In July 2009, I began Monetary Samurai to make sense of the financial 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 saved kicking the can down the street. After dropping round 40 % of my web 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 might publish thrice per week for 10 years. After I reached that objective in July 2019, I merely saved going. There are too many fascinating developments on the planet and too many ideas in my head to cease.
In 2025, I printed 156 posts and 52 free weekly newsletters. Monetary Samurai now 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 dad and mom’ work within the U.S. International Service, I grew up within the Philippines, Zambia, Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia earlier than coming to the USA for highschool in 1995. I have been based mostly on San Francisco since 2001.
The Greatest Investing Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
As an active 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 now not certain my portfolio’s outperformance was price it.
It Feels Like 1999 Again: Time To Party Without Blacking Out – Valuations are stretched and FOMO is working to the max. Some ideas on methods to take part within the upside with out dropping all the pieces when issues flip bitter.
The Sad Need For Investing Big Money To Make Life-Changing Money – Even when your bullish name is right and also you make investments, in case you do not make investments a major quantity, nothing actually modifications.
The Richest People Are Not Index Fund Fanatics, Why Are You? – Everyone loves index funds and ETFs, so do I. However as an alternative of viewing index funds as a method to get wealthy, the rich view index funds extra as a method to protect capital.
Buying The Dip: How To Overcome Fear During A Correction And Prosper – When the following 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 Crisis Playbook – It’s apparent to me that our kids will discover a tougher time discovering knowledge-work employment after highschool and faculty. Additional, current staff needs to be nervous that AI will ultimately remove their jobs.
The Greatest FIRE Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
In 2009, I helped kickstart the modern-day FIRE movement by writing about my journey to make sufficient passive income 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 Financial Independence Could Also Be Your Biggest Regret – Should you do not observe this rule, you will be unable to retire early with out always worrying about cash.
FIRE May Make Building Multi-Generational Wealth Impossible – In case your objective is to make sure your grandchildren are taken care of, it will likely be exhausting to do in case you retire early.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Impact On FIRE Seekers – There are some vital monetary modifications that ought to make it easier to save and construct extra wealth in 2026 and past.
The Early Retiree’s Guide To Funding Retirement Accounts – Should you’re decided to retire early, then this is a logical information on methods to fund your varied portfolios.
The Precarious Life Of Dual Unemployed Parents – Should you assume FIREing with out children is difficult, it’s far tougher for each dad and mom to remain retired with children. That is why you typically see one one who is FIRE have a working partner to supply healthcare, earnings, and retirement advantages.
Having Kids Might Not Hurt Your Ideal FIRE Lifestyle After All – Having children will suck up all of your free time in case you allow them to. Nonetheless, after each children began faculty, I used to be pleasantly shocked by how a lot trip time they’ve a yr plus summer time, winter, and spring holidays.
The Greatest Actual Property Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
For the primary 15 years out of school, actual property was my favorite 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 Could Be At An All-Time High – It baffles me why no person is discussing this standpoint. If I wasn’t in my late 40s, I might be shopping for up as many prime properties as doable.
In Defense Of Owning A Big Beautiful Home Over A Small One – Private finance nerds like to be frugal as a way to maximize their hole between earnings and bills. However this is a seldom mentioned tackle why having a tremendous home could possibly be price it.
A Paid Off Home Is A Great Shield Against Fear And Uncertainty – Though many argue that paying off your mortgage is unhealthy, I discovered the scenario gave me the braveness to aggressively purchase the dip in March and April. Having no mortgage might encourage you to take extra dangers to make more cash as nicely.
Deciding Between Accepting A Preemptive Offer Or Listing On The Open Market – I needed to resolve between the 2 once I tried to promote my home in 2025. Listed here are some pointers that will help you decide the proper path for you.
A 50-Year Mortgage Is Fantastic For Homeowners And Investors – The knee-jerk response by many is {that a} 50-year mortgage is detrimental. However in case you dig into the numbers, I feel you may change your thoughts.
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 dwelling dad. My children are my essential motivators to maintain grinding once I do not need to.
The Main Way To Save Your Children From AI Is To Invest In AI – That is the most important no-brainer answer if you’re fearful about AI destroying your youngsters’s job prospects and stopping them from changing into impartial adults.
I initiated a brand new $197,100 Fundrise Venture place in August, earmarked for my youngsters over the following 10-12 years. That is along with my company account. My objective is to contribute one other $100,000 over the following yr 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 End Of Being A SAHD – Should you’re considering of giving up your profession to be a keep at dwelling dad, listed here are some reflections on what to anticipate. This put up is for mothers too.
Rich Bank Of Mom & Dads Are Everywhere – Accept And Adapt – You’ll be able to both rail in opposition to the unfairness of grownup youngsters getting super assist from their dad and mom, or you possibly can work out methods to do the identical. There isn’t any equal enjoying discipline in life. Mother and father will rationally do no matter it takes to make sure their youngsters launch.
The Income Limit To Qualify For College 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 to Make Your Children Millionaires Before They Leave Home – Should you imagine the world gained’t give your youngsters a good shake after they graduate, then you need to make them financially impartial so that they by no means should depend on gatekeepers to find out their future. I labored with ProjectionLab, a implausible monetary planning device to provide this text.
The Greatest Tradition & Society Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
Be An American Nerd, Not The Cool Kid If You Want To Survive – Being cool supplies for a greater social life. However being a nerd will enhance your probabilities 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 in case you’re out of form, do not play sports activities, and have minimal different skills. Cash attracts.
Millionaire Early Retirees Probably Shouldn’t Get Healthcare Subsidies – You’ll be able to have a as much as a ~$3.5 million web price, and spending on how a lot earnings it generates, you possibly can earn obtain super healthcare subsidies.
Identity Diversification May Be As Important As Investment Diversification – Given we went by means of a interval the place your id grew to become an necessary deciding think about whether or not you bought into faculty or landed a job, it is price trying into your cultural heritage.
How Cultural Differences Can Hurt Your Chances In The Workplace – Should you’re a part of the bulk or had been born and raised in America, you may by no means should take care of such sticky conditions.
The Greatest Wealth Administration Posts On Monetary Samurai 2025
In Might 2025, I printed my USA TODAY nationwide bestseller, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps to Seven Figures. My mission was to put in writing an actionable, punchy guide that helps readers construct extra wealth and break away sooner. In consequence, I discovered myself interested by millionaire matters much more steadily all year long.
Poor versus Rich Millionaire: Liquidity Is The Main Difference – You’ll be able to really feel poor regardless of your web price if you do not have sufficient liquidity.
Not Regularly Checking Your Net Worth Has Some Great Benefits – Should you’re a private finance fanatic, you most likely test your web price a number of instances per week. Nonetheless, identical to how spending an excessive amount of time on social media is unhealthy to your well being, so might checking your web price too steadily.
How You’ll Feel Reaching Various Millionaire Milestones Between $1 – $20 Million – This is some fascinating insights into individuals who’ve achieved varied millionaire ranges. You’d assume after perhaps $5 or $10 million, you may now not have cash worries, however you would be incorrect.
The Hidden Dangers Of Earning Risk-Free Passive Income – This is a vital put up 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 identical mistake shopping for an excessive amount of Treasury bonds throughout and proper after the monetary disaster. So I did not need to make the identical mistake once more.
Writing Is a Great Type of Intentional Considering
I do know long-form studying and writing are going out of favor because of social media and short-form movies. Nonetheless, in case you can muster the endurance to learn a deep-dive article, I feel you’ll get much more out of the expertise.
Should you ever need to clear up an issue, strive writing a paper 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 yr. If you understand somebody going by means of a scenario I’ve written about, I feel they’d admire receiving the article. Every part I write is predicated on firsthand expertise, whether or not it’s an issue I’m making an attempt to unravel or an surprising consequence you might not be conscious of.
If in case you have any favourite posts, I’d love to listen to them.
You’ll be able to obtain new articles in your inbox as quickly as they’re printed by signing up here. You too can subscribe to my free weekly publication here, the place I recap crucial monetary information of the week and share what I’m doing with my very own cash.
To Your Monetary Freedom,
Sam
