Unlike buying a primary residence, where I believe you should buy one as soon as you can afford to, purchasing a vacation property is a different matter. Nobody needs to buy a vacation property; it’s a luxury expense that everyone can do without. Chances are, you won’t use your vacation property enough times a year […]
Don’t Buy A Vacation Property Until After You Have Children Read More »
In 2007, I had a dream of taking my future family on a ski vacation. I was an avid snowboarder and my wife enjoyed the tranquility of Lake Tahoe. After receiving a good bonus, I bought a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo at Everline Resort in Palisades. Our son came ten years later, but we didn’t go
Family Ski Vacations: The Cost Could Break The Bank! Read More »
Lately, I’ve been pondering why I have less admiration for men who claim to be retired but have a working spouse. Is it fueled by envy? It’s possible, considering I wouldn’t mind if my wife were the breadwinner, easing some of the financial strain on me. The sentiment is akin to observing several of my
A Provider’s Clock For Men Is Like A Biological Clock For Women Read More »
After publishing my post on no longer being financially independent, several media outlets picked up the story and thousands of comments on their respective platforms ensued. The main criticism was that my expenses were way too high and that I am greedy. As a result, I thought it would be useful to discuss the impact
Inflation And Greed: The Biggest Wealth Destroyers For Families Read More »
In 2017 and 2019, I superfunded two 529 plans for my two children. Since then, my wife and my parents have also regularly contributed to the two college savings plans. You would think with all this aggressive saving, I would feel confident we’ll have enough saved to pay for college. But I’m still unsure. Given
A 529 Plan Is Not Enough To Pay For College, We Must Save More Read More »
When my kids were born, I made a promise to be a stay-at-home father for the first five years of each of their lives. Mission accomplished with my son in April 2022. But there’s still some time to go before my daughter starts full-time school in Fall 2024 and turns five. Anticipating the completion of
How Parents Can Fill The Void Once Kids Go To School Full-Time Read More »
One of the things I’ve tried to work on since high school is being less judgmental about others. To function efficiently in society, I often have default assumptions about people which can sometimes backfire. I’m also certain that if more people got to know each other there would be less conflict. As a minority who
A Blind Spot About Private School Families: They Aren’t All Rich! Read More »
After successfully replacing her lost passport, my wife finally got to Tokyo, Japan to help her mother out with her mother’s sister’s estate issues. At times, it felt like mission impossible coordinating the trip, booking the hotels, going to the countryside to place the urn, and meeting with another country’s estate planning lawyers. Her mother
The Things We Learn After Being Apart For A While Read More »
During the summer, I like to work odd jobs to remind myself of the importance of hard work and determination. This way, it helps me not take for granted the things that I have today. Since starting Financial Samurai in 2009, I’ve been told countless times that I live in a bubble and I’m out
A Summer Job Landscaping A Rental Property With My Children Read More »
After every tennis match I lost in high school, my father would console me by saying, “You just weren’t good enough.” Those words stung each time I heard them. But they were true. Over time, my dad stopped coming to my matches because I told him the pressure of his gaze wasn’t helpful. With no
The Joy Of Low Expectations: When Nobody Believes In You Read More »
