in business, own 2 cars and pay rent in an apartment, started the retirement plans, no family of my own and I have no idea if I am ahead in the game of life or behind.

If you are my age or younger, what are your goals?

[Buckterrier]

I was recovering from a head on accident on my motorcycle, bike trashed, me a double compound fracture of my lower left leg. No car, making $150.00 a week. Walking to work on crutches. Goals, goals? Ever walking again.

[Sonic dB]

hookers & blow

[M.D. Holloway]

Developing EMI/RFI shielding materials and low observable coatings, working on my MS in Chem Eng and paying serious child support. Oh ya, I was also living outside of Boston and getting laid on a very regualr basis by some pretty good tails!

[Tishabet]

27 approaching 28 was about 2 months ago for me.... pretty sure I was reading a lot of PPOT.

Seriously, though, my basics: Recently married (< 1 year) no kids, own 2 cars (P-car and antique), own a condo for last 3 years, started my 401K about 1.5 years ago, hold a director level position in a financial services company (mostly due to luck because I joined when it was < 10 people).

Goals: house with a backyard (somewhere besides MA) by the time I am 30, kid(s) by the time I am 35, retire to fool with old cars by 55. Would like to live overseas before (maybe during) kids, but that is a stretch goal. Wife is a commercial banker who teaches piano in the evenings, would like to be making enough money by the time we have kids that she can leave the corporate world and switch to mom/piano teacher.

Goes without saying goals: be happy, keep the wife happy, enjoy myself.

[HardDrive]

I had just gotten married. The wife and I moved to Milwaukee from Chicago, and I got my first offical IT job. I was making $55k a year, and I thought I was a rich man. Wife and I paid $140,000 for a house that year, and we nearly had a heart attack handing over the down payment check.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Can't remember.

[kstar]

Originally Posted by procon

Just married & didn't have a pot to piss in.

Pot, but not pissing in (on) it!

Best,

Kurt

[Palum6o]

I got married. My wife had more money than I had, which was about $3.

[Hugh R]

Going to grad school, at night (MBA) owned my own crappy duplex on the west side of LA in a bad neighborhood, now getting better, dating my one and only wife (married almost 25 years). Worked at a regional air pollution control agency. Had started an IRA. I've been putting money into it, and/or a 401K ever since.

[ZOA NOM]

Just 2 years out of the Navy, Married, 3 kids, new career with the FAA. Life couldn't have been better. Today - still married (HS sweetheart, same three kids (two adults), and 23 years of government service under my belt.)

And I turn 44 June 1

[Joeaksa]

Totally shifted my life at that age and went back to college to get my aircraft mechanics license. Goal was to be a commercial pilot. Almost 30 years later and been in the cockpit for all this time, so guess it worked.

Find a career you love and do it. If you do not enjoy going to work life aint going to be fun at all.

[9dreizig]

had a two year old and a 6 mnth old, just bought my first house..traveling for a start up company.. all in all pretty busy and alot of responsibility for a kid at that age

[LeeH]

1992: I was in my first job out of college - working for a startup electronic marketing company in the retail grocery industry. I was getting to see varioius parts of the country at someone elses expense.

Life was easy. My dad had moved to Florida and left me in care of the house. My salary wasn't that great, but I paid no rent and had a roommate that paid me! My first 911 was probably for sale. I was hanging out on Prodigy talking to folks about motorcycles. This would lead to group rides which would lead to meeting my future wife that year.

[MT930]

I was growing a small business in the Midwest (Indiana) single just bought a house out in the country. My wife was living with me pre marriage
Lots of hunting fishing and beer drinking with friends. Making good money and working to hard. Started dreaming of moving to Montana, did it 2 years latter at 30. kids soon after. That was 12 years ago, I've been very blessed & lucky.

27-28 years old, time of your life. enjoy it it wil not last very long. The futures good too.

[Rich76_911s]

Originally Posted by 84porsche

The basics - I have a college degree in business, own 2 cars and pay rent in an apartment, started the retirement plans, no family of my own and I have no idea if I am ahead in the game of life or behind.

I am turning 30 next Tuesday, all I can say is it aint a race, enjoy the ride not the destination.

[stevepaa]

Had taught school for two years, got married when I was 27, been married to my bride for 32 years this June.

[fintstone]

Killing bad people.

[Wickd89]

Well Chris,

I had met the woman I would marry and eventually father my twins.
I was working in telecom, had my BSEE and was considering getting my MBA (which I eventually got)
I was driving an Acura Integra (After having a new GTI in college, it was great to get something reliable; which I kept for 240K miles while contracting...)
I had been to Europe 3 times and was saving up for my first home which I bought a year later.
I had been saving in 401k plans for over 8 years but it was still rather small. That 20K is now worth over ~220/240K.

Recommendations:
-- Save for retirement (remember it is part of your total net worth)
-- Travel as much as you can
-- Buy a single detached home when it bottoms out in a few years.
-- Find the love of your life!! Maybe on a trip... ;-)

[slodave]

Um, kinda in the porn business...