Comfortable New 12 months everybody! I hope you’re having fun with the day without work and performing some reflecting. I’ve returned to San Francisco and am able to chill out some extra!
Now that I’ve shared my 2024 12 months in evaluate, I wished to share my objectives and resolutions for 2025. Though 2024 was an awesome 12 months, I nonetheless have many areas of enchancment.
I executed most of my 2024 objectives, however did not do the next:
- Produce 36 podcasts (I solely produced 30)
- Assist my spouse get a job (I could not as a result of she did not need one, so I went out and obtained one)
- Write a brand new lullaby for my daughter after writing Cutie Child for my son (forgot about this one, however I nonetheless can do it)
My theme for 2024 was “One final 12 months of intense focus.” I wrote in my 2024 objectives submit:
Fatigue has set in, harking back to 2011 after I contemplated leaving funding banking for good. That burnout prompted a much-needed change of tempo. Satirically, a day job is way simpler than being a stay-at-home guardian!
Maybe it is a mid-life disaster at 46, the place I sense my physique slowing down, and time is slipping away quicker than ever. The urgency to maximise the remaining years of strong well being is palpable. I am unsure how for much longer I can hold this tempo, therefore my theme.
Theme for 2025: Return to Easy Dwelling
I wish to return to the fundamentals of dwelling a easy, early retirement way of life. Sitting on a seashore in Laie, Oahu, reflecting on the 12 months, I used to be reminded of what an excellent life means to me: well being, freedom, household, and pals. Riches, fame, or standing weren’t prime of thoughts.
One of many nice issues about Hawaii is that each one seashores are public. Even the poorest particular person can get pleasure from the identical shoreline as a billionaire with an oceanfront mansion. As I walked alongside the seashore at 8 a.m. in December, sporting simply shorts, I considered how unimaginable it was to bask within the free heat of the solar.
Sharing the expertise with excited kids dancing round and a loving spouse made it all of the extra particular. I didn’t want some huge cash to be comfortable.
Nevertheless, returning to a easy life received’t come with out effort. To stay by my theme for 2025, my #1 aim is the next:
Predominant 2025 Purpose: Stay Unemployed / Semi-Retired
After making an attempt part-time consulting for 4 months, I spotted how a lot I dislike conferences, commuting, and being informed what to do. Whereas it was invaluable to see firsthand how exhausting individuals within the startup world work, I’ve confirmed that it’s not the correct match for me at this stage in my life.
The one approach I might return to work is that if I obtained an distinctive supply from a promising AI firm, with important autonomy and large upside. However I assign solely a 1% likelihood of that taking place since unicorns aren’t actual. To get one thing nice, you have to exit and take it.
With my liquidity again to snug ranges, I’ve determined to cease looking for employment altogether. Staying unemployed / semi-retired simplifies my life. The one conferences I’ll attend are those I select—maybe one or two calls every week at most.
Sure, incomes some huge cash and gaining standing in society could be interesting. Nevertheless, I’m decided to beat again these wishes so I could be as free as potential. With out the obligations of labor, I’ll have extra time to jot down, play sports activities, train, and spend uninterrupted moments with my household.
Household Objectives for 2025
Household will all the time be my prime precedence for so long as I stay. Fatherhood, which started for me in 2017, remains to be a comparatively new journey and essentially the most difficult function to navigate. I’m dedicated to doing my finest to foster a robust, wholesome relationship with my kids as they develop.
I’ve come to see that a few of the most troubled individuals I’ve encountered skilled above-average ranges of childhood trauma, which incorporates neglect, emotional and bodily abuse, accidents, rancorous divorces, demise of a guardian, and dependancy. I do know this as a result of I’ve had the privilege of getting tens of 1000’s of parents from all walks of life touch upon Monetary Samurai since 2009. And a few of them have opened up about their backgrounds.
My aim is to attenuate such wounds for my children whereas maximizing unconditional love, studying, and pleasure of their lives.
1) Spend extra time touring now that each children are over 5
I’ve all the time disliked flying, particularly with younger children who’re unruly and received’t keep in mind their travels. However now that each of my kids are over 5, they’re potty-trained and principally self-sufficient. Better of all, they’re at an age the place they’ll really keep in mind the journeys we take, making the expertise rather more rewarding.
For 2025, I plan to do not less than two of those journeys:
- Spend a month in Honolulu whereas they attend summer time college.
- Keep in Taipei for a month and attend Mandarin immersion summer time college, and if that goes nicely, take an journey to Beijing for a few weeks.
- Go to Tahoe for not less than 5 nights in the course of the winter so the youngsters can get higher at snowboarding
I grew up dwelling in Zambia, the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia earlier than coming to America for highschool. Later, I spent 13 years working in worldwide equities, which had me consistently touring.
I’d like my kids to journey to allow them to expertise completely different cultures, develop a better appreciation for what they’ve, and turn into higher communicators.
2) Learn with the youngsters for not less than quarter-hour a day, 5 days every week
One among my objectives is to domesticate a love of studying in my children. Step one is studying to them persistently, not less than 5 days every week. Subsequent, I’d like them to learn to me for quarter-hour day by day, 5 days every week. Lastly, I wish to discover books they genuinely get pleasure from, so that they’ll wish to learn independently.
Rising up, I liked studying Hardy Boys and The Nice Mind collection. However after I transitioned to Select Your Personal Journey books, my mother wouldn’t let me learn them. That restriction killed my pleasure for studying; I rebelled by refusing to learn what I might have for some time.
To encourage my children to get pleasure from studying, I’ll lead by instance and skim extra myself. As soon as they get pleasure from studying on their very own, they will be taught an countless quantity of issues.
3) Educate the youngsters how one can play pickleball
The aftercare pickleball classes at their college stuffed up shortly, and personal classes price $140 per hour. As a 4.5-level pickleball participant with persistence and three years of instructing highschool tennis, I’ve determined to show them myself. I’ve already taught them how one can bike and swim, so this will probably be one other enjoyable ability so as to add.
Pickleball is simpler for younger children to select up than tennis and must be extra enjoyable. As soon as they’ve discovered the fundamentals, I’ll educate them tennis as nicely. I don’t count on them to turn into nice athletes or win school scholarships. Nevertheless, figuring out how one can play a sport could make life extra pleasing and social. I plan to spend 30–60 minutes each weekend practising pickleball with my children.
Taking part in softball in the course of the pandemic for 3 years lifted my spirits. It additionally launched me to new pals, together with some I now play poker with frequently.
4) Volunteer six occasions at my children’ college
Being a part of a group is fantastic. In 2024, I completely loved volunteering at my kids’s college. It was rewarding to see my children in the course of the day, join with different mother and father, and get to know the workers. I believe my children will respect seeing their dad shock them every so often as nicely, and maybe instill in them the spirit of volunteering sooner or later.
Private Objectives for 2025
If I can do two or three issues nicely a 12 months, I really feel it is a good 12 months. I made essentially the most of my remaining 12 months as a stay-at-home father in 2024, whereas specializing in strengthening our funds. Now that each children are at school full-time, I not establish as a stay-at-home guardian. Shifting ahead, I’ll embrace my identification as a author.
1) Market my new ebook—and check out to not stress about its efficiency
After over two years of exhausting work, I’m thrilled to launch my second ebook with Portfolio Penguin in Could 2025. Like my first ebook, Purchase This Not That, it focuses on private finance. I’ll share all the small print by March 2025.
With Purchase This Not That, I poured numerous vitality into making it a bestseller—and succeeded. It’s satisfying to know I’ll all the time be a nationwide bestselling creator. Nevertheless, the relentless advertising and marketing took a toll on my happiness, as I a lot want writing to selling.
This time, I’ll nonetheless take part in podcasts and interviews to debate the ebook, as it’s my dedication to Portfolio Penguin, however my principal focus will probably be having fun with the method. Making a nationwide bestseller listing is not a aim.
I’ve discovered peace within the mindset of: “If you wish to learn the ebook to enhance your monetary life, unbelievable! If not, that’s effective too.” This strategy has labored nicely for Monetary Samurai, the place I keep away from heavy social media or advertising and marketing and write just because I get pleasure from it.
Nevertheless, selling a ebook whereas sustaining a low-key way of life is a contradictory act. Threading this needle will probably be a troublesome problem.
2) Defend my 1:30 PM–3 PM nap window
Few issues carry me extra pleasure than a correct nap after lunch. Whether or not it’s half-hour or an excellent hour-long snooze, naps recharge me. For them to be really efficient, I would like not less than a 1.5-hour window—this eliminates stress about oversleeping or dashing to go to sleep.
In 2024, I overbooked this time slot with actions like tennis, pickleball, and lengthy lunches. Whereas pleasing, they usually left me squeezing briefly naps after 3:30 PM, which threw off my evenings and bedtime. Frankly, 2024 was overwhelming from an actions standpoint and I wish to do much less.
Naps enhance my vitality for the afternoon and night with my children, increase my temper, and improve creativity. Plus, research recommend napping lowers blood strain, reduces coronary heart illness threat, and slows mind growing older. Who wouldn’t need these advantages?
In 2025, except I’ve slept in or it’s an unmissable reunion, my 1:30 PM–3 PM window will probably be sacred nap time.
3) Elevate weights not less than as soon as every week for 45 minutes
Energy coaching must turn into a constant a part of my routine. My aim is to carry weights not less than as soon as every week for 45 minutes, specializing in constructing my shoulders, chest, and again.
Though I’d prefer to carry two or 3 times every week, I believe I’ll be too drained after classes to totally have interaction with my children or play sports activities. For now, as soon as every week is a manageable place to begin alongside my common tennis and pickleball schedule. If I succeed, lifting weights 52 occasions in 2025 will probably be eight occasions greater than I did in 2024.
4) Be OK with the occasional tardiness
One among my greatest pet peeves is being late. It’s disrespectful to the particular person ready and sometimes results in pointless stress and hazard, particularly when dashing by means of visitors to make up for misplaced time. It will also be a waste of cash if you happen to’re paying for a time-limited exercise or lesson.
I believe this aversion to tardiness is hardwired into me. My father, seemingly influenced by his army background, was all the time punctual. Throughout my 13 years in finance, internet hosting numerous analyst, administration, and shopper conferences bolstered the behavior—being late was merely not an choice when so many individuals relied on me. If I ever was late, it felt deeply embarrassing.
Sadly, this obsession with punctuality has precipitated some stress with my spouse. My aim now’s to be extra relaxed about occasional tardiness. I’ll additionally step as much as assist get the youngsters prepared, so we will keep away from dashing as a lot as potential.
As an illustration, I initially aimed to get the youngsters to high school on time 100% of the 12 months. I drive 95% of the time so the final mile duty is on me. This aim mirrors my decade-long obsession with writing three posts every week on Monetary Samurai—a stretch aim that, in hindsight, isn’t crucial.
After studying that some households have 20–40 tardies yearly with none penalties, I’ve determined to ease up. Permitting for a late day as soon as a month serves as a wholesome pressure-release valve for all of us. And if we occur to be late a second time in a month, no large deal!
5) Write shorter, extra lifestyle-focused posts on Monetary Samurai
I generally tend to dive deep into subjects, usually writing posts exceeding 2,000 phrases (this submit is 3,350 phrases). Whereas I get pleasure from being thorough, I acknowledge that focus spans are shrinking. Readers respect concise, punchy content material that will get to the purpose. Plus, longer articles take extra time, which matches towards my theme for the 12 months of stress-free extra.
In 2025, my aim is to jot down posts averaging 1,250 phrases. This shift will enable me to ship worth extra shortly whereas nonetheless sustaining my voice. Shorter posts will even be simpler for readers to digest, making the content material extra participating general.
I’m additionally dropping my inflexible dedication to publishing three posts every week. As an alternative, I’ll write each time I need, to ease the strain I placed on myself.
Particular Monetary Objectives for 2025
Since Monetary Samurai is a private finance web site, let me share three key private finance objectives that align with my need to simplify life.
1) Promote a Rental Property
Earlier than 2023, I promised myself I wouldn’t purchase one other rental property—and technically, I stored that promise. Nevertheless, as an alternative of promoting my earlier residence, I selected to hire it out for money movement after blowing up $150,000 of passive revenue.
I stay bullish on San Francisco actual property, because of the tech and AI increase producing immense wealth for tens of 1000’s of individuals. We’ve additionally obtained a brand new mayor who ought to cut back authorities corruption and enhance insurance policies for its residents.
Nevertheless, after a 12 months of renting out the property, the tenants have given discover, and I’ve determined to not seek for new ones. With the NASDAQ up ~30% in 2024, I’m optimistic that the Spring 2025 Bay Space housing market will probably be robust. Moreover, I’ve observed extra flexibility from actual property brokers providing performance-based fee constructions.
Consequently, I plan to promote this stunning ocean-view property, which I bought in mid-2020, in 2025. The timing feels proper to simplify my life. Promoting the property additionally gives a possibility to earn as much as $500,000 in tax-free income, as I’ve lived in it for not less than two out of the previous 5 years.
Satirically, proudly owning a fourth rental property in San Francisco for a 12 months was comparatively hassle-free. The one challenge was a kitchen faucet restore—seemingly attributable to the tenant yanking out the nozzle and breaking the hose. Nonetheless, I had envisioned holding this residence, which we loved in the course of the pandemic, till my children had been grown.
Too dangerous for them the older I get, the much less I wish to handle properties.
2) Reinvest 80% of on-line “humorous cash” into threat belongings
My love affair with actual property began in 2003 after I reinvested 100% of my dot-com bubble beneficial properties right into a San Francisco rental. Whereas the primary web bubble popped, my rental’s worth held regular and even grew.
Equally, I view on-line revenue as “humorous cash” as a result of I’d fortunately write free of charge. Additional, I’m unsure the revenue will final. This mindset motivates me to reinvest a lot of the internet income into belongings that generate passive revenue. I am additionally OK to take extra threat with this revenue as a result of it does not appear actual, in contrast to my arduous day job revenue in banking.
Nevertheless, I additionally wish to get pleasure from life over the following three years. That’s why I plan to allocate 20% of this revenue to cowl the hole between my bills and present passive revenue. The remaining 80% will probably be reinvested.
With some luck and disciplined investing, I hope to hit my goal of an extra $80,000 in passive revenue or an extra $2 million in investments by December 31, 2027.
3) Make investments $100,000 every in business actual property and AI corporations
I don’t wish to rely solely on luck to get me to my objectives. Strategic allocation is essential.
If I efficiently promote my San Francisco rental, I count on to internet between $1.2M–$1.6M after taxes, commissions, charges, prep work, and mortgage payoff. With these proceeds, I plan to reinvest:
- $100,000 in business actual property: This aligns with the asset class I’m exiting however permits me to diversify into absolutely passive actual property investments. Business actual property has lagged shares since 2023, however traditionally, the 2 asset courses are correlated. I imagine it’s due for a rebound.
- $100,000 in personal AI corporations: I imagine within the AI motion and wish publicity to its potential progress. My time working at a startup confirmed me how exhausting and quick these corporations transfer. Since personal corporations keep personal longer now, investing early presents the possibility to seize important upside. The extra I spend money on synthetic intelligence, the much less concern I’ve for my kids’s futures.
With $1M –$1.4M remaining, I’ll seemingly:
- Allocate a 70% to the S&P 500 and tech shares I’ve held for over a decade. My reasoning: If I’m not prepared to promote these holdings, I must be prepared to purchase them. Ideally, I’ll make investments after a market dip as soon as the home sale closes.
- Make investments 30% in Treasury bonds, particularly if the 10-year yield stays above 4.5%.
- Possibly I’ll YOLO and purchase a brand new automobile too
As soon as the sale is finalized, I’ll write an in depth submit on how I plan to allocate the proceeds.
4) Construct My Youngsters’s Funding Accounts
Investing for my kids seems like beginning a brand new sport with the benefit of a long time of expertise and information. Past their UGMA accounts, I wish to deal with constructing their Roth IRAs as nicely. Their 529 accounts are at ranges the place I not wish to aggressively contribute to them.
Since their earnings are minimal, their revenue will fall nicely under the usual deduction for 2025, which is $15,000. This implies their earned revenue received’t be topic to taxes. A sensible revenue goal can be $7,000, matching the Roth IRA contribution restrict for 2025. What a profit to have the ability to contribute tax-free revenue and let it develop tax-free and be withdrawn tax-free.
The aim isn’t simply to assist them earn cash in a tax-efficient approach for future monetary safety. Extra importantly, it’s about instilling a robust work ethic and instructing them how saving and investing work. These classes will lay the muse for good private finance habits, making them self-sufficient adults. When that day comes, their mom and I can breathe a bit of simpler!
A Return to Simple Dwelling in 2025 For Certain
I’ll flip 48 in June 2025, which is beginning to really feel previous. It’s an excellent reminder to decelerate and savor life, particularly now that we’ve “run up the rating” throughout this unimaginable bull market.
My hope is that the nice occasions proceed, permitting me to succeed in my monetary goal by December 31, 2027, whereas additionally spending and giving extra freely. Nevertheless, even when the market doesn’t cooperate, I plan to remain unemployed. At this stage, making an attempt to offset funding losses with energetic revenue feels futile.
I’ve simply 11 and 13 extra years, respectively, till my son and daughter could go away the home probably for good. I do know this time will fly by, so I’m decided to profit from it.
Right here’s to a satisfying and affluent 2025!
Readers, what are a few of your objectives and resolutions for the 12 months? Be a part of 60,000+ others reaching monetary freedom sooner and join my free weekly e-newsletter right here.
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