In July 2009, I began Monetary Samurai to make sense of the monetary destruction unfolding on the time. I had been toying with the concept since 2006, after I graduated half time from UC Berkeley’s enterprise college, however stored kicking the can down the street. After dropping round 40 p.c of my internet price in simply six months, losses that took a decade to construct, I spotted it was now or by no means.
I promised myself I’d publish 3 times per week for 10 years. Once I reached that purpose in July 2019, I merely stored going. There are too many fascinating developments on this planet and too many ideas in my head to cease.
In 2025, I revealed 156 posts and 52 free weekly newsletters. Join if you wish to enhance your possibilities of attaining monetary freedom sooner. Monetary Samurai has greater than 2,500 articles and has now been learn by over 100 million folks. Under are a few of my favourite and most impactful posts from 2025, organized by matter.
For background, I earned my diploma in economics from the Faculty of William & Mary earlier than Berkeley. I then spent 13 years working in equities at Goldman Sachs and Credit score Suisse earlier than retiring from finance in 2012 at age 34. Due to my mother and father’ work within the U.S. International Service, I grew up within the Philippines, Zambia, Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia earlier than coming to the US for highschool in 1995. I have been primarily based on San Francisco since 2001. You’ll be able to learn extra on my About web page.
The Greatest Investing Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
As an lively investor, 2025 felt like a relentless battle between defending my wealth and occurring the offensive. In my quest to outperform the markets and maximize each greenback I’ve, I burned out. I’m not certain my portfolio’s outperformance was price it.
It Feels Like 1999 Once more: Time To Occasion With out Blacking Out – Valuations are stretched and FOMO is operating to the max. Some ideas on easy methods to take part within the upside with out dropping every little thing when issues flip bitter.
The Unhappy Want For Investing Massive Cash To Make Life-Altering Cash – Even when your bullish name is right and also you make investments, should you do not make investments a big quantity, nothing actually modifications.
The Richest Individuals Are Not Index Fund Fanatics, Why Are You? – All people loves index funds and ETFs, so do I. However as a substitute of viewing index funds as a option to get wealthy, the rich view index funds extra as a option to protect capital.
Shopping for The Dip: How To Overcome Worry Throughout A Correction And Prosper – When the following dip comes, will you’re taking benefit or sit on the sidelines in concern? Within the historical past of the inventory market, shopping for the dip after which holding for 10 years has made you cash.
Safeguarding Your Future From AI: The Existential Disaster Playbook – It’s apparent to me that our youngsters will discover a tougher time discovering knowledge-work employment after highschool and faculty. Additional, current employees ought to be nervous that AI will finally remove their jobs.
The Greatest FIRE Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
In 2009, I helped kickstart the modern-day FIRE motion by writing about my journey to make sufficient passive revenue to flee company America for good. Since then, FIRE has grown right into a world-wide phenomena as extra folks attempt to save and make investments aggressively to interrupt free sooner.
The Third Rule Of Monetary Independence May Additionally Be Your Greatest Remorse – In the event you do not observe this rule, you will be unable to retire early with out continually worrying about cash.
FIRE Could Make Constructing Multi-Generational Wealth Not possible – In case your purpose is to make sure your grandchildren are taken care of, it is going to be onerous to do should you retire early.
The One Massive Lovely Invoice Act’s Affect On FIRE Seekers – There are some important monetary modifications that ought to assist you save and construct extra wealth in 2026 and past.
The Early Retiree’s Information To Funding Retirement Accounts – In the event you’re decided to retire early, then this is a logical information on easy methods to fund your varied portfolios.
The Precarious Life Of Twin Unemployed Dad and mom – In the event you assume FIREing with out children is difficult, it’s far tougher for each mother and father to remain retired with children. For this reason you usually see one one that is FIRE have a working partner to offer healthcare, revenue, and retirement advantages.
Having Youngsters Would possibly Not Damage Your Splendid FIRE Way of life After All – Having children will suck up all of your free time should you allow them to. Nevertheless, after each children began college, I used to be pleasantly stunned by how a lot trip time they’ve a 12 months plus summer time, winter, and spring holidays.
The Greatest Actual Property Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
For the primary 15 years out of faculty, actual property was my favourite asset class for constructing wealth. Nevertheless, the asset class has been caught in impartial, or reverse, since inflation surged and the Fed aggressively jacked up rates of interest beginning in 2022.
Why Housing Affordability May Be At An All-Time Excessive – It baffles me why no person is discussing this perspective. If I wasn’t in my late 40s, I would be shopping for up as many prime properties as potential.
In Protection Of Proudly owning A Massive Lovely House Over A Small One – Private finance nerds love to evangelise frugality with a purpose to maximize their hole between revenue and bills. However this is a seldom mentioned tackle why having a tremendous home may very well be price it.
A Paid Off House Is A Nice Defend Towards Worry And Uncertainty – Though many argue that paying off your mortgage is suboptimal, I discovered the state of affairs gave me the braveness to aggressively purchase the dip in March and April. Having no mortgage could encourage you to take extra dangers to make more cash as nicely.
Deciding Between Accepting A Preemptive Provide Or Itemizing On The Open Market – I needed to resolve between the 2 after I tried to promote my home in 2025. Listed below are some tips that will help you decide the best path.
A 50-12 months Mortgage Is Unbelievable For Owners And Traders – The knee-jerk response by many is {that a} 50-year mortgage is dangerous. However should you dig into the numbers, I believe you may change your thoughts.
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The Greatest Household Funds Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
Since my son was born in 2017 and my daughter was born in 2019, I’ve shifted my focus to being a keep at house dad. My children are my essential motivators to maintain grinding after I do not need to. I’ve 12.5 years to guide by instance till my youngest doubtlessly goes to varsity.
The Primary Method To Save Your Kids From AI Is To Make investments In AI – That is the most effective answer if you’re anxious about AI destroying your youngsters’s job prospects and stopping them from turning into unbiased adults.
I initiated a brand new $197,100 Fundrise Enterprise place in August, earmarked for my youngsters over the following 10-12 years. That is along with my company account, the place I began investing earlier. My purpose is to contribute one other $100,000 over the following 12 months if money stream permits. Fundrise is a long-time sponsor of Monetary Samurai as our funding philosophies are aligned.
Mommies, Nannies, Au Pairs And Me: The Finish Of Being A SAHD – In the event you’re pondering of giving up your profession to be a keep at house dad, listed below are some reflections on what to anticipate.
Wealthy Financial institution Of Mother & Dads Are In every single place – Settle for And Adapt – You’ll be able to both rail in opposition to the unfairness of grownup youngsters getting super monetary assist from their mother and father, or you possibly can determine easy methods to construct sufficient wealth to do the identical. There isn’t any equal enjoying area in life. Dad and mom will rationally do no matter it takes to make sure their youngsters launch.
The Earnings Restrict To Qualify For Faculty Scholarships And Grants – I’ve met lots of people who assume they merely make an excessive amount of to obtain free cash for faculty. This text may shock you, as loads of multi-six-figure earners get grants.
How you can Make Your Kids Millionaires Earlier than They Go away House – In the event you consider the world received’t give your youngsters a good shake after they graduate, then you need to make them financially unbiased so that they by no means must depend on gatekeepers to find out their future. I labored with ProjectionLab, a improbable monetary planning instrument to provide this text.
The Greatest Tradition & Society Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
Be An American Nerd, Not The Cool Child If You Need To Survive – Being cool gives for a greater social life. However being a nerd will enhance your possibilities of constructing much more wealth. And so far as I can inform, all of the nerds I’ve met are married. So do not concern being undesirable should you’re out of form, do not play sports activities, and have minimal different skills. Cash and intelligence attracts.
Millionaire Early Retirees Most likely Should not Get Healthcare Subsidies – You’ll be able to have a as much as a ~$3.5 million internet price, and relying on how a lot revenue it generates, you possibly can earn obtain super healthcare subsidies.
Identification Diversification Could Be As Essential As Funding Diversification – Given we went by means of a interval when id turned an essential deciding think about whether or not you bought into college or landed a job, it’s price trying into your cultural heritage.
How Cultural Variations Can Damage Your Probabilities In The Office – In the event you’re a part of the bulk or have been born and raised in America, you may by no means must take care of such sticky conditions.
The Greatest Wealth Administration Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
In Could 2025, I revealed my USA TODAY nationwide bestseller, Millionaire Milestones: Easy Steps to Seven Figures. My mission was to write down an actionable, punchy e book that helps readers construct extra wealth and break away sooner. Because of this, I discovered myself fascinated about millionaire subjects much more continuously all year long.
Poor versus Wealthy Millionaire: Liquidity Is The Primary Distinction – You’ll be able to really feel poor regardless of your internet price if you do not have sufficient liquidity.
Not Commonly Checking Your Internet Price Has Some Nice Advantages – In the event you’re a private finance fanatic, you in all probability verify your internet price a number of instances per week. Nevertheless, identical to how spending an excessive amount of time on social media is dangerous on your well being, so could checking your internet price too continuously.
How You will Really feel Reaching Varied Millionaire Milestones Between $1 – $20 Million – Here is some fascinating insights into individuals who’ve achieved varied millionaire ranges. You’d assume after possibly $5 or $10 million, you may not have cash worries, however you would be incorrect.
The Hidden Risks Of Incomes Threat-Free Passive Earnings – This is a crucial submit as a result of I discovered myself getting lulled into complacency with 4% – 5% risk-free Treasury bond yields. I keep in mind making an analogous mistake shopping for an excessive amount of Treasury bonds throughout and proper after the monetary disaster. I did not need to make the identical mistake once more.
Writing Is a Fantastic Type of Intentional Considering
I do know long-form studying and writing are going out of fashion due to social media and short-form movies. Nonetheless, should you can muster the endurance to learn a deep-dive article, I believe you’ll get much more out of the expertise.
In the event you ever need to remedy an issue, attempt writing an article with a transparent thesis, physique, and conclusion. I promise you’ll shock your self with new views and grow to be a greater thinker within the course of. You may even take motion that modifications your life for the higher.
Thanks for studying, sharing, and supporting my work all 12 months. If somebody going by means of a state of affairs I’ve written about, I believe they’d admire receiving the article. The whole lot I write relies on firsthand expertise, whether or not it’s an issue I’m making an attempt to resolve or an sudden consequence I used to be not pay attention to.
In case you have any favourite posts, I’d love to listen to them. Subsequent up is my 12 months in assessment submit and objectives for 2026.
To Your Monetary Freedom,
Sam
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