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.

 

 

 

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.

Today is 1st September, the exact date I officially exited the workforce a year ago.

So yes, it’s been a full year. But strangely, it doesn’t feel like much has changed. I still go out on weekdays to do my own work, the difference now is that I do it at my own pace, and on my own terms.

I recently had a buffet lunch with many of my ex-colleagues. They were surprised to see that I haven’t changed at all. Some joked they expected me to have grown a “retirement belly” by now. LOL.

The truth is, I’ve remained active even after leaving the workforce. This is something I often tell friends who are thinking about retirement: retire with purpose, not just because you hate your boss or your job. Even a simple motivation, like wanting to spend more time with your family, is a powerful reason. Life is short. You either spend it chasing money, or creating quality moments with the people you love.

Simple? Not quite.

Many people can’t do it. Some are held back by fear, others by financial constraints. I too once struggled with doubts, especially the fear of losing my identity once I left the working world. But what I’ve come to realize is that I was never truly defined by that identity. Deep down, something in me had already shifted long before I handed in my resignation. That shift is what led me down the path of financial independence. So when I left, I left with purpose, not with regret.

Now, for the updates.

It’s been a “fat” month for dividend income — totaling $6,063.63.
Combined with other income sources, the total came up to $8,639.28.

As usual, our expenses remained steady. We continue to spend only on essentials, keeping things simple and intentional.

So yes, it’s the one-year anniversary of my FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early).
No regrets. Just gratitude and purpose. 

Cash holdings have increased slightly with the recent dividend payouts.
Now, I’m waiting to see what happens with one of my counters, Frasers Hospitality Trust (Frasers HT) and whether it will be privatized.

The offer price is significantly higher than my original purchase price, so it's looking positive.
Let’s see how it plays out.

 

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.

Time passed—almost a year into FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early). So, how has life been as a retiree?
Busy... busy... busy... busy... busy.

I start doing my own things, and before I know it, the sky has already grown dark—and I see my tasks still unfinished. There never seems to be enough time. 😞 Life is indeed short.

It was a cold month for dividend income—only $135.63. But household income was supplemented by various sources, mainly a steady stream of rental income, along with the timely maturity of yet another fixed deposit. Altogether, the total still added up to $3,974.17.

 

Nothing much has changed in the portfolio. However, one of the counters—Frasers Hospitality Trust—has received an offer from a potential buyer. The price offered seems a bit on the low side. Well, let's see how it goes.

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.

This month marked a special milestone, it's been a year since I decided to activate my FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) journey. Time really flies. Surprisingly, I have no regrets. I do sometimes wonder where I’d be if I were still working a regular 8-to-5 job. Most likely, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish as much as I have over the past year. And so, the journey continues.

This month, dividend income amounted to $4,491.20. A fixed deposit also matured in June, adding an additional $641.13. However, the renewal interest rate for another year was much lower compared to last year, so we can expect a reduced interest return next year.

Altogether, with other passive income sources included, the total for the month came to $7,692.79. This brings the second quarter total to $19,985.65. Hmm… pretty sure we exceeded $20K, but either way, this averages out to $6,661 per month. This is much higher than expected.

  

The portfolio remain unchanged. Very quiet market.