$5 million is a lot of money. But it doesn't go very far if you want to retire early with a family in an expensive city like San Francisco. This episode should give folks perspective, help folks re-think their early retirement plans, highlight the cost of kids, and strategize on where they want to retire to. 

Read the post here. 

Over the years, many readers have asked, “What does it take to become a Financial Samurai? Do you have a set of core principles to follow?” I resisted putting anything formal together because to do so felt a little bit arrogant and presumptuous. But after almost 10 years of running Financial Samurai and having over Read More... The post Way Of The Financial Samurai: Core Principles For Achieving Financial Independence appeared first on Financial Samurai.

According to the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, the average US household net worth is a whopping $692,100! And that’s based on data from 2016, when the S&P 500 was ~30% lower. Further, real estate prices in many major cities have also increased substantially since 2016. Surely, the average US household net worth will Read More... The post The Average Household Net Worth In America Is Huge! appeared first on Financial Samurai.

Lessons Learned Since The Financial Crisis really brought me back to the time when Financial Samurai was started in the summer of 2009. I want to use this post to figure out why Financial Samurai has survived all these years. My theory is that launching during a downturn has a lot to do with it. Since I Read More... The post The Best Time To Start A Business Is During A Downturn appeared first on Financial Samurai.

On September 15, 2008, Lehman Brothers went bust. I remember this day clearly because I made a $200 side bet with my friend over the weekend that the US government would bail them out. To my surprise, the US government didn’t rescue Lehman, and the stock cratered that Monday and never recovered. Despite all the Read More... The post Personal Lessons Learned Since The 2008 Financial Crisis appeared first on Financial Samurai.

With home prices at record highs, it’s only natural that more homeowners are spending money on remodeling. I’ve personally remodeled three homes and I never want to remodel again! But for those of you who want to suffer through the pain of remodeling, whether to get a better deal or earn some sweat equity, here Read More... The post How Much Should You Spend Remodeling A House For Maximum Profit appeared first on Financial Samurai.

生き甲斐, pronounced ikigai, is a Japanese concept that means “reason for being.” What makes you get up in the morning without an alarm clock because you’re just so damn excited? From 1999 – 2001, I had to get to the office by 5:30am because I was a lowly grunt in the investment banking world. Making Read More... The post Ikigai Is Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid Of Retirement appeared first on Financial Samurai.

With regular contributions, company matching, profit sharing, and conservative returns, many of you will eventually become 401(k) millionaires. But what may be more exciting is if your children become 529 plan millionaires before they even get their first full-time job! With $1 million by the time your child gets their first full-time job, they’ll be Read More... The post The Making Of 529 Child Millionaires: A Necessity Due To Soaring Tuition appeared first on Financial Samurai.

One of the benefits of financial independence is that you can try out different occupations that pay very little or nothing. I’ve always wanted to be a grade school teacher, but I realized after doing some research you can’t just become a middle school teacher here in San Francisco. Even being a substitute teacher requires Read More... The post I Quit My Dream Job Because There’s Sadly No Such Thing appeared first on Financial Samurai.

It’s been six years and three months since they took my paycheck away. I sometimes stay up all night and sleep all day. At least I can do whatever I want and see professionally whomever I choose. Gourmet sushi at fancy restaurants tastes so good. But sitting alone mixing wasabi can’t take away those occasional Read More... The post The Negatives Of Early Retirement Life Nobody Likes Talking About appeared first on Financial Samurai.