As we wrap up 2024, it’s time to spotlight one of the best posts from Monetary Samurai this yr. Once I began Monetary Samurai in July 2009, my purpose was to publish three posts per week for 10 years. I achieved that milestone in July 2019, however very like Forrest Gump, I stored on going.
Writing has at all times been my artistic outlet, bringing me pleasure and goal. Now, as a father to 2 younger kids (5 and seven.5), my purpose is to maintain writing till they flip 18 in 2037. I hope that by demonstrating self-discipline and focus by my work, they’ll be impressed to take their teachers critically. Life will throw setbacks our method, and excuses will at all times be simple to search out, but when we preserve going, it is arduous to fail.
Since 2009, my North Star has been serving to as many individuals as attainable obtain monetary freedom sooner. Monetary confidence not solely results in happier and kinder people but additionally strengthens households and improves society as an entire. Listening to from readers who’ve been positively impacted by Monetary Samurai is at all times extremely rewarding and retains me motivated to proceed this work.
Subscribe without cost:You may obtain my posts as quickly as they’re printed by signing up right here. I additionally write a free weekly e-newsletter sharing my real-time ideas on the inventory market, actual property, economic system, and different monetary subjects of curiosity
12 Favourite Monetary Samurai Posts For 2024
I really like writing about real-life points and challenges. The whole lot I write is predicated on firsthand experiences, with the hope of elucidating blind spots and fixing issues. I additionally get pleasure from sharing stunning realizations about cash that you simply may not have thought of earlier than. Lastly, participating in courteous debates and listening to reader views makes writing for Monetary Samurai enjoyable.
Out of the 152 posts I’ve written in 2024, these are a few of my favorites in no explicit order. Monetary Samurai has acquired over 12 million web page views in 2024 and has been featured in virtually the entire main media shops. If you have not learn a few of these posts earlier than, I hope you’ll and share your ideas. There’s at all times one thing new to be taught!
1) Blew Up My Passive Revenue and Am No Longer Financially Unbiased
This publish outlined Monetary Samurai’s tone and course in 2024. I revealed that we’re now not financially impartial primarily based on my definition: passive revenue overlaying desired residing bills. Whereas some readers choose utilizing the 25X bills or 20X gross revenue definitions, I’ve stayed per this definition since 2009.
Altering the definition of FIRE to suit your monetary progress could be harmful. It breeds complacency and will result in poor monetary choices. As an example, following Coast FIRE could be deceptive in case you’re not reasonable about its limitations. Keep disciplined and keep away from self-delusion.
2) Why Retiring Early Is Clearly Higher Than Retiring Wealthy
Since 2009, one in all my objectives has been to assist readers construct wealth whereas avoiding the entice of endlessly chasing extra. It’s a troublesome stability, particularly after years of ingrained saving and investing habits. The “another yr syndrome” can get to one of the best of us!
In case your job now not excites you, contemplate retiring early. The additional cash you would possibly accumulate typically isn’t well worth the alternative value of time misplaced. Retiring early doesn’t imply monetary wreck—it offers you the liberty to discover different passions or just take a much-needed break.
3) The Minimal Funding Quantity The place Work Turns into Non-obligatory
To reply the age-old query, “How a lot is sufficient?” I launched the Minimal Funding Threshold Components. This components takes the inverse of the historic return in your belongings and multiplies it by your gross annual revenue.
Reaching this threshold means your investments have a excessive likelihood of producing returns equal to or better than your wage, liberating you to discover different alternatives, take a sabbatical, or retire early.
4) Cautious Giving Up Your Profession to Be a Keep-at-Dwelling Dad or mum
As a stay-at-home mum or dad for over seven years, I needed to share some recommendation for these contemplating the identical path. It’s simple to prioritize your youngster over your profession, nevertheless it’s not at all times one of the best choice for everybody.
This publish explores easy methods to strike a stability between fulfilling your parental function and sustaining your private objectives. Each household is totally different, however I advocate for a balanced strategy moderately than going to extremes.
5) Went Again to Work and May Solely Final 4 Months
With my daughter beginning full-time faculty in September 2024, I made a decision to reenter the workforce part-time in late 2023. My purpose was to contribute to constructing a fintech startup whereas sustaining a purposeful 20-hour workweek. I anticipated having extra free time along with her at school and noticed this as a possibility to fill the eventual void. Plus, I needed to rebuild liquidity after buying a brand new house.
Nonetheless, actuality didn’t align with my expectations. The part-time function rapidly encroached on time with my daughter, who had Tuesdays and Thursdays off. This imbalance felt unsuitable, and by March 2024, I made the choice to step away.
6) A Trip Spending Information: The True Price Is Extra Than You Assume
Speaking to fellow mother and father, I spotted many don’t observe the identical private finance ideas we focus on right here. As an example, one household spent a staggering quantity on a Hawaiian trip.
This impressed me to create a information for trip spending that balances enjoyable with monetary accountability. It’s a framework that can assist you get pleasure from holidays with out risking monetary pressure afterward.
7) The Monetary Doom You Learn and See Is Most likely Not Actual
Doom and gloom dominate the monetary media as a result of negativity sells. However in case you go searching—packed eating places, bustling roads—it’s clear the U.S. shopper is doing nicely.
This publish, written in June 2024, is a reminder to give attention to what’s truly occurring round you and to keep away from being swayed by fixed bearish predictions. Getting gaslit into considering the world is coming to the tip will not be the way in which to constructing wealth.
8) The Proper Home-to-Automotive Ratio for Monetary Freedom
I really like easy monetary ratios, and this one blends my automobile and home-buying guidelines right into a easy guideline for monetary freedom seekers. It builds on my 1/tenth Rule for automobile purchases and my 30/30/3 Rule for house shopping for.
Following these ratios may also help you stability two main bills—housing and transportation—whereas sustaining monetary stability. Given nearly all of individuals drive and all people wants a spot to stay, the house-to-car ratio stands out as the most pertinent ratio of all.
9) Acquiring a High 1% Web Value Is Simpler Than Ever
Knight Frank’s report confirmed {that a} high 1% web value is surprisingly decrease than many people anticipated. This publish explores the concept that wealth isn’t at all times about numbers however about feeling financially safe and in a position to stay the life you need.
10) Climbed to the High of the Property Ladder and Really feel No Happier
Watch out getting what you need. When you do not handle your expectations, you might be disillusioned. After 20 years of climbing the property ladder, I purchased what I believed was my dream house. It had every part I needed: a view, an outsized lot, and an amazing location.
But, I didn’t really feel happier after the acquisition. As a substitute, I felt anxious about my decreased liquidity and skilled a “trough of sorrow” after attaining this long-term purpose. This publish is a mirrored image on discovering stability and avoiding the entice of at all times chasing extra.
11) A $20 Million Web Value Ought to Be Sufficient To Dwell Glad And Free
This was a enjoyable exploration of varied households with over $20 million in web value—a sum which may appear mind-boggling to some. But, with sufficient time, compounding, and a little bit of luck, attaining a $20 million web value is feasible.
You would possibly assume everybody with $20+ million feels pleased and free, however as this text reveals, that’s not at all times the case. Regardless of how a lot wealth we accumulate, all of us face ongoing challenges in life.
12) Lowering The Conventional Retirement Age From 65 To 55 Works
The normal retirement age has been 65 for many years. Nonetheless, after my dialog with Invoice Bengen, the daddy of the 4% Rule, I’ve concluded that America might scale back the standard retirement age to 55!
Saving 10 years of labor for over 100 million working Individuals can be a monumental shift. If everybody believed this was achievable, it might develop into one of many best drivers of happiness and goal in our nation’s historical past. Learn the publish and take heed to our dialog to resolve for your self.
Different Widespread Posts On Monetary Samurai For 2024
As at all times, thanks for studying and supporting Monetary Samurai! I hope you’ve got discovered these posts to be instructional and entertaining. On the finish of the day, I solely wish to write what I wish to learn.
Keep in mind, there isn’t a single proper method to strategy private finance. There are a lot of methods to get to your objectives. Preserve an open thoughts about totally different concepts and ideas as you pursue your monetary independence journey.
In case you have any solutions for brand new publish subjects for 2025, I am at all times open to new concepts!
Subscribe To Monetary Samurai
You may obtain my posts as quickly as they’re printed by signing up right here. I additionally write a free weekly e-newsletter sharing my real-time ideas on the inventory market, actual property, economic system, and different monetary subjects of curiosity. I am assured that in case you subscribe, you may keep engaged and obtain monetary independence sooner.
When you get pleasure from listening to podcasts, I produce a number of every month on Apple and Spotify. In these podcasts, you may hear extra nuanced insights on a few of my hottest subjects. I additionally interview consultants and attention-grabbing individuals of their respective fields who share their knowledge.
Try my High Monetary Merchandise web page, the place I spotlight all of the instruments and investments I take advantage of to construct better monetary safety. When you’re new to Monetary Samurai, please learn my About web page. I spent 13 years working in funding banking, completed my MBA in 2006, and commenced this web site in July 2009 as a method to make sense of the worldwide monetary disaster.