As we wrap up 2024, it’s time to focus on the perfect posts from Monetary Samurai this yr. Once I began Monetary Samurai in July 2009, my objective was to publish three posts per week for 10 years. I achieved that milestone in July 2019, however very like Forrest Gump, I saved on going.
Writing has all the time been my artistic outlet, bringing me pleasure and goal. Now, as a father to 2 younger youngsters (5 and seven.5), my objective is to maintain writing till they flip 18 in 2037. I hope that by demonstrating self-discipline and focus by means of my work, they’ll be impressed to take their teachers significantly. Life will throw setbacks our method, and excuses will all the time be simple to seek out, but when we maintain going, it is arduous to fail.
Since 2009, my North Star has been serving to as many individuals as doable obtain monetary freedom sooner. Monetary confidence not solely results in happier and kinder people but in addition strengthens households and improves society as a complete. Listening to from readers who’ve been positively impacted by Monetary Samurai is all the time extremely rewarding and retains me motivated to proceed this work.
12 Favourite Monetary Samurai Posts For 2024
I really like writing about real-life points and challenges. All the pieces I write is predicated on firsthand experiences, with the hope of elucidating blind spots and fixing issues. I additionally take pleasure in sharing stunning realizations about cash that you just won’t have considered earlier than. Lastly, partaking 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 all the 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 all the time one thing new to be taught!
1) Blew Up My Passive Income and Am No Longer Financially Independent
This submit outlined Monetary Samurai’s tone and route in 2024. I revealed that we’re not financially unbiased primarily based on my definition: passive revenue masking desired dwelling bills. Whereas some readers choose utilizing the 25X bills or 20X gross income definitions, I’ve stayed per this definition since 2009.
Changing the definition of FIRE to suit your monetary progress could be harmful. It breeds complacency and should result in poor monetary selections. As an example, following Coast FIRE can be misleading in case you’re not lifelike about its limitations. Keep disciplined and keep away from self-delusion.
2) Why Retiring Early Is Obviously Better Than Retiring Rich
Since 2009, certainly one of my targets has been to assist readers construct wealth whereas avoiding the entice of endlessly chasing extra. It’s a troublesome steadiness, particularly after years of ingrained saving and investing habits. The “one more year syndrome” can get to the perfect of us!
In case your job not excites you, take into account retiring early. The additional cash you may accumulate usually isn’t definitely 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 Minimum Investment Amount Where Work Becomes Optional
To reply the age-old query, “How a lot is sufficient?” I launched the Minimal Funding Threshold Components. This method takes the inverse of the historic return in your property and multiplies it by your gross annual revenue.
Reaching this threshold means your investments have a excessive likelihood of producing returns equal to or higher than your wage, liberating you to discover different alternatives, take a sabbatical, or retire early.
4) Careful Giving Up Your Career to Be a Stay-at-Home Parent
As a stay-at-home mother or father for over seven years, I needed to share some recommendation for these contemplating the identical path. It’s simple to prioritize your little one over your profession, but it surely’s not all the time the perfect resolution for everybody.
This submit explores the way to strike a steadiness between fulfilling your parental function and sustaining your private targets. Each household is completely different, however I advocate for a balanced strategy slightly than going to extremes.
5) Went Back to Work and Could Only Last Four 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 objective 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 chance to fill the eventual void. Plus, I needed to rebuild liquidity after buying a brand new residence.
Nevertheless, actuality didn’t align with my expectations. The part-time function shortly 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 Vacation Spending Guide: The True Cost Is More Than You Think
Speaking to fellow dad and mom, I noticed 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 duty. It’s a framework that will help you take pleasure in holidays with out risking monetary pressure afterward.
7) The Financial Doom You Read and See Is Probably Not Real
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 submit, written in June 2024, is a reminder to give attention to what’s really taking place round you and to keep away from being swayed by fixed bearish predictions. Getting gaslit into considering the world is coming to the top just isn’t the best way to constructing wealth.
8) The Right House-to-Car Ratio for Financial Freedom
I really like easy monetary ratios, and this one blends my automotive and home-buying guidelines right into a easy guideline for monetary freedom seekers. It builds on my 1/10th Rule for car purchases and my 30/30/3 Rule for home buying.
Following these ratios might help you steadiness two main bills—housing and transportation—whereas sustaining monetary stability. Given the vast majority of individuals drive and everyone wants a spot to stay, the house-to-car ratio would be the most pertinent ratio of all.
9) Obtaining a Top 1% Net Worth Is Easier Than Ever
Knight Frank’s report confirmed {that a} prime 1% internet value is surprisingly decrease than many people anticipated. This submit explores the concept that wealth isn’t all the time about numbers however about feeling financially safe and in a position to stay the life you need.
10) Climbed to the Top of the Property Ladder and Feel No Happier
Watch out getting what you need. When you do not handle your expectations, you could be disillusioned. After 20 years of climbing the property ladder, I purchased what I believed was my dream residence. It had everything I wanted: a view, an outsized lot, and an ideal 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 reaching this long-term objective. This submit is a mirrored image on discovering steadiness and avoiding the entice of all the time chasing extra.
11) A $20 Million Net Worth Should Be Enough To Live Happy And Free
This was a enjoyable exploration of varied households with over $20 million in internet value—a sum that may appear mind-boggling to some. But, with sufficient time, compounding, and a little bit of luck, reaching a $20 million internet value is feasible.
You may assume everybody with $20+ million feels glad and free, however as this text reveals, that’s not all the time the case. Irrespective of how a lot wealth we accumulate, all of us face ongoing challenges in life.
12) Reducing The Traditional Retirement Age From 65 To 55 Works
The standard retirement age has been 65 for many years. Nevertheless, after my dialog with Invoice Bengen, the daddy of the 4% Rule, I’ve concluded that America might cut back the standard retirement age by 55 years!
Saving 10 years of labor for over 100 million People can be a monumental shift. If everybody believed this was achievable, it might develop into one of many biggest drivers of happiness and goal in our nation’s historical past. Learn the submit and hearken to our dialog to determine for your self.
Different Well-liked Posts On Monetary Samurai For 2024
As all the time, thanks for studying and supporting Monetary Samurai! I hope you have discovered these posts to be instructional and entertaining. On the finish of the day, I solely need to write what I need to learn.
Bear in mind, there isn’t any single proper strategy to strategy private finance. There are lots of methods to get to your targets. Maintain an open thoughts about completely different concepts and ideas as you pursue your monetary independence journey.
In case you have any ideas for brand new submit subjects for 2025, I am all the time open to new concepts!
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Try my Top Financial Products web page, the place I spotlight all of the instruments and investments I exploit to construct higher 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 started this web site in July 2009 as a strategy to make sense of the worldwide monetary disaster.
