A big thank you to Tom and pay attention any newbies to this great FREE site

[bjean]

I want to give a big thank you to Tom for running this site. I have been with the federal govt for over 30 years and switch from CSRS to Fers 12 years ago because my agency does not give advice and expects employees to manage their own retirement. At the time a supervisor suggested I switch but did not realize I did not know anything about the stock market. My balance could have been double or triple of what it is now if I had the knowledge to grow it over the years! I did not start taking a serious interest until approx four years ago. I started paying someone over $200 yr to suggest what funds to transfer and this was going well until I lost $10,000 last Jan/Feb 2010 as he had us in stocks during a 3 day correction. I then discovered tsptalk and started following other members and wasn't protecting capitol and started losing alot more money..... My balance got as low as $134,000 and I really started sweating IT! I started learning more from other members, especially SWAVET who is awesome and has been able to provide some invaluable advice and insight, and show alot of patience to me. I was able to increase my balance and today it is around $172,000 due to this great website! There are still so many employees in my office who do not even invest 5% into thrift and it will mean something when they are ready to retire. Thanks again to everyone, this site really brings a chuckle and the thrift is even more important with the cost of living freeze and the general public thinking govt employees make too much. Hopefully they will get a handle on the deficit or we will all be in trouble!

 

[Steadygain]

I started learning more from other members, especially SWAVET who is awesome and has been able to provide some invaluable advice and insight, and show alot of patience to me. I was able to increase my balance and today it is around $172,000 due to this great website!

Thanks again to everyone, this site really brings a chuckle!

Barara Jean,
The 'chuckle' is good too -- and this was a very beautiful story to share.

Tom - is like super 'humble' so he probably won't take the credit he truely deserves -- but from his perspective the Greatest and most endearing blessings are the way the site - has a life of its own and he sits back in amazement.

The Moderators - have been especially crucial over the years and there is no way we could say enough about all of them (past) and present.

I would say the most important aspect are many that keep this place more than 'appropriate' - more than just a great 'investment place'. There really is a 'Family' here and if someone gets out of hand you can be sure that many of us would squash it in a second. We're here to enjoy each other and YOU sound like a perfect fit.

Thanks for sharing this.

Steady

 

[crws]

I want to give a big thank you to Tom for running this site. I have been with the federal govt for over 30 years and switch from CSRS to Fers 12 years ago because my agency does not give advice and expects employees to manage their own retirement. At the time a supervisor suggested I switch but did not realize I did not know anything about the stock market. My balance could have been double or triple of what it is now if I had the knowledge to grow it over the years! I did not start taking a serious interest until approx four years ago. I started paying someone over $200 yr to suggest what funds to transfer and this was going well until I lost $10,000 last Jan/Feb 2010 as he had us in stocks during a 3 day correction. I then discovered tsptalk and started following other members and wasn't protecting capitol and started losing alot more money..... My balance got as low as $134,000 and I really started sweating IT! I started learning more from other members, especially SWAVET who is awesome and has been able to provide some invaluable advice and insight, and show alot of patience to me. I was able to increase my balance and today it is around $172,000 due to this great website! There are still so many employees in my office who do not even invest 5% into thrift and it will mean something when they are ready to retire. Thanks again to everyone, this site really brings a chuckle and the thrift is even more important with the cost of living freeze and the general public thinking govt employees make too much. Hopefully they will get a handle on the deficit or we will all be in trouble!

Well said! x2

 

[JTH]

I'm not thanking Tom for anything, in fact he owes me an apology for all the countless hours I've spent post-whoring on his website.

 

[SkyPilot]

I'm not thanking Tom for anything, in fact he owes me an apology for all the countless hours I've spent post-whoring on his website.

HeHe!

 

[tsptalk]

Thanks for the kind words barbarajean! I appreciate that.

When I started the site I had no idea what kind of response I'd get as like your co-workers, very few of mine seemed to care about their accounts. But if I cared, I figured there had to be others out there - and here we all are

I still say the site never would have taken off without this great message board so we have 6000 other people to thank.

 

[SWAVET]

Tom,

I enjoy a lot with this website and appreciate your hard work. Thanks


BJ,

I glad that I can help and I'm still learning to improve.

Southwest Asia Veteran (SWAVET)

 

[nasa1974]

barbarajean, some real nice words. Couldn't have said it better myself.

JTH, you're too much. :laugh:

 

[crws]

I'm not thanking Tom for anything, in fact he owes me an apology for all the countless hours I've spent post-whoring on his website.

Do I detect a TSPT cup re-gift in your future?

 

[nnuut]

I live here for a reason.

 

[JTH]

Do I detect a TSPT cup re-gift in your future?

Are you kidding me? I've been trying to get the holy grail coffee cup since I joined. Not only do i not have a cup, I even owe one to Birchtree.

 

[pokerstar629]

Thanks Tom for everything and the 3 shiny stainless steel trophy cups I've accumulated last year.

 

[tsptalk]

Thanks Tom for everything and the 3 shiny stainless steel trophy cups I've accumulated last year.

YW. Now, you need to spread the wealth.