Sydney

Principal writer for @Untemplater, Keep reaching for your dreams! Friend me on FB,

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Y Combinator Demo Day: The Quest To Invest In The Best Startups https://t.co/ma2foXyYyY

What it's actually like inside @YCombinator Demo Day, from someone trying to write first checks. The energy, the founders, the etiquette, and why I'm betting on @junocompanion.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Stop Waiting For Permission To Build A Fortune https://t.co/YCav85tm9u

It's been 20 years since I got my MBA, and one thing is clear: credentials matter less than ever. You can just do things now, build something real, make an impact, maybe even a fortune.

The only question is whether you'll take the leap, or spend your life wondering what if.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Distribution May Be The Last Moat: 17 Years Of Financial Samurai https://t.co/Tx8rdZTU1C

After 17 years, I figured AI was finally going to bury Financial Samurai. It did the opposite.

The one thing AI can't scrape: distribution, trust, and authority built over almost two decades. A new chapter begins.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Risky Exit Liquidity: Why I'm Passing On The SpaceX IPO https://t.co/jNfUxcBQc5

Did you ever dream of growing up to be someone's exit liquidity? Probably not.

But that's what buying a hot IPO makes you. SpaceX goes public June 12 at the highest valuation multiple in IPO history.

I helped take 100+ companies public on Wall Street, and I'm passing. But if you want to YOLO, go right ahead. You never know until you try.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

How to Use Bad Housing Data to Negotiate a Lower Price https://t.co/xG8Zgfrsh2

Bad & stale housing data is everywhere. As a buyer who wants the lowest price possible, use it to argue your case. Do it right and you could easily save 1-5% off your next home.

Lean into FEAR 😱

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

From Doom Loop to Boom Loop: A San Francisco Story https://t.co/hBfYdxaY3h

People kept asking if San Francisco was safe to visit. I was walking and driving the streets every day wondering what they were talking about.

The doom loop narrative was always more fiction than fact. The people who stayed and kept investing quietly set themselves up for a fortune. Now it's boom times.

Here's what really happened.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

How To Overcome Financial Despair For Good https://t.co/hWjmmdWbqB

Good times never last forever. Sooner or later, you'll feel a type of financial despair you've never felt before.

With the stock market hitting record highs, I figured I'd go the other way and help us mentally prepare for the inevitable downturn.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Suffer Now, Thrive Later: Relish Working Brutal Hours Early in Life https://t.co/Ddxn0R1td7

If you can suffer more now, you gain more freedom later. Resist the temptation to work from home and play pickleball all day. Embrace those 60+ hour workweeks. Your future self will thank you.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Of Course $10 Million Is Enough To Retire Early, Don't Be Crazy https://t.co/myjzu6R9f3

Apparently, some of you think $10 mil is not enough to retire early and live free. That is nuts.

What is going on here? Have we all collectively lost our minds? Let's do some math. #FIRE

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

The Multi-Million Dollar Home That Ate Your FIRE Number https://t.co/b3cv0X0olt

The reason I can't convince anyone to FIRE in real life comes down to one thing: the desire for more. And the first place that desire shows up once the money starts flowing is housing.

Home prices have an almost unlimited ceiling, which means no matter how much you make, there will always be a nicer, more expensive home calling your name. The only way off that treadmill is to decide you're done with it.

Let's look at some recent San Francisco home sale examples that will either make you feel rich or poor.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Time Fixes Most Financial Mistakes Because You Grow Richer https://t.co/aQOykHyFpA

Most financial mistakes feel catastrophic in the moment.

Then 10 years pass, your investments compound, your income rises, and the mistake barely matters anymore.

Keep going.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Dads No Longer Need To Feel Guilty Neglecting Their Children For Money https://t.co/veD8J7YN3R

To all the dads who skip drop-offs, avoid homework time, and choose tennis or work trips instead, good news! You’re more involved than ever before. So drop that guilt, if you ever had any.

Although some moms may be rolling their eyes, the data is the data. Trophy time! 🏆@AzizSunderji @DKThomp

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Use Your Excess Stock Market Gains to Actually Change Your Life https://t.co/80K6zWKOOi

Your plain vanilla S&P 500 portfolio is up 100% in just 3.5 years. About 60% of those gains are excess.

Will you recognize your good fortune? And more importantly, will you use it to actually improve your life

Sadly, most will not, and that's a big problem. But maybe you will be different. Let's see.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

The Rise of Arrogant Listing Agents in A Hot Real Estate Market https://t.co/9eJOnRfFzb

One downside of good times? Success can inflate egos. When markets are hot and money is flowing, some people start acting entitled, arrogant, and dismissive toward others.

I recently had a jarring real estate experience that became a powerful teachable moment for my young kids and an important lesson for sellers about who represents their home.

Have you noticed an uptick in egos and attitude?

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Giving Up My Sports Club Membership Despite the Health Benefits https://t.co/8UERxUJCQq

First cable. Then driving less. Now my sports club.

I keep simplifying, and I'll tell you why. The reason for my cutbacks might actually be a BULLISH economic indicator.

Do you agree? 🐂

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Be Safe and Live: Don't Work in AI When the Revolution Comes https://t.co/QCFHoAm9qO

So you're getting rich working for an AI company. Congrats!

However, when the uprising comes, and it will, you don't want to have any trace that you were part of destroying millions of people's livelihoods. Based on history, you've been warned.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

How To Convince Yourself To Invest Aggressively For A Better Tomorrow https://t.co/J48GFMixEu

Yes, you only live once, and spending money on vacations, cars, clothes, watches, and great experiences can feel amazing in the moment. But I’m telling you, NOTHING beats having freedom.

Freedom to walk away from a job you no longer enjoy. Freedom to spend more time with family. Freedom to live life on your terms. Here are strategies to help you invest more aggressively for a better tomorrow.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Investing More Than The Gift Tax Exclusion Limit Shouldn’t Be A Problem https://t.co/9h0AVMdeG9

The annual gift tax exclusion limit is $19,000 in 2026. But what if you contribute and invest more than that for your child’s custodial account or 529 plan? Don’t worry, you likely won’t owe a penalty.

In fact, if you have excess capital, I’d encourage you to give and invest more for their future.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

My Wife Took The Kids And Left Me - Thoughts Appreciated https://t.co/Z4ouZMDPEM

Sadly, my wife took the kids and left. We all know about the roughly 50% divorce rate, but I never thought we’d be one of those couples.

I’ve been a stay-at-home dad since our kids were born in 2017 and 2019, while also providing for our family financially. Even so, it wasn’t enough, and I wanted to share what I’m going through.

If you’ve experienced a difficult breakup, I’d appreciate hearing how you got through it.

[Sam ⚔️ Financial Samurai @financialsamura]

Let’s play a game called Guess The Final Sales Price.

What do you think this renovated 5-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom, 4,530 sqft corner-lot home sells for? It’s on a relatively busy street in Cole Valley, San Francisco with a small yard, on a slightly larger-than-standard 3,057 lot size.

I’m estimating about $700,000 - $1 million in remodeling cost.