This newsletter is brought to you by Fundrise, my favorite private real estate investing platform. Fundrise began in 2012 and is an active investor in Sunbelt residential and industrial commercial real estate, where valuations are lower and yields are higher. I've personally invested over $300,000 in Fundrise to diversify my real estate holdings and earn more money passively.
Dear Financial Samurais,
I’m back from Tahoe again—my kids scored another week off, just three weeks after their last break! It was a mixed bag this time. My wife caught a bug after my son did, which dampened the trip. Thankfully, he bounced back in time for two ski school sessions, with a day’s rest between.
Still, all this vacation time has me wondering: Are we getting soft as a nation? If kids grow up with so many school holidays, won’t they feel crushed starting jobs with just one or two weeks off a year?
I remember my first year in banking back in 1999—I took zero days off. Year two? One measly week. The hyper-competitive industry terrified me; skipping work wasn’t an option. As a rookie financial analyst who knew next to nothing, I figured the least I could do was show up, learn fast, and build relationships. Times have changed, though. Today, it’s work-from-home or hybrid setups—awesome perks. But for younger workers, being out of sight might stunt career growth. Visibility still matters.
This got me thinking about the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) lifestyle. Many aspiring early retirees dream of globe-trotting and freedom, but dread kids cramping that vision. I used to share that fear. Now I’m realizing kids have more free time than I thought—and as you age, that itch to travel fades more than you’d expect. Maybe having kids won’t derail your ideal FIRE life after all.
Check out: Having Kids May Not Hurt Your Ideal FIRE Lifestyle After All (link)
In Search of a Better Lifestyle
Speaking of life’s twists, I was set to play doubles tennis Friday night at 8 PM with teammates ahead of Saturday’s match. Driving back from Tahoe that afternoon, the team captain pinged us on WhatsApp to confirm, and I said yes. But by 9 PM, he was a no-show. We texted and called every 15 minutes—no answer. Worried, a friend considered swinging by his place. Then, at 10:12 PM, he finally texted:
“Ugh, sorry guys. I passed out on the couch at 6:30 PM—been up late prepping for interviews. My wife let me sleep since she didn’t know about tennis. I suck. My bad. Drinks on me. Apologies.”
Bummer for us—no game. Worse for him, though—exhausted from job hunting and missing out. We brushed it off and wished him luck. Not a big deal for us as we still got to practice.
However, this mess underscores why saving and investing aggressively is key. Past 40, landing a comparable-paying job gets brutal. You don’t want desperation forcing you into any gig just to pay the bills.
Read: Target Savings Amounts By Age
The Housing Market Is Heating Up
While the stock market stalls—Walmart’s weak guidance last week didn’t help—housing is sizzling. Bidding wars are back in San Francisco, fueled by bonus season and dipping mortgage rates. Take one west-side home I know: It’s in contract for $3.4 million after 12 offers, up from $3.125 million a year ago. Wild!
It’s a five-minute walk to the MUNI station—perfect for a 10-hour office grind—and close to restaurants, shops, and bars. That proximity commands a fat premium. But here’s the irony: You pay big to shorten your commute and splurge on dining and stuff you don’t need, locking yourself into work longer to cover the mortgage.
If you didn’t need MUNI or an office, though, you’d find better, cheaper homes in the same city—no need to flee to another state. I’ve written about this in my proper geoarbitrage post—affordable gems hide in plain sight if you can work remotely or not at all thanks to passive income.
With each passing day of stocks treading water, I’m increasingly convinced housing and bonds will outshine them in 2025. Real estate and bonds have trailed stocks since 2022; a performance reversion feels overdue.
Read:
- A Home Within Walking Distance to Everything Might Not Be the Best Choice (a contrarian take worth considering if you're in the market to buy)
- The Ideal Vacation Property Size Depends on Your Primary Residence (a logical framework if you plan to splurge on something you don't need)
Off To Record My Book
I'll be recording the audio version of my book, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps To Seven Figures this Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday! With Buy This Not That, I recorded just the intro and conclusion. This time around, I've decided to record the whole book. I'm planning on three, four hour sessions. Phew! I hope my voice holds up.
I hope y'all have a great week!
To Your Financial Freedom,
Sam
Listen and subscribe to The Financial Samurai podcast on Apple or Spotify. I interview experts in their respective fields and discuss some of the most interesting topics on this site. Your shares, ratings, and reviews are appreciated.
To expedite your journey to financial freedom, join over 60,000 others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. If you want to receive my articles as soon as they are published, subscribe here.