With 2024 virtually performed, I might prefer to share my 12 months in evaluation. For the overwhelming majority of buyers, this was a banner 12 months, with the S&P 500 up ~24% and actual property costs in many of the nation persevering with to inch larger regardless of excessive mortgage charges. Bitcoin buyers, gold buyers, and venture capital buyers have all performed nicely too.
2024 was a 12 months of luck as a result of most buyers did not suppose we would achieve this nicely, together with myself. The typical Wall Avenue forecast for 2024 was 4,861, with essentially the most bullish forecast at 5,500. Due to this fact, it appears like a minimum of 10% out of the 24% beneficial properties are a bonus. And with 2025 S&P 500 forecasts averaging about 6,500 and 2025 housing price forecasts calling for a 4% improve, we should get even luckier!
2024 was a transition 12 months for me as I moved from not working to working part-time for 4 months at a startup. Then, beginning in September 2024, after being a stay-at-home dad since April 2017, my youngest started faculty full-time. Out of the blue, I had a full 40 hours every week of free time to make use of. The transition has been smoother than anticipated.
Let me divide this evaluation into 4 sections: Wealth, Well being, Household, and Monetary Samurai. I hope you’ll share within the feedback how your 12 months went as nicely.
2024 Wealth 12 months In Assessment: A-
Roughly 28% of my web value is in public equities. Given my tech-heavy portfolios, I outperformed the S&P 500 by 10% in 2024, mirroring comparable ends in 2023. Nevertheless, I underperformed by 7% in the course of the 2022 bear market. This type of volatility is the trade-off for being an active investor in individual stocks.
About 45% of my web value is in bodily actual property. After buying a brand new residence in This autumn 2023, bodily actual property climbed to 50% of my web value by early 2024, hitting my restrict. Transferring productive property from shares and bonds into my main residence slowed my web value development. A minimum of I used to be capable of finding tenants for my previous home beginning Feb 1, 2024 to recuperate about $70,000 in misplaced money movement. San Francisco actual property is reportedly up 4% in 2024, whereas San Jose, 50 minutes south, has seen beneficial properties of 8%.
Commercial real estate, which makes up about 6% of my web value, confirmed indicators of restoration in mid-2024. Costs have risen 5-6% for the 12 months after a difficult 2022 and 2023 because of aggressive Fed charge hikes. Thankfully, the fund I am invested in has been buying high quality distressed properties, which maintain sturdy long-term potential.
Lastly, about 15% of my web value is in enterprise capital. Because the S&P 500 rebounded in 2023, capital started flowing into high-growth AI firms. With non-public companies staying non-public longer and personal buyers capturing extra beneficial properties, it is logical to proceed allocating capital to this sector. A few of these non-public firms are up 300% in only one 12 months.
I ended up investing $148,000 in Fundrise Venture mid-year as a result of I imagine lots of the portfolio firms will go public and have upside. ServiceTitan and Databricks are nice examples. I might have invested extra however I used to be liquidity constrained.
Internet Price Progress Goal Achieved In 2024
Total, my web value grew between 12% and 16%, relying on how my actual property and personal investments are valued.
Since retiring in 2012, certainly one of my most important net worth benchmarks has been to develop web value by 2-3 instances the risk-free charge of return. I need regular development with much less volatility so I haven’t got to fret about cash. Given the 10-year bond yield averaged about 4.1% for the 12 months, my goal was 8.2% to 12.3%.
With regards to investing, all the things is relative to what you will get risk-free by proudly owning Treasury bonds. Should you’re taking threat and never outperforming the risk-free charge constantly, then it is best to most likely cease investing or consult with a financial professional.
I really feel extraordinarily fortunate that I bought to take a position throughout one other bull market in 2024. About 98% of my web value is invested in threat property, which implies it has been a enjoyable two years. Nevertheless, I am additionally making ready to get hammered when the correction or bear market finally returns once more.
One other essential realization is how highly effective compounding is. Throughout good instances, absolutely the greenback quantity of returns grows tremendously, typically to a number of instances your day job revenue. At this level, spending any period of time engaged on one thing you do not take pleasure in is actually a waste. Beneath is my web value tracked utilizing Empower.

Monetary Areas In Want Of Enchancment
I made the mistaken selection of investing in index target-date funds for my children’s 529 plans. Because of this, they’ve considerably underperformed the S&P 500 since first funding. I’ll rebalance extra towards the S&P 500 (extra threat) since they’ve 11-14 years left till school.
I did not put my youngsters to work on-line, which implies they did not have earned revenue to contribute to their Roth IRAs. This was one other mistake because the S&P 500 did so nicely in 2024. I used to be so centered on rebuilding my funding publicity to equities that I forgot about theirs. Nevertheless, I did put them to work landscaping and doing rental property maintenance.
2024 Well being 12 months In Assessment: A-
Fortunately, I’ve had no severe well being points. I had no physician visits regardless of paying $2,500 per thirty days in unsubsidized healthcare premiums, and no sprains or breaks. Nevertheless, I did get a nasty abdomen virus in December! With out well being, it is exhausting to understand or concentrate on the rest.
After gaining 5 kilos in 2020 in the course of the peak of the pandemic, I have been again to my steady-state weight of about 166-168 kilos since 2000. I am satisfied that about 70% of our physique weight and physique kind is because of genetics. However that also leaves 30% as much as us to eat nicely and train frequently.
Sports activities And Physique Upkeep
When it comes to health, I performed tennis or pickleball three to 4 instances every week all 12 months, even throughout winter, as a result of I am a member of an indoor sports club. Paying $180/month for membership is nice worth for higher well being and camaraderie all year long. I extremely suggest such a “splurge.” Your talent degree also needs to enhance, as I am now a legit 4.5 pickleball participant. I additionally went 8-1 in 4.5, 18+ tennis. My lone loss was in a good third set tie breaker.
I really like meals and will eat wagyu NY strip, cheeseburgers, jamón ibérico, kalbi, milkshakes, and apple pies each week eternally. But when I do, I would die youthful and never be capable of play with my younger youngsters for longer than 10 minutes. So, I attempt to eat sparsely.
A simple solution to restrict meals consumption is to match the consumption of somebody smaller than you. For instance, I purpose to eat the identical quantity as my spouse, who weighs about 65 kilos lower than me. By splitting parts evenly, managing your meals consumption turns into less complicated and extra intuitive.
Space for Enchancment: Power Coaching
At this level, I am not involved about weight upkeep anymore. As a substitute, I am extra centered on sustaining energy. Muscle mass begins to say no extra quickly after 40. I lifted weights perhaps a complete of six instances in 2024, which is a minimum of 46 instances too few.
Coming to Hawaii for trip, I am all the time impressed by how match some individuals are. Residing in a spot that is heat year-round is a pure motivator to get in higher form, which is one more reason why I wish to move to Honolulu.
2024 Household 12 months In Assessment: B+
Being a father or mother of younger youngsters is difficult. It is tougher than my anxious banking job, which required fixed journey, 6 a.m. arrivals, and demanding shoppers. Having younger youngsters has additionally put a pressure on my relationship with my spouse. However a minimum of I fulfilled my promise to be a stay-at-home dad to each youngsters for his or her first 5 years, so I really feel happy that I attempted my finest.
I am assured that if we have been ever to go to divorce court docket, she can’t accuse me of being a deadbeat dad! Whoo hoo!
Regardless of 4 months of part-time consulting that typically bled into my time with my daughter whereas she was residence on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I couldn’t have spent extra time together with her. My most important hope as a stay-at-home dad was that there would finally be a correlation between effort and high quality of relationship.
When my youngsters have been between 1 and three, that correlation was tenuous. As a result of my spouse can be a stay-at-home father or mother, I used to be often the second choice. Feeling like chopped liver too typically made me query why I wasn’t out making a living as an alternative. However after about age 3.5, it turned clearer that the extra time I spent with my youngsters, the extra they appreciated it. Now, we’ve an extremely loving relationship.
Satisfying Progress
In 2024, I taught my four-year-old daughter how you can swim and bike, a satisfying accomplishment for each her and me. We achieved these milestones a 12 months forward of my son. Maybe having expertise as a father or mother helps with instructing and being extra assured about letting go.
Each youngsters love their faculty and all the time need us to choose them up later. This has made paying for costly non-public grade faculty extra digestible, as is their learning Mandarin. My very own Mandarin has steadily improved as nicely, as I continually search for how you can say issues and hear extra to Mandarin podcasts.
Though I miss my son in the course of the weekdays, whom we homeschooled for 18 months in the course of the pandemic, we spend loads of high quality time collectively after faculty and through weekends. As a substitute of taking part in softball from 10 am – 1:45 pm on the weekends, now I play pickleball from 7 to 9 a.m. to spend extra time with household.
We took our kids on their first flights to Honolulu, Hawaii in June to see my mother and father. The journey went nicely, aside from the ER go to after my son reduce his head on a pole and wanted stitches! This time round, in December, we’re extra relaxed because of staying in additional acquainted environments.

Largest Space In Want Of Enchancment
My greatest household miss for 2024 was not being extra affected person with my spouse. We function at completely different speeds, which may end up in me being extra pissed off than I might prefer to be. I have to decelerate and be extra clear when speaking, as she believes she is neurodivergent.
Typically, I felt pissed off that irrespective of how exhausting I attempted to be a superb father or mother, it didn’t really feel like sufficient. The emotions of inadequacy would bubble up when the youngsters have been crying or complaining. In these moments, I needed to remind myself {that a} little one’s hardships are alternatives to assist them construct resilience for the longer term.
After attending to know extra fathers, I additionally gained extra perspective that I used to be doing OK. One stark distinction is that I by no means go on enterprise journeys, which implies I by no means depart my spouse alone to maintain two youngsters by herself. So once I’m feeling unappreciated or not helpful, I remind myself that I am all the time there for them.
2024 Monetary Samurai Web site And Writing 12 months In Assessment: A-
Total, I wrote over 156 posts (listed below are the most popular), 52 newsletters (subscribe here), and recorded 30 podcasts (hear on Apple or Spotify). I didn’t slack off as soon as, even when sick or on trip. After I complete all the things up, it feels like loads. Nevertheless it’s about 30% lower than what I am able to fortunately doing for an prolonged interval.
I do much less as a result of I am afraid of burnout. It takes just a few steps nearer yearly. As soon as the burnout virus takes maintain, it might engulf the entire physique and make you fully sick. I’ve seen many individuals stop engaged on their ardour initiatives and by no means return. I can not let that occur if my purpose is to proceed writing till 2037, when my youngest turns 18.
The truth is, I used to be so burned out after 13 years in banking and getting my MBA part-time for 3 years whereas working in banking that I permanently quit work at 34! On reflection, it will have been higher if I had prolonged my profession for a minimum of 5 years and relocated to a unique workplace someplace on the earth. That will have been enjoyable.
Writing To Remedy Issues And Entertain The Thoughts
I wish to proceed writing about real-life dilemmas and options. It is also enjoyable to share new findings and opinions I’ve by no means thought-about earlier than. There’s all the time one thing new to be taught every single day. Listening to from readers can be a thrill I look ahead to once I get up. It is the identical feeling as Christmas morning.
Every publish offers a way of accomplishment, which feels rewarding since I haven’t got a day job. As soon as a publish has gone from thought to paper, I be at liberty to do something I need for the remainder of the day guilt-free. It is the identical idea as paying your self first earlier than spending any cash.
Talking of cash, the income generated from this website appears like successful the lottery every month as a result of I might do it at no cost. And since I might write at no cost, I am having far more enjoyable writing about no matter subject involves thoughts. To then don’t have any paywall or subscription payment to learn my newsletters additionally appears like I am making a constructive contribution to anyone who needs to enhance their funds.
The income from this website is sufficient to cowl the $1,600-1,800 per thirty days it prices to run it because of server and upkeep prices, instruments I take advantage of which have subscription charges, and sudden technical issues. No matter is left over largely will get invested in shares and actual property.
Completed My Second E-book
After greater than two years of writing, I’ve lastly accomplished my second private finance ebook with Portfolio Penguin! Since July 2024, my spouse and I’ve been diligently modifying and refining it. We’re now within the fifth and ultimate main spherical of revisions after a number of rounds of opinions and edits by Penguin’s staff. The quantity of effort that goes into creating a cultured ultimate product has given me a newfound appreciation for authors.
The following step is to collect supporting blurbs from different authors for the again and inside cowl, with a deadline of mid-January 2025. After that, the ebook ought to head to the printing presses by March 2025 for a Might 6, 2025 goal publication.
When Buy This Not That launched in July 2022, probably the most joyful moments was taking my youngsters to bookstores to seek for a replica like a treasure hunt. I can’t wait to expertise that once more with this new ebook.
Areas In Want of Enchancment
This website faces an existential disaster because of artificial intelligence. Because of this, I have to learn to finest leverage AI to extend productiveness and increase to different media platforms. However then that begins feeling like work, which reduces the enjoyable of working this website. So I’ll proceed to maneuver like a tortoise.
I additionally should be much less reactive to criticism and the occasional hateful feedback. It takes up pointless vitality. My drawback is that I take pleasure in debate and like to know the place such deep emotion comes from.
Lastly, I had a purpose of manufacturing 36 podcast episodes however solely did 30. I am undecided on what the suitable quantity is for the longer term.

Total Grade for 2024: A for Effort, B+ for Outcomes
With a purpose of producing a further $80,000 per 12 months in passive revenue—or accumulating $2 million extra in investable property—by December 31, 2027, I felt energized all year long to earn, save, and make investments as aggressively as attainable. This bold goal stemmed from a second of self-sabotage in 2023 once I bought my ideal home to raise our kids. Having a goal to earn feels fantastic.
I am additionally grateful that the pandemic is lengthy over. I typically remind myself how fortunate we’re to not have restrictions. My spouse and I went out to eat extra, watched our first musical in 10 years, and went to many occasions and events. Experiencing a crimped way of life from 2020-2021 has helped me higher admire the liberty we’ve in the present day.
2024 was actually a fortunate 12 months for our funds and I hope for a lot of of yours too. Shedding some huge cash in 2022 helps make 2024 really feel extra particular. My plan is to attempt to hold as a lot of our monetary progress as attainable whereas spending a few of our winnings.
Lastly, I am most happy with my youngsters and their improvement, in addition to persevering with to stay to my writing schedule, which I’ve maintained since July 2009. So long as you strive your finest, you will really feel good whatever the end result.
Thanks 2024! Subsequent up might be my objectives for 2025.
Readers, share a few of your hits and misses for 2024. What have been some issues that stunned you on the upside? The place might you have got performed higher?
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