Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report excludes any salaried income. The purpose of this financial review is to assess the sustainability of my financial independence, focusing solely on the total amount of passive income received. As of 2024 September 1st, I have officially activated my FIRE journey, meaning I am no longer receiving a salary from a traditional job.

Another busy month. A few family members fell sick and took up some of my time. Fortunately, I didn't go down myself. Phew... lucky.

A major project of mine reached its conclusion a few days ago. I didn't expect to finish it before year-end, so I think I'm getting better at this, LOL.

May was a strong month for dividend income, with the banks paying out dividends around the same time. Total dividend income amounted to $5,433.98. Combined with rental and other side income, total income came to $7,912.68.

Expenses remained low, and nothing came up that required significant spending. Safe...

  

As usual, nothing change in the portfolio. 

 

 

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report excludes any salaried income. The purpose of this financial review is to assess the sustainability of my financial independence, focusing solely on the total amount of passive income received. As of 2024 September 1st, I have officially activated my FIRE journey, meaning I am no longer receiving a salary from a traditional job.

Labour Day! I almost forgot today is a public holiday—oops!

It’s been a long, drawn-out month with some lingering illness; I only managed to recover last week. Hmm… April is always a strange month with various things going on. Ah well.

After a strong March, the dividends for April amounted to $1,237.45. Together with rental income and other sources, the total came to $3,708.59. Not too bad as a start to the new quarter. Still, I can see a difference compared to past records—the dividend income is lower this year. It looks like global events are affecting it as well.

 

The portfolio remains unchanged. There’s not much I can adjust at the moment, aside from the rising cash holdings.

 

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report excludes any salaried income. The purpose of this financial review is to assess the sustainability of my financial independence, focusing solely on the total amount of passive income received. As of 2024 September 1st, I have officially activated my FIRE journey, meaning I am no longer receiving a salary from a traditional job.

A difficult month—I was struck down by a lingering, dull illness. Although it wasn’t serious, it caused me to lose some focus on my work. Entering my 50s, I’m beginning to experience changes in my body… age is catching up.

On the brighter side, it was a strong month for dividend income, totaling $6,912.31. This certainly helps to offset the past two slower months.

The tenancy agreement was also renewed for another year, securing a steady stream of rental income. The rental amount remains unchanged.

This brings the total for the first quarter to $16,292.77, which averages about $5,430 per month.

  

Cash holding received a small boast due to a strong dividend income. 

 

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report excludes any salaried income. The purpose of this financial review is to assess the sustainability of my financial independence, focusing solely on the total amount of passive income received. As of 2024 September 1st, I have officially activated my FIRE journey, meaning I am no longer receiving a salary from a traditional job.

Well, Chinese New Year has come and gone, and it’s a new month again. Things are moving faster for me as my own projects have started to fast-forward into Stage 2. But… I still estimate it will take around 4–5 more years to complete—if it works out.

Dividend income has begun for this month after the cold month of January, amounting to $1,760.73, which is somewhat lower compared to last February. Rental income remains stable, as it is set for another one-year renewal.

 

The war chest has reached 25%. The lack of salaried income has slowed down its buildup. The wait is still ongoing.

 

 

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report excludes any salaried income. The purpose of this financial review is to assess the sustainability of my financial independence, focusing solely on the total amount of passive income received. As of 2024 September 1st, I have officially activated my FIRE journey, meaning I am no longer receiving a salary from a traditional job.

16 months since I exit the workforce. Life........been very very very busy..... I should tone down...but why I got endless stuffs to do.......? LOL.

With Chinese New Year approaching, many of my friends are in panic mode. LOL. Well, not me, I don’t celebrate Chinese New Year.

Still, some expenses are expected in the coming weeks as the doomsday approaches.

So, it’s a cold month for dividend income: only $184.38. Rental income, however, is holding up for the month of January.

 

The portfolio remains unchanged. Not much has been happening locally, except that retail sales have not been doing well, with several old-timer retail shops ceasing operations. This may impact retail REITs.

Some high performers, like the three local banks, are on a mad run, pushing prices up. But as usual, I wait.

 

 

Monthly Financial Updates

Well, a new year.

It doesn’t really feel like a new day of the year, though. Ah… well…

The last dividend income for 2025 amounted to $5,609.75. This brings the final quarter of the year to $14,872.38, which works out to an average of about $4,957 per month. Slightly lower than usual, but expenses are kept low, so everything is still in order.

So, what’s next for this year?

Some are expecting a correction in the market. The stock market—especially blue chips—has been going up like mad. For the first time, I’ve seen a major bank like DBS break the $50 price level. I sense a throttle point coming at some stage. For now, I’ll be holding back and sticking to the existing approach until I see something else.

 

The REITs sector was slightly reduced as the latest REIT, Fraser Hospitality, was removed from my holdings. Cash reserves are still increasing slowly despite losing the consistent inflow from my previous daytime job. The watch is still on.

 

Year-End Resolution: Life is Short

Year 2025 Christmas Orchard Road

Another year gone. So what have I learnt?

Life is short. Very short. About 50 years only.

When I was young, I didn’t really feel it. Only when the limits of mortality start to show, then I realise how short life actually is. Stairs that I used to climb two steps at a time, now I need to hold the handrail. The fine details on miniature models that I could see clearly before are now blurred. The body is deteriorating, and time is running out.

How many things have I not done yet? Many. Too many. So many things I still want to do, and I keep wondering how much time I still have to do them.

Time flies, and here I am at the end of another year.

It has been 16 months since I exited the workforce, and I never looked back. Some people expected me to change physically—especially the stomach. LOL. But nothing changed. Some think that now I am very free, so they start to take advantage of me. But the truth is, just because I exited the workforce doesn’t mean I stopped working. I only moved from one stage to another. Now, I work for myself.

Some people thought I started my own business. When I told them no, I’m just doing my own things and there’s no income tied to it, they find it very hard to believe.

I suppose it’s quite natural to assume that someone who can exit the workforce early must be very rich—wah, very rich ah. But honestly, I’m not rich. I just learnt enough financial literacy to find a way out of the cycle, and I managed to do it by 50. Still, more than half my life is already gone. It took a long journey to get here. Now the best I can do is to make full use of whatever time I have left to finish the things I need—and want—to do before the end comes. 

Just yesterday, I managed to complete the first stage of a project that took me one year. Personally, I still feel it’s not good enough, so there’s more work to be done in the new year. I also received notification that endorsements for some of my earlier work have been cleared and will likely go live next year. It’s a start. From there, I’ll see how far I can go—
or rather, not how far I can go, but to go as far as I can.

 So, everyone—if there’s something you want to do, and you can afford to do it, just do it. Life is too short to live with regret.

 

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report excludes any salaried income. The purpose of this financial review is to assess the sustainability of my financial independence, focusing solely on the total amount of passive income received. As of 2024 September 1st, I have officially activated my FIRE journey, meaning I am no longer receiving a salary from a traditional job.

Well, the year is ending soon and Christmas is near. This is my second Christmas since I exited the workforce. November has been a very busy month for me, with multiple projects going on at the same time. I never seem to run out of things to do… ah… life is so short.

Dividend income amounted to $1,366.92 for November. Most of the household income was supplemented by returns from other investments. We should expect to see more expenses in December, it usually the month with the highest expenses—well, it is the holiday season and the spending season. Lol.

 

Portfolio remains unchanged. An analysis report says that the STI may hit 5,000 points in 2026. That’s pretty crazy if it really does.

 

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report excludes any salaried income. The purpose of this financial review is to assess the sustainability of my financial independence, focusing solely on the total amount of passive income received. As of 2024 September 1st, I have officially activated my FIRE journey, meaning I am no longer receiving a salary from a traditional job.

Well, the year is coming to an end. Things have been on and off for me, nothing big. It’s been 13 months since my departure from the workforce, and I’m still unable to finish my stuff... time feels so short.

It’s a cold month for dividend income, only $469.37. Added with others, the total comes to $2,947.02. Expenses still maintain around $2,000; in fact, I suspect we’re spending less than before. Maybe it’s age, not much craving for fancy food anymore. I still go for nice coffee at cafés though. :)

 

The portfolio underwent a bit of adjustment after one of the counters was delisted. Cash holdings have increased, but overall growth is much slower than before, as I no longer receive additional income from a salary.

 

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report excludes any salaried income. The purpose of this financial review is to assess the sustainability of my financial independence, focusing solely on the total amount of passive income received. As of 2024 September 1st, I have officially activated my FIRE journey, meaning I am no longer receiving a salary from a traditional job.

Health issues hit in September, leading to increased medical expenses. Well... not much we can do about it except hope for a speedy recovery.

On a brighter note, it was another "fat" month for dividend income — totaling $6,947.35.
Combined with other income sources, the total came to $9,426.93.

This wraps up the third quarter of the year, with an average monthly income of $7,346, which is higher than previous averages.

 

A counter in my portfolio was delisted and dumped a huge army into my cash holdings. Well, anyone who's been keeping track of REITs probably knows which one. Heeheehee.

So, did I gain any profits? Well, I did — but not much, since my purchase price wasn’t exactly impressive. This has slightly reduced my exposure to REITs.