As we head into 2024, it’s time to highlight the best posts from Financial Samurai this year. When I started Financial Samurai in July 2009, my goal was to publish three posts a week for 10 years. She achieved this milestone in July 2019, but like Forrest Gump, she kept moving forward.
Writing has always been my creative outlet, bringing me joy and purpose. Now, as a father of two young children (5 and 7.5 years old), my goal is to continue writing until they turn 18 in 2037. I hope that by showing discipline and focus through my work, they will be inspired to take their academics seriously. Life will throw setbacks our way, and it will always be easy to find excuses, but if we keep moving forward, it’s hard to fail.
Since 2009, My North Star has helped as many people as possible achieve financial freedom sooner. Financial confidence not only leads to happier, kinder individuals, but also strengthens families and improves society as a whole. Hearing from readers who have been positively impacted by Financial Samurai is always incredibly rewarding and keeps me motivated to continue this work.
12 Favorite Samurai Finance Posts for 2024
I love writing about real-life issues and challenges. Everything I write is based on first-hand experiences, in hopes of clarifying blind spots and solving problems. I also enjoy sharing sudden realizations about money that you may not have thought about before. Finally, engaging in polite discussions and hearing readers’ perspectives makes writing for Financial Samurai fun.
Of the 152 posts I wrote in 2024, these are some of my favorites in no particular order. Financial Samurai received over 12 million page views in 2024 and was featured in almost all major media outlets. If you haven’t read some of these posts before, I hope you’ll share your thoughts. There is always something new to learn!
1) My passive income blew up and I was no longer financially independent
This post set the tone and direction for Financial Samurai in 2024. It revealed that we are no longer financially independent based on my definition: passive income that covers desired living expenses. While some readers prefer to use definitions of 25X expenses or 20X gross income, I have remained consistent with this definition since 2009.
Changing the definition of FIRE to fit your financial advancement can be dangerous. It breeds complacency and may lead to poor financial decisions. For example, following Coast FIRE can be misleading if you are not realistic about its limits. Be disciplined and avoid self-deception.
2) Why early retirement is clearly better than rich retirement
Since 2009, one of my goals has been to help readers build wealth while avoiding the trap of endlessly seeking more. It’s a difficult balance, especially after years of established saving and investing habits. “Another Year Syndrome” can get to the best of us!
If your job no longer interests you, consider early retirement. The extra money that may accrue is often not worth the opportunity cost of wasted time. Early retirement does not mean financial ruin, but rather gives you the freedom to explore other hobbies or simply take a much-needed break.
3) Minimum investment amount when work becomes optional
To answer the age-old question: “How much is enough?” I have provided a minimum investment formula. This formula takes the inverse of the historical return on your assets and multiplies it by your total annual income.
Reaching this threshold means your investments have a high chance of generating returns equal to or greater than your salary, freeing you up to explore other opportunities, take time off, or retire early.
4) Be sure to give up your career to be a stay-at-home parent
As a stay-at-home parent for over seven years, I wanted to share some advice for those considering the same path. It’s easy to prioritize your child over your career, but it’s not always the best decision for everyone.
This post explores how to balance fulfilling your parental role with maintaining your personal goals. Every family is different, but I advocate a balanced approach rather than going to extremes.
5) returned to work and could only continue for four months
With my daughter starting full-time school in September 2024, I decided to return to the workforce part-time in late 2023. My goal was to help build a fintech startup while maintaining a meaningful 20-hour work week. I expected to spend more free time with her at school, and saw this as an opportunity to finally fill the void. Additionally, I wanted to rebuild liquidity after purchasing a new home.
However, the reality did not match my expectations. The part-time job quickly exceeded the scheduled time for my daughter, who had Tuesdays and Thursdays off. This glitch felt wrong, and by March 2024, I made the decision to quit the business.
6) Vacation Guide: The Real Cost Is More Than You Think
As I spoke with fellow parents, I realized that many do not follow the same personal finance principles we discuss here. For example, one family spent an amazing amount on a vacation in Hawaii.
This inspired me to create a vacation guide that balances fun with financial responsibility. It’s a framework to help you enjoy the holidays without risking financial stress afterwards.
7) The financial doom you read and see may not be real
Doom and gloom dominate the financial media because negativity sells. But if you look around – crowded restaurants, busy roads – it is clear that the American consumer is in good shape.
This post, written in June 2024, is a reminder to focus on what’s really happening around you and avoid being swayed by persistent bearish expectations. Thinking that the world is coming to an end is not the way to build wealth.
8) The appropriate house to car ratio for financial freedom
I love simple financial ratios, and this combines the rules for purchasing my car and my house into a simple guideline for those seeking financial freedom. It’s based on the 1/10 rule for buying cars and the 30/30/3 rule for buying homes.
Following these ratios can help you balance two major expenses — housing and transportation — while maintaining financial stability. Since the majority of people drive cars and everyone needs a place to live, the home-to-car ratio may be the most important ratio of all.
9) It’s easier than ever to have the top 1% of net worth
Knight Frank’s report showed that the net worth of the top 1% is surprisingly lower than many of us expected. This post explores the idea that wealth isn’t always about numbers, but rather about feeling financially secure and being able to live the life you want.
10) She climbed to the top of the property ladder and didn’t feel happy
Be careful getting what you want. If you can’t manage your expectations, you may be disappointed. After 20 years on the property ladder, I bought what I thought was my dream home. It had everything I wanted: a view, plenty of space, and a great location.
However, I was not happy after the purchase. Instead, I worried about my low liquidity and felt “troughs of sadness” after achieving this long-term goal. This post is a reflection on finding balance and avoiding the trap of always chasing more.
11) A net worth of $20 million should be enough to live happy and free
This has been a fun exploration of various families with net worths in excess of $20 million – an amount that may seem puzzling to some. However, with enough time, and a little luck, it is possible to achieve a net worth of $20 million.
You might assume that everyone with over $20 million feels happy and free, but as this article reveals, that’s not always the case. No matter how much wealth we accumulate, we all face constant challenges in life.
12) Reducing the traditional retirement age from 65 to 55 years
The traditional retirement age has been 65 for decades. However, after my conversation with Bill Bengen, the father of the 4% rule, I concluded that America could lower the traditional retirement age to 55!
Providing ten years of work for more than 100 million working Americans would be a massive transformation. If everyone believed this was achievable, it could become one of the greatest engines of happiness and purpose in our nation’s history. Read the post and listen to our conversation to decide for yourself.
Other popular posts on Financial Samurai 2024
As always, thank you for reading and financially supporting Samurai! I hope you find these posts educational and entertaining. At the end of the day, I just want to write what I want to read.
Remember, there is no one right way to approach personal finance. There are many ways to reach your goals. Be open to different ideas and concepts as you pursue your financial independence journey.
If you have any Suggestions for new publication topics for 2025I’m always open to new ideas!
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Check my The most important financial products page, where I highlight all the tools and investments I use to build greater financial security. If you’re new to Financial Samurai, please read my book on page. I spent 13 years in investment banking, earned my MBA in 2006, and started this website in July 2009 as a way to understand the global financial crisis.