The worst economic decision you could possibly make

What is the worst economic decision you could possibly make? Going to medical school if you aren't going to actually care about the patients and want to work in private practice (or are just looking for a status boost) is pretty high on the list. Probably the top, if we're counting by expected return on investment, although there's obviously a lot of utility to providing healthcare. Probably also the top if we're counting by total social cost. Probably even the worst economic decision you can possibly make if we're counting by total personal cost (and you have no interest in healthcare), because MBAs > doctors. (As a aside, I'm not sure how many of these things are true about law school, but I think they all are.) If you go to medical school and come out with a heavy student loan burden, and you decide that the last thing you want to do is deal with the public, then you probably did something wrong. <br><br>So, what's the worst economic decision you can possibly make?<br><br>Medical school if you're not a people person, obviously. (Note, this does NOT apply to every doctor out there, and I apologize to any doctors if I came across as blasphemous.)<br><br>Telling your boss you're leaving, then panicking at the realization that you have no savings and have no safety net (and have no time to build one before you need it), and rushing back and groveling at their feet asking for your old job back. This is the fast track to being passed over for a promotion forever. I'm not sure why this is the worst economic decision you can possibly make, but I think it is.<br><br>Telling your boss you're leaving, then panicking and asking for your old job back, are probably both on the list. (Not sure if this is distinct from the above, or if I've repeated myself. I don't care enough to go back and double check, because I'm about to go to bed.)<br><br>Not telling your boss you're leaving until the day of your last shift. (I'm pretty sure this isn't actually the worst economic decision you can possibly make, but it's definitely up there, and it's one that I think a lot of people do, and I'm pretty sure most people regret it afterwards.)