RBD’s Best of 2024

Today’s article is a recap of the year’s most popular articles and videos. Many, you may have missed it. 

Look for new articles, videos, book giveaways, and podcast appearances in 2025.

Happy Holidays!

Craig

How I’m Simplifying my Portfolio for Retirement

Early in the year, TD Bank interviewed me about how I’m simplifying my portfolio in retirement. More than 80 of you attended the live video discussion. 

TD Bank and I plan to record a second session in February. We’ll be discussing retail investor access to venture capital investments and IPOs.

Read more: How I’m Simplifying my Portfolio for Retirement (the video interview is embedded at the bottom)

Live to 100. Work to 100.

One of the main themes of my content this year reflects my transition from an aspiring early retiree to someone who enjoys their career. 

Charlie Munger and Henry Kissinger both died in 2024, but their enduring work ethic lasted until their final days. 

Read more: Live to 100. Work to 100.

The Problem with a “Forever Home” Mindset in Retirement

This article came from my parents’ experience of living in an unsuitable home for too long. 

Several RBD readers and casual visitors from around the internet emailed with similar experiences. 

Housing is a critical retirement planning component that can cause physical and mental challenges. 

Read more: The Problem with a “Forever Home” Mindset in Retirement

Dividend Growth Investing with Ben Reynolds of Sure Dividend

Ben Reynolds is a long-time investing blogger and curator of the Sure Dividend Newsletter.

He and I spoke in a podcast-like format on YouTube about the 8 rules of dividend investing and blogging, and he shared three stock picks.

This was a new content style for me, and I enjoyed the process and outcome.

Read more: Dividend Growth Investing with Ben Reynolds 

NEW VIDEO: Just this week, I published a new video walkthrough of the Sure Dividend Newsletter. Watch it on YouTube.

DIY Retirement Planning Tools

Those of us who shun the thought of ever using a financial advisor have more tools at our disposal to make data-driven financial decisions. 

I’ve focused several content pieces on Boldin and ProjectionLab, which are powerful DIY planning tools on par with or better than what an advisor uses. 

My video content on these topics has struck a positive chord on YouTube; thus, I’ve continued creating more videos on them.

Furthermore, I know the founders of both companies and these products support the education I provide through my content channels. I consider these products to be win-win-wins — excellent value for my audience, support for companies spreading DIY financial wellness, and aligned with my business. 

Expect to see more content that utilizes these tools to illustrate key concepts in retirement planning. 

The Creation Mindset

I republished several vintage articles this year. These often resurface in my mind because of recent economic events or in light of my evolving personal situation. 

I revisited one such topic, The Creation Mindset, through a new lens as a full-time entrepreneur. This article also led to a podcast appearance on the Earn & Invest show with Jordan Grumet, aka DocG. 

Listen to the podcast. 

YouTube

YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google, and consumers want more videos.

Though I know my audience is more inclined to read articles, attracting a growing audience required me to go to video after at least six years of trepidation.

But now that I’m all in, I’m really enjoying the format and intend to keep making videos and learning how to improve them.

I’m within 50 subscribers of hitting 1,000. Please subscribe to help me get over the milestone!

IPOs and Venture Capital

RBD is one of two of my websites. I also run a blog about ordinary investors accessing IPOs and venture capital investments (pre-IPO startups). 

I spun Access IPOs off of RBD because this kind of investing is not for most people. 

However, I find it fascinating. Every week, I discover a new startup that is making technology waves around the globe. I write about AI, quantum computing, climate technologies, financial technologies, energy, robotics, and much more. 

As startups stay private longer (SpaceX, for example, is now worth $350 billion and is still private), ordinary investors want access. 

I help those ordinary investors get access to the most innovative startups. 

Check out Access IPOs if you’re curious about emerging technologies and the companies behind them. My newsletter is 1,700 people strong. Join us. 

Online Course

Many of you have signed up to be the first to know about what’s in store for RBD in the future. A key 2025 project is developing an online course to help DIY investors manage their retirement money. 

This is a long-term project that is taking longer than I anticipated! You’ll likely see a free email and video “mini-course” before I release the main course. There is still lots of work to do, but I plan to make this a primary focus in 2025. 

Stay tuned. 

Conclusion

Thanks for being an RBD reader and subscriber. Happy New Year!

Featured photo by Jon Tyson via Unsplash

Craig Stephens

Craig is a former IT professional who left his 19-year career to be a full-time finance writer. A DIY investor since 1995, he started Retire Before Dad in 2013 as a creative outlet to share his investment portfolios. Craig studied Finance at Michigan State University and lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and three children. Read more.