Photo: alexkich / iStock / Getty Images
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Reddit asked...What’s the smartest financial decision you made by accident?
I'll start. It was always hammered into my head not to have any credit card debt. While friends would make big purchases on their CCs, I have always saved up for a large item and not bought it until I could pay in full. Delayed gratification = no interest!
Some responses:
- I once left a small stock investment untouched for years just because I forgot about it, and it doubled while I wasn’t even paying attention.
- Went to a gas station that wouldn't give change so I bought 4 random $1 scratch tickets and now have $25K a year for life.
- I was too lazy to cancel a $50/month automatic transfer to a savings account I set up years ago and forgot about. Checked it last year and there was over $8,000 in there. My laziness literally built me an emergency fund. Procrastination finally paid off for once.
- Forgot I had an old savings account from college. Stumbled across it years later with a decent amount just sitting there collecting interest. Felt like finding money in an old jacket.
- I bought a house in 2012. My mortgage is cheaper than my co-worker’s new truck payment.
- I took a job at a failing company because the office was next to my favorite Taco Bell, and the "worthless" stock options they gave me as a joke eventually paid for my house.
- When I got my first credit card I thought you had to pay the whole bill as soon as you got it. I was able to keep doing it after I found out how credit works. Saved me from having debt that most people have.
- Marrying my wife. She has always been a demon about retirement savings and pushed us to max out 401k starting in our 20s. We look great for retirement in a few years thanks to that.
Getty Images