As we wrap up 2024, it’s time to spotlight the very best posts from Monetary Samurai this yr. Once I began Monetary Samurai in July 2009, my aim was to publish three posts every week for 10 years. I achieved that milestone in July 2019, however very like Forrest Gump, I stored on going.
Writing has all the time been my artistic outlet, bringing me pleasure and function. Now, as a father to 2 younger kids (5 and seven.5), my aim 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 lecturers critically. Life will throw setbacks our approach, and excuses will all the time be simple to search out, but when we maintain going, it is exhausting 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 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.
Subscribe without cost:You possibly can obtain my posts as quickly as they’re printed by signing up right here. I additionally write a free weekly publication sharing my real-time ideas on the inventory market, actual property, economic system, and different monetary matters of curiosity
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 get pleasure from sharing shocking realizations about cash that you just may not have considered earlier than. Lastly, partaking in courteous debates and listening to reader views makes writing for Monetary Samurai enjoyable.
Out of the 156 posts I’ve written in 2024, these are a few of my favorites in no specific 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 study!
1) Blew Up My Passive Earnings and Am No Longer Financially Impartial
This submit outlined Monetary Samurai’s tone and course in 2024. I revealed that we’re now not financially impartial based mostly on my definition: passive revenue masking desired residing bills. Whereas some readers desire utilizing the 25X bills or 20X gross revenue definitions, I’ve stayed in keeping with this definition since 2009.
Altering the definition of FIRE to suit your monetary progress might be harmful. It breeds complacency and will result in poor monetary choices. As an illustration, following Coast FIRE might be deceptive when you’re not sensible 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 every of my targets has been to assist readers construct wealth whereas avoiding the lure of endlessly chasing extra. It’s a tricky steadiness, particularly after years of ingrained saving and investing habits. The “yet another yr syndrome” can get to the very best of us!
In case your job now not excites you, take into account 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 destroy—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 System. This system 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 higher than your wage, releasing you to discover different alternatives, take a sabbatical, or retire early.
4) Cautious Giving Up Your Profession to Be a Keep-at-Dwelling Guardian
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 baby over your profession, but it surely’s not all the time the very best choice for everybody.
This submit explores find out how 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 method quite than going to extremes.
5) Went Again to Work and Might Solely Final 4 Months
With my daughter beginning full-time college in September 2024, I made a decision to reenter the workforce part-time in late 2023. My aim was to contribute to constructing a fintech startup whereas sustaining a purposeful 20-hour workweek. I anticipated having extra free time together with her in class and noticed this as a possibility to fill the eventual void. Plus, I needed to rebuild liquidity after buying a brand new house.
Nevertheless, 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 flawed, and by March 2024, I made the choice to step away.
6) A Trip Spending Information: The True Price Is Extra Than You Suppose
Speaking to fellow mother and father, I noticed many don’t observe the identical private finance rules we talk about right here. As an illustration, 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 when you go searching—packed eating places, bustling roads—it’s clear the U.S. client is doing effectively.
This submit, written in June 2024, is a reminder to concentrate on what’s truly occurring round you and to keep away from being swayed by fixed bearish predictions. Getting gaslit into pondering the world is coming to the tip is just not the best way 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 might help you steadiness two main bills—housing and transportation—whereas sustaining monetary stability. Given the vast majority of folks drive and all people wants a spot to dwell, the house-to-car ratio will be the most pertinent ratio of all.
9) Acquiring a High 1% Web Price Is Simpler Than Ever
Knight Frank’s report confirmed {that a} high 1% internet price 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 dwell the life you need.
10) Climbed to the High of the Property Ladder and Really feel No Happier
Watch out getting what you need. For those who do not handle your expectations, you might be disenchanted. After 20 years of climbing the property ladder, I purchased what I believed was my dream house. It had the whole lot I needed: a view, an outsized lot, and a terrific location.
But, I didn’t really feel happier after the acquisition. As a substitute, I felt anxious about my lowered liquidity and skilled a “trough of sorrow” after attaining this long-term aim. This submit is a mirrored image on discovering steadiness and avoiding the lure of all the time chasing extra.
11) A $20 Million Web Price Ought to Be Sufficient To Dwell Blissful And Free
This was a enjoyable exploration of varied households with over $20 million in internet price—a sum which may appear mind-boggling to some. But, with sufficient time, compounding, and a little bit of luck, attaining a $20 million internet price is feasible.
You would possibly assume everybody with $20+ million feels comfortable and free, however as this text reveals, that’s not all the time 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. Nevertheless, 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 People could be a monumental shift. If everybody believed this was achievable, it might turn into one of many biggest drivers of happiness and function in our nation’s historical past. Learn the submit and take heed to our dialog to determine for your self.
Different Common 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.
Keep in mind, there isn’t a single proper method to method private finance. There are a lot of methods to get to your targets. Hold an open thoughts about completely different concepts and ideas as you pursue your monetary independence journey.
If in case you have any strategies for brand new submit matters for 2025, I am all the time open to new concepts!
Subscribe To Monetary Samurai
You possibly can obtain my posts as quickly as they’re printed by signing up right here. I additionally write a free weekly publication sharing my real-time ideas on the inventory market, actual property, economic system, and different monetary matters of curiosity. I am assured that when you subscribe, you will keep engaged and obtain monetary independence sooner.
For those who get pleasure from listening to podcasts, I produce a number of every month on Apple and Spotify. In these podcasts, you will hear extra nuanced insights on a few of my hottest matters. I additionally interview consultants and fascinating folks of their respective fields who share their knowledge.
Take a look at my High Monetary Merchandise web page, the place I spotlight all of the instruments and investments I take advantage of to construct higher monetary safety. For those who’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 method to make sense of the worldwide monetary disaster.
