2024 (Personal) Year In Review

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“GLUG GLUG GLUG”

That’s the sound of me chugging a HUGE glass of water.

Hells bells looking after two toddlers is hard.

AND it’s only day 2.

By that I mean, MiniFrugalSamurai and BabyFrugalSamurai are off daycare for a couple of weeks given it’s the “holiday” season.

And as MrsFrugalSamurai is still rostered on at her work… guess who has the honour of looking after those two fkwits preciouses?

Yesterday (day 1) was OK… but today (day 2) was an absolute struggle.

I just want the holidays to be over ASAP so normal service can resume PUHLEAZ.

It’s 10:53pm and I’ve FINALLY got a moment to breathe.

I was gonna chill out and binge on the socials – but then realized that oh shit… it’s Christmas EVE.

WOW how time flies.

And as everyone is fast asleep, I thought – hey why not update the blog, and perhaps reflect on the year which has been for yours truly.

Not a bad idea to take your foot off the gas and look in the rearview once in a while methinks.

So without further ado…

Family

First cab off the rank is also the most important.

Ask anyone who knows me, and they will tell you first and foremost that I am a funny family man.

Despite what I may say (type), everything I do is for my family.

La familia 

And this year was no different.

MrsFrugalSamurai and I basically uprooted our lives and moved from one end of Sydney to the other, for the kids.

Truth be told, we didn’t like how MiniFrugalSamurai’s previous childcare was taking (or not taking) care of him despite it being rated one of the best in the area.

Hence the search for a decent daycare led us to move to the North Shore – where I’d have to say both kids are doing well.

They’ve got their lil mates, get the usual round of kudos from teachers and generally seem to just do what kids do.

As a parent, you can’t really ask for too much more right?

Relationship 

I love my wife.

I can say that – not because it’s a cliched thing to say, but truthfully – she is my best friend, and I’d like to think I am hers.

There’s no one more caring, comedic and chaotic I’d spend this thing called life with.

This year has been absolutely nutso, and she’s given me the time and space to do my own thing and been there in support every step of the way.

What else do you NEED?

Oh and also, another area which I was trying to work on from last year was to be more social and I think I’ve overcompensated on that front for 2024.

It seems like every single week there’s something going on for us, mostly to do with the kids – bdays, meetups, playdates, joint holidays – it’s a fking whirlwind.

Basically I resolved to say “yes” as much as possible to social events, which is a 180 degree turn from yesteryears.

It’s fun. It’s exhausting. It’s highly recommended.

Career

Ha! What career?

Long time readers of the blog would know that earlier this year, my previous workplace (a big 4 bank) decided in its infinite wisdom to restructure everyone.

Given I already like the way I am, I politely declined said restructure, took voluntary redundancy, started my own mortgage business and haven’t looked back.

After 17 years slaving away in the system, attending meaningless meetings, speaking meaningless corporate-speak (if someone says “TOUCH BASE” ONE MORE TIME I AM PUTTING A BULLET IN THEIR HEAD, THAT AND “BIG ROCKS” #*^&@#$ AND MARGINAL GAINS – GET FUCKED), it was one huge relief to come out and work for yourself.

But doesn’t working for yourself means you have pressure someone asked me the other day?

Yeah, but working for someone else also means you have pressure.

Life is just one big pressure cooker, just depends on how you play it.

And honestly man, the business is going swimmingly – it’s never going to be one exponential ride up, but MARGINAL GAINS BABY – WAGMI.

(Self-plug, if you need any assistance with residential or commercial lending – home loans, investment loans, business loans, SMSF loans, car loans, etc just email: admin@vemscapital.com)

Net Wealth

This year has been pretty steady when it comes to net wealth, in the last couple of years I’ve not added any investment properties or made any huge moves on that front.

Chiefly because, as you may already know – I just don’t think the risk/reward ratio for real estate is favourable at the moment.

I guess the only thing that moved the needle significantly was the sale of our former primary residence (which we bought during COVID) earlier this year.

But then we had to take out a bigger mortgage for this current place so it kind of evens itself out I spose?

Speaking of property, I have to disclose I was actively involved in selling not one, two, three but FOUR properties this year on behalf of family.

By active I mean – renovating (either DIY or project manage at various levels), doing DD, sourcing agents, handling negotiations, and all the BS in between.

The most stressful period hands down, was renovating two houses at once (current and former residence), one to prep for moving in, one to prep for moving on – at opposite ends of Sydney.

Doing it with two toddlers at day-care. Battling peak hour Sydney traffic everyday. Managing multiple tradies. AND holding down a full time job.

My blaise description of said time period doesn’t do it justice – but I just want to delete that painful memory from my mind.

Apart from running around in circles in the property market – special mention to my lil super fund, it’s now touched $300k!

I know I barely talk about super on this blog, but it IS important, and the more I age, the more I am being cognizant of this.

I’m chuffed that the super balance is 2-3x what the average amount needed for retirement is. Though I’m not aiming to rely on it –  but it does tickle one’s ego.

One area of my ego which does need to be tickled is the cryptocurrency portfolio – which is down about 40% at this stage, mainly because my main “bag” is in one shitcoin (which is crypto parlance for it not ever coming back) and that one’s sunk faster than the RMS Titanic on a cold night in the North Atlantic.

But hey – they say 2025 will be a big year, so who knows right? I’m just hoping for a 1x at this stage…

~~~

That’s pretty much it I think, unless I can think of anything else… nah I think that’ll do.

I’m honestly a little nostalgic to see 2024 disappear, twas a full on year – full of memories, cherished or not.

I laughed a lot, bled a lot, ran around a lot and heck even cried a lot “LORD GIVE ME STRENGTH”.

But have to say I am excited and can’t wait to see what 2025 will bring.

And oh look, the clock’s ticked over to Christmas Day.

So as is customary – here’s wishing you and yours a MERRY CHRISTMAS and WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!

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P.S. Every post is the personal opinion of yours truly, please seek your own personal financial advice regarding your own personal circumstances.