Finance

I’ve now paid cash for a home twice: once for a fixer in 2019 and again for a fully remodeled…

I believe in personal responsibility. So should you. If we take responsibility for our actions, we will end up wealthier…

Money is great, but it can also create awkwardness among friends, colleagues, or even strangers. In this post, I want…

If you want to invest in venture capital, I believe it’s more beneficial to invest in a venture capital fund…

With the New York Times article on Fat FIRE, I’ve been thinking a lot more about the repercussions of achieving…

Originally, I planned to title this post, “Getting Rich by Getting Lucky Doesn’t Feel So Good.” However, after some time,…

Income taxes can hinder wealth creation. Fortunately, for Americans seeking to save on taxes, there are nine states without income…

Understanding the fundamentals of personal finance is pivotal for kids to successfully launch into the world of adulting. Money skills…

On August 7, 2023, I received an email from Amy X. Wang, the assistant editor at the New York Times…

One of my ongoing challenges as a writer is explaining financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner. With a background in…

In October 2023, my passive income took a significant $150,000 hit, representing a decrease of 39%, following the purchase of…

Understanding how home prices fluctuate over time is one of the most intriguing insights gleaned from my post on the…

Well folks, as anticipated, bidding wars are back with a vengeance, at least here in San Francisco. If I were…

Despite my extensive experience of 13 years working in international equities, living abroad for the same duration, and visiting approximately…

My life has been filled with rejections, and I’ve finally come to embrace rejection as a natural part of life….

Amidst a recent whirlwind of car maintenance expenses with my trusty nine-year-old Range Rover Sport, I embarked on a quest…

Since middle school, I’ve embraced frugality, largely influenced by my parents’ thrifty habits. They drove aging cars, donned the same…

Contrary to popular belief, the Federal Reserve does not exert complete control over mortgage rates. Instead, it influences them, with…

I recently caught up with Ben Miller, CEO of Fundrise in person, about the Innovation Fund’s latest investments in private…

Recently, I received a capital distribution from a private real estate fund, and it couldn’t have come at a better…

Unlike buying a primary residence, where I believe you should buy one as soon as you can afford to, purchasing…

In 2007, I had a dream of taking my future family on a ski vacation. I was an avid snowboarder…

Tipping has become increasingly pervasive, leaving many wondering how much to tip without feeling like a miser. To alleviate this…

The rich are frequently criticized for not contributing their fair portion of taxes. However, when examining income taxes, it becomes…

After delving into the exorbitant prices of new luxury cars, I’ve come to the realization that a larger segment of…

During the global financial crisis in 2008 – 2009, I expected the San Francisco Property Assessor Office to automatically lower…

If you’re a book collector, I wanted to give you a heads up that the first print of the first…

Education is the key to freedom for all of us. Therefore, I’ve made the decision to pursue a doctorate degree…

In 2002, at age 25, I foolishly bought a new luxury car, a Mercedes Benz G500. I had just gotten…

Who stands to gain the most from the settlement reached with the National Association of Realtors regarding commission price collusion?…

Now that I’m on a quest to save money and improve my cash flow, I’ve stumbled upon some new ways…

If you’re aiming for a more cost-effective lifestyle, you might find it surprising that opting for a more expensive home…

Lately, I’ve been pondering why I have less admiration for men who claim to be retired but have a working…

Exciting news for homesellers and homebuyers! The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has reached a settlement in its lost $1.8+…

If you’ve been feeling down despite the apparent strength of the economy, I can relate. Despite stocks and real estate…

I’ve faced significant criticism for encouraging my wife to re-enter the workforce after being retired since 2015. However, it’s important…

When I speak to the media, one of the most commonly asked questions I get is whether I had to…

Zillow recently released an intriguing study that outlines the income needed to afford a “typical home” in different cities. The…

With negative cash flow, I’ve embarked on a mission to trim unnecessary expenses from my budget. In times of surplus…

One of the most effective ways to build semi-passive income is to own your primary residence, live in it for…

I might have made a significant error by disseminating incorrect information about what constitutes a top 1% net worth in…

Now that cash flow is tight, I’ve reviewed all the expenses where I could potentially cut. One such expense is…

For those of you who are looking to upgrade homes, let me tell you a sad truth. I climbed to…

In 2009, I established my first rule of FIRE: generate enough passive income to cover your basic living expenses. Once…

After receiving significant criticism for my post, Embrace Living Paycheck-To-Paycheck To One Day Be Free, I find myself contemplating the…

I once encountered an actor in Paris who had secured minor roles in significant films, courtesy of his friendship with…

Living paycheck-to-paycheck is an unpleasant financial experience. Not only does it mean needing to spend everything you have to make…

Money is great. Money provides freedom. But you will always regret sacrificing love for money. When you get older, you…

Our first visit to the emergency room unfolded three years ago when our daughter displayed signs of anaphylaxis due to…

A common suggestion people have made to help me regain my financial independence is to move to a cheaper area…

In general, the longer you stay invested, the greater your chance of making money. To help you maintain a long-term…

During my time living abroad, about 90% of my friends were fluent in a second language besides English. This high…

I’ve been documenting my journey in Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) since July 2009. I’m not aware of any other…

After publishing my post on no longer being financially independent, several media outlets picked up the story and thousands of…

My family and I could have been set for life. Instead, due to my inability to beat back real estate…

In 2017 and 2019, I superfunded two 529 plans for my two children. Since then, my wife and my parents…

When my kids were born, I made a promise to be a stay-at-home father for the first five years of…

In December 2016, I purchased a 2015 Range Rover Sport with 10,800 miles. At the time, I had been driving…

In a compelling TikTok video, Brittany Pietsch chronicles her own experience of being laid off at Cloudflare, a publicly-traded tech…

At the end of 2023, feeling burnt out and in need of a peaceful environment to work on my book,…

In this episode, I interview Ben Miller, the CEO of Fundrise, discussing his revised perspective on the real estate market…

While I consider myself frugal, there are instances where saving money isn’t worth the additional time investment. Let me share…

On Jan 2, 2024, Claudine Gay resigned as the president of Harvard University amid public outcry over her failure to…

Everyone aspires to be a self-made millionaire, but surprisingly, there are fewer self-made millionaires than commonly thought. Before finding out…

In 2024, I am transitioning from a spender to a saver mindset. I am returning to frugal habits reminiscent of…

Happy new year everyone! For 2024, my theme of the year is, “One last year of intense focus.” This marks…

I’ve been writing year in review posts for over a decade now. It’s a rewarding way to document what went…

At the end of every year, I highlight the best posts and podcasts on Financial Samurai. Determining the “best” of…

With stocks again near record highs, it’s a good idea to find ways to spend some of your stock market…

The end of the year is always the best time to reflect and plan. I’d like to share several financial moves…

While watching some competitive 5.0 tennis, a top 1% level, I suddenly started to reflect on why the window of…

Anticipating future trends can lead to smart investments. Drawing from my 20 years of real estate investing experience, I expect…

Just like how the purchase price of a car is not the entire cost, the purchase price of a house…

Everybody knows that being a long-term investor is the way to go. The longer you can stay invested in the…

In my post, the percentage of homeowners who pay cash, a reader asked my opinion on having home insurance for…

In this Financial Samurai podcast (Apple, Spotify), I have the pleasure of speaking with NBA champion Shaun Livingston. Despite sustaining…

Now that I’ve published the 2024 S&P 500 predictions, let’s look at the 2024 housing market predictions by various industry…

House rich, cash poor is when you have a lot of equity in your house but not a lot of cash….

After a bull market in 2023, let’s look at the 2024 Wall Street forecasts for the S&P 500. Overall, the…