Shu Matsuo Post, 38, has built a real estate portfolio worth $2 million, according to documents obtained by CNBC Make It.
Courtesy of Shu Matsuo Post
The term financial independence can mean different things to different people, but a common definition is having enough money to no longer depend on a job, a salary, or anyone else for your livelihood.
While the path to financial independence can be daunting, there is a proven method that leads to success: live below your means and invest what you save.
That's exactly what Shu Matsuo Post did to achieve the freedom he has today. Over the course of about seven years, the 38-year-old consistently invested more than 50% of his and his wife's combined income in real estate investments.
Matsuo Post now owns a real estate portfolio valued at $2 million, consisting of six rental properties in the U.S. and three in Japan, according to documents obtained by CNBC Make It.
“I'm very happy to say that, but I don't have to work for money,” Matsuo Post told CNBC Make It. “I like making money, but I can focus on what I want to do… it's the other way around.”
Today, Matsuo Post lives in Japan with his wife and two children. In addition to managing his investments, he also creates online educational content about real estate investing and runs his own consulting company, Post FI, which helps foreigners buy property in Japan.
Start of real estate investment
Matsuo Post's path to financial independence was not a straight line. He changed careers several times, working in industries such as journalism, retail and technology before entering the real estate industry.
Born and raised in Japan, he moved to the United States at age 15 and ended up staying for about eight years to study and begin his career. After his stay in the United States, Matsuo Post also worked in Hong Kong for several years before settling back in Japan with his wife Christina seven years ago.
After their wedding in 2017, Matsuo Post and his wife decided to combine their finances. When they started investing, they focused primarily on index funds and ETFs, but ultimately decided to invest more actively rather than waiting for stock market returns.
“We found properties and kept talking about it until we decided we could live on one income,” Matsuo told Post. They decided to live off Christina's income as a teacher and saved Shu's entire salary for their first property.
“We were very fortunate to be able to do this because we had relatively well-paying jobs at the time and had quite a bit of savings,” Matsuo told Post. The couple ended up saving over $250,000 before investing in their first property, he said.
In 2018, Matsuo Post and his wife purchased their first property – a duplex in Minnesota – for a total of $216,500, according to documents obtained by CNBC Make It. Just a year later, he bought three more rental properties in Minnesota and New York.
Leaving the corporate world
In September 2022, Matsuo Post was laid off after his company closed the business department he worked in. But after evaluating his finances, he realized it was no longer necessary to look for another office job.
“After I was fired from the startup, I had the choice of returning to the corporate world or starting something [of my own]Matsuo told Post. Ultimately, he decided he wanted to spend more time with his family, so he decided to leave the corporate world for good.
Shortly after his release, Matsuo Post launched his YouTube channel, which has over 100,000 subscribers, and in 2023 he founded his real estate consulting company Post FI, or Post “Financial Independence.”
“I'm never going back,” Matsuo told Post. “Achieving financial independence is absolutely important, but retiring and never having to work again – that's not what I wanted, I realized. I wanted a dedicated job that I didn't have to retire from.”
“If it makes money, great. And if it doesn't, that's OK too, because you have other sources of income to support your lifestyle,” he said.
3 tips for financial independence
When asked about the guiding principles he followed to achieve financial independence, Post said:
- Invest in yourself first. Read books, attend seminars and learn from others who have already achieved similar goals to you.
- Increase your earning potential. Saving won't make you rich, but it will give you money that will help you take bigger risks with higher potential payouts.
- Stay frugal. Save more than 50% of your income.
Want to get your money under control this fall? Sign up for CNBC's new online course to learn practical strategies to help you budget, get out of debt, and grow your wealth. Start feeling more confident and successful today. Use code EARLYBIRD for an introductory 30% discount. This discount is valid now through September 30, 2024, which is back-to-school season.
Also, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success in business, money and life.