Merry Christmas to all those celebrating today! I hope you’re able to spend quality time with family and/or friends, get everything you asked Santa for, and get a memorable day of fun and relaxation. It’s probably a bit odd reading a personal finance post on Christmas, but as I’ve only missed a weekly post once or twice in the past 7 years (no joke), I thought I’d do a simple post reflecting a bit on 2019 and saying thank you!

A busy 2019 I’ve had

2019 has been a busy year for me personally. Mrs. Money and I welcomed our first child, BabyMoneyFinane (not actual name) in February. I wrote a few reflections on it earlier in the year if you want to review, but it’s been an incredible ride. I absolutely love being a Dad and it’s been my absolute joy to give baths, wash bottles and drive to doctors appointments. I’m in the middle of some paternity leave right now and have loved being able to spend a lot more time with family without having to focus on work. Highlight was a trip to the aquarium (hey, kids under 3 are free!) just me and BabyMoneyFinance, such a blast!

I also got settled into my day job, and have been there about 14 months so far. It’s amazing a) working for a great company and b) doing a job that I love. I legitimately love what I do and it’s so incredible finding a job that I feel matches my skill set perfectly (aside from blogging about personal finance). 

From a personal finance perspective we were able to continue saving, although not at the crazy 33% rate we did pre-baby. Mrs. Money and I are both saving about 15% for retirement, and I’m contributing to my company’s employee stock purchase program. We’re trying to both have fun now and save up to have fun in the future! 

Reflections on the blog

The good news is that I still haven’t lost my passion for blogging about personal finance matters, and I enjoy sharing my thoughts, experiences and advice with readers! I’ve had a fair amount of success with sponsored posts, and as someone told me early on, I’ve made it ‘big time’ as a blogger being able to pay for the hosting fees. I maintain editorial control over any sponsored posts, ensure they fit with the YMF brand and call it out as being sponsored, and I feel good about it! I had a number of big articles this year, like how I eat a PB&J everyday, my interview with a ‘real life real estate investor’, planning for maternity leave (thanks Mrs. Money Finance) and a post on the importance of spending money. I’m excited about 2020 and see what year 8 will bring for the blog! 

Thank You!

Finally, I did want to pause and express my thanks and gratitude to you, my readers! You are the reason I continually blog each week. Thank you for continuing to read what I have to say, thank you for telling your friends and family about the blog, thank you for reaching out via email, Facebook or in-person, thank you for checking out our store with the guides and thank you for accompanying me on this journey towards financial freedom!