My Top 3 Financial Articles Of 2024
#1--The 20-Year Rule To Investing
We are finally at what has been, personally, a very busy year.
2024 feels like a major transition year for me:
I returned from paternity leave after my wife and I had our second child last year.
We bought a new house—which, when you live in Canada and have two kids, is an extremely stressful, borderline traumatic experience.
Working at my day job as an economist has never been busier.
I still somehow find time to keep reading research papers about money and writing a post for you all every Monday.
I’m very excited to continue helping my readers use money to live their best lives in 2025. This will likely be my last post of 2024, and I'm gearing up to start strong in 2025.
So, I thought I would cap off the year by reviewing the top three most-read articles on MOAM In 2024.
#3—You Don't Have to Be Rich to Save Money
Starting things off, we have a post that focuses on the psychological aspects of money.
While it’s true that building wealth starts with earning enough money to comfortably cover your basic needs, simply having a high income doesn’t guarantee success.
Your self-belief matters just as much—believing you can manage your money effectively and feeling optimistic about your financial future can increase your chances of actually saving and making the most of what you earn.
In other words, if you focus on growing your income and cultivating a positive, confident attitude toward your finances, you’ll be better equipped to stick to your plan, build your savings, and achieve true financial success over the long term.
In this article, I review research that will help you do that:
#2—How To Achieve More Every Day Without Needing To Sacrifice Sleep
Something I am going to get back into in 2025 is writing more about the research behind productivity.
All wealth starts with income—and one of the most proven ways to boost your income is by increasing your level of output.
That’s likely why readers kept coming back to this article, where I discuss getting more done—without putting in more hours.
In this article, I reviewed research that showed the benefits of long-term goals and short-term prioritization in improving productivity.
The research suggests you’ll gain more mental energy by tackling difficult, high-value tasks first—rather than just easy “quick wins”—and by prioritizing what’s both urgent and important.
I also discuss how planning your day with clear “if this, then that” rules to stay on track can help you stay focused on those most important tasks.
#1—The 20-Year Rule To Investing
Typically, I try to incorporate as little personal opinion into my writing as possible and stick to the research.
I also deliberately avoid judging how anyone reading my work might be managing their money. However, in this article, I added a bit more spice to my presentation by discussing how some people invest their money like toddlers.
How do I describe a toddler investor?
They can’t sit still
Only focus on what is directly in front of them
They change their minds every five seconds.
They freak out when things don’t appear to be going their way
In this article, I will tell you how to invest like a grown-up and why grown-up investors tend to win in the long run.
I hope you have an amazing holiday and New Year.
See you in 2025!
Cheers,
Ben
This article is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered Financial or Legal Advice. Not all information will be accurate. Consult a financial professional before making any significant financial decisions.