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, once I graduated half time from UC Berkeley’s enterprise faculty, however stored kicking the can down the street. After shedding round 40 p.c of my internet price in simply six months, losses that took a decade to construct, I noticed it was now or by no means.
I promised myself I’d publish 3 times every week for 10 years. Once I reached that purpose in July 2019, I merely stored going. There are too many attention-grabbing developments on this planet and too many ideas in my head to cease.
In 2025, I revealed 156 posts and 52 free weekly newsletters. Enroll if you wish to improve your possibilities of reaching monetary freedom sooner. Monetary Samurai has greater than 2,500 articles and has now been learn by over 100 million individuals. 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 dad and mom’ work within the U.S. Overseas 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 may 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 happening the offensive. In my quest to outperform the markets and maximize each greenback I’ve, I burned out. I’m now not positive my portfolio’s outperformance was price it.
It Feels Like 1999 Once more: Time To Get together With out Blacking Out – Valuations are stretched and FOMO is operating to the max. Some ideas on take part within the upside with out shedding the whole lot when issues flip bitter.
The Unhappy Want For Investing Large Cash To Make Life-Altering Cash – Even when your bullish name is right and also you make investments, when you do not make investments a major 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 solution to get wealthy, the rich view index funds extra as a solution to protect capital.
Shopping for The Dip: How To Overcome Concern Throughout A Correction And Prosper – When the subsequent dip comes, will you are 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 kids will discover a harder time discovering knowledge-work employment after highschool and faculty. Additional, present staff needs to be nervous that AI will finally get rid of 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 individuals try to save and make investments aggressively to interrupt free sooner.
The Third Rule Of Monetary Independence May Additionally Be Your Largest Remorse – When you do not comply with this rule, you will be unable to retire early with out continuously worrying about cash.
FIRE Could Make Constructing Multi-Generational Wealth Unimaginable – In case your purpose is to make sure your grandchildren are taken care of, it will likely be laborious to do when you retire early.
The One Large Stunning Invoice Act’s Impression 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 – When you’re decided to retire early, then this is a logical information on fund your varied portfolios.
The Precarious Life Of Twin Unemployed Mother and father – When you suppose FIREing with out youngsters is tough, it’s far more durable for each dad and mom to remain retired with youngsters. For this reason you typically see one one that is FIRE have a working partner to offer healthcare, revenue, and retirement advantages.
Having Children Would possibly Not Harm Your Perfect FIRE Way of life After All – Having youngsters will suck up all of your free time when you allow them to. Nonetheless, after each youngsters began faculty, I used to be pleasantly shocked 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. Nonetheless, 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 doable.
In Protection Of Proudly owning A Large Stunning House Over A Small One – Private finance nerds love to evangelise frugality with the intention to maximize their hole between revenue and bills. However this is a seldom mentioned tackle why having an incredible home may very well be price it.
A Paid Off House Is A Nice Defend In opposition to Concern 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 might encourage you to take extra dangers to earn more money as properly.
Deciding Between Accepting A Preemptive Provide Or Itemizing On The Open Market – I needed to determine between the 2 once I tried to promote my home in 2025. Listed here are some tips that will help you decide the correct path.
A 50-12 months Mortgage Is Incredible For Householders And Traders – The knee-jerk response by many is {that a} 50-year mortgage is unhealthy. However when you dig into the numbers, I feel you will change your thoughts.
You may hearken to extra Monetary Samurai podcasts on Apple or Spotify.
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 residence dad. My youngsters are my essential motivators to maintain grinding once I do not wish to. I’ve 12.5 years to steer by instance till my youngest probably goes to school.
The Principal Means To Save Your Kids From AI Is To Make investments In AI – That is the most effective resolution in case you are apprehensive about AI destroying your kids’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 kids over the subsequent 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 subsequent 12 months if money circulate 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 – When you’re considering of giving up your profession to be a keep at residence dad, listed below are some reflections on what to anticipate.
Wealthy Financial institution Of Mother & Dads Are All over the place – Settle for And Adapt – You may both rail towards the unfairness of grownup kids getting super monetary assist from their dad and mom, or you may work out construct sufficient wealth to do the identical. There isn’t a equal enjoying subject in life. Mother and father will rationally do no matter it takes to make sure their kids launch.
The Earnings Restrict To Qualify For Faculty Scholarships And Grants – I’ve met lots of people who suppose 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.
The way to Make Your Kids Millionaires Earlier than They Go away House – When you imagine the world gained’t give your kids a good shake after they graduate, then it’s best to make them financially unbiased in order that they by no means must depend on gatekeepers to find out their future. I labored with ProjectionLab, a incredible monetary planning software to supply 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 when you’re off form, do not play sports activities, and have minimal different abilities. Cash and intelligence attracts.
Millionaire Early Retirees In all probability Should not Get Healthcare Subsidies – You may have a as much as a ~$3.5 million internet price, and relying on how a lot revenue it generates, you may earn obtain super healthcare subsidies.
Id Diversification Could Be As Necessary As Funding Diversification – Given we went by means of a interval when id grew to become an necessary deciding think about whether or not you bought into faculty or landed a job, it’s price trying into your cultural heritage.
How Cultural Variations Can Harm Your Probabilities In The Office – When you’re a part of the bulk or had 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 guide that helps readers construct extra wealth and break away sooner. Because of this, I discovered myself enthusiastic about millionaire subjects much more incessantly all year long.
Poor versus Wealthy Millionaire: Liquidity Is The Principal Distinction – You may really feel poor irrespective of your internet price if you do not have sufficient liquidity.
Not Often Checking Your Web Price Has Some Nice Advantages – When you’re a private finance fanatic, you most likely examine your internet price a number of occasions every week. Nonetheless, identical to how spending an excessive amount of time on social media is unhealthy in your well being, so might checking your internet price too incessantly.
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 suppose after perhaps $5 or $10 million, you will now 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 bear in mind making the same mistake shopping for an excessive amount of Treasury bonds throughout and proper after the monetary disaster. I did not wish to make the identical mistake once more.
Writing Is a Great Type of Intentional Pondering
I do know long-form studying and writing are going out of favor due to social media and short-form movies. Nonetheless, when you can muster the endurance to learn a deep-dive article, I feel you’ll get much more out of the expertise.
When you ever wish to clear up an issue, attempt writing an article with a transparent thesis, physique, and conclusion. I promise you’ll shock your self with new views and turn into 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 you recognize somebody going by means of a state of affairs I’ve written about, I feel they’d admire receiving the article. All the pieces I write is predicated on firsthand expertise, whether or not it’s an issue I’m making an attempt to unravel or an sudden end result I used to be not pay attention to.
You probably have any favourite posts, I’d love to listen to them. Subsequent up is my 12 months in evaluation submit and objectives for 2026.
To Your Monetary Freedom,
Sam
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