Thursday, 3 August 2023

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report does not include any salaried income. The basis for this monthly financial review is to gauge the sustainability status of my financial independence based on the total amount of passive income received.

A busy month, exploring some new stuffs. LOL.

Dividends income amounted to $913.04. Other investments comes in together as well making this start of the 3rd quarter fatter than usual. Total amount plus the rental income = $4958.68. A good start. Things are looking well. Somehow.......

Portfolio remains unchanged. Nothing interesting happening in the market. So, hold and wait. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz


Saturday, 1 July 2023

This monthly report does not include any salaried income. The basis for this monthly financial review is to gauge the sustainability status of my financial independence based on the total amount of passive income received. 

Things appear to be moving toward chaos!!!! Ahem. Just kidding. :). The global situation still remains unclear, and no signs of economic recovery. In fact, the way I see. It is just holding on on itself from collapsing. There seem to be no good news nowadays. Gloomy period isn't it? Well, life still goes on. At least, at individual level we have to try to get things moving toward our direction. If we let everything be, and ended lead by nose by others. We will may lose the direction. 

Passive income for June was $6,368.17 which was much more than I thought. The portfolio review which I have done previously appeared to have pay off well, leading to a more consistent returns, This is the element which I wanted to achieve for my portfolio. Sustainability leading to consistency in monthly returns which may one day replace my salary.  

Would that be enough for retirement? It depends. Adjustments will comes naturally when you become aware that you are no longer relying on fixed income salary, and earning lesser than before. This is the mindset which all should cultivate before pressing the 'THAT'S IT' button. LOL.

Portfolio remains unchanged, with gradual increase in cash holdings. The wait goes on.................zzzz




Friday, 2 June 2023

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly report does not include any of the salaried income. The basis for this monthly financial review is to gauge the sustainability status of my financial independence based on the total amount of passive income received. 

Almost half of the year has gone. So far, our passive income has been quite consistent and remains positive. Income > expense. As our cash holdings continue to grow, we are looking to put some of the excess into more stable platforms, ahem  still exploring.

Dividend income for the month of May amounted to $4,658.45. This brings our total passive income amounted to $6,875.66. That is almost 3x of our expense. The 2nd quarter is looking good.

Portfolio change little. More cash holdings. Waiting for opportunities...,,.....zz.z.z




Monday, 1 May 2023

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly sustainability report does not include any of the salaried income. The basis for this monthly financial review is to gauge the sustainability status of my financial independence based on the total amount of passive income received.

A troublesome, many domestic affairs to take care. Ah..... I am exhausted. Well, still going on.

After a fat dividend payout in March, April reduced to an amount to $1876.80. But the month of April was boasted by some of the investment returns from the unit-trust. A good start for the second quarter. 

This month saw the big changes in the property policies in Singapore. Now a Singapore citizen who wish to purchase a 2nd residential property will need to pay an additional 20% stamp fee!!!! A dramatic raise from 17% to 20%. This sort of crash the dream of many middle income group people who may have hope to acquired a 2nd property for investments. 

 Latest property cooling measures unlikely to ease prices by much: Analysts  - CNA

This also promote a growth in rental increase across the industry. But we decided not to increase the rental for time being. Why? More money is good? Perhaps, but our orientation is different. Stability and consistency are what we are looking for in a second property.

That modest small old HDB property which has been generating stable rental income for our household may not hold a candle compare to those private apartment. But, it is still a passive income which form a part of our monthly household income. And over the years, we have reinvested the rental income into other form of investments which brought in additional passive income. So, we are not heavily depends on raising rental income to cover the rising inflation cost.

Well, for this year anyway. Next year when the tenancy ends, we will see how it goes. 

Portfolio changes little, cash holdings continued to build up as I awaits the chance to enter the market. If the downturn ever comes. Yawn.................a dead market. Well, for Singapore SGX anyway.


 

 

Sunday, 2 April 2023

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly sustainability report does not include any of the salaried income. The basis for this monthly financial review is to gauge the sustainability status of my financial independence based on the total amount of passive income received.

Ouch, a fat dividend month. They choose to one shot dump all into this month and left me cold for past 2 months. Good thing I still got other source of income to cover my expenses. LOL. Dividend amounted to a total of $8934.02. 

Added together with others, total passive income received for the 1st quarter amounted to $16520.40. Well, that is about an average of $5506 per month. Ah... still good, just a bit lack of consistency in each month.

Portfolio got some adjustment. One counter was sold after holding it for many years. It is not performing and gradually losing its value. So, I took the losses and run!!! Ah well, a bad choice made in the past, can't be right at all time.


Thursday, 2 March 2023

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly sustainability report does not include any of the salaried income. The basis for this monthly financial review is to gauge the sustainability status of my financial independence based on the total amount of passive income received.

Wow. some of the things did not occur according to plans. The consistency of dividend income has changed, and it would appeared it would stay unpredictable for much longer period than expected. Well, at least I got some back-up sources to compensate for the lack of predictable passive income from the dividend platforms. Others sources which I have diversified in the past and lately, rental and investment funds has remained stable. Not too inspiring....well let's see the future progress. 

 


Portfolio changed little, although I increase some investment in unit trust for some long term consistent dividend returns. 



Wednesday, 1 February 2023

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly sustainability report does not include any of the salaried income. The basis for this monthly financial review is to gauge the sustainability status of my financial independence based on the total amount of passive income received.

A new month of the year starts with............zero dividend payout for the month of January!!!! Ah.... does that make me panic? Not really. I did position other forms of passive to cover those cold dividend months. A good positioning helps to keep the portfolio to pay out consistently without the need to dig into our saving funds. That's one of the key features I strive to achieve when building a sustainable portfolio that will keep paying us consistently.

Rental income remain stable. Half of the passive income were contributed from our Unit-trust dividend investment fund. which amounted to $1000.35. Not bad for a small diversification. 

Portfolio remains unchanged as the market continued to move a little bit uptrend. Still watching.....


 


Monday, 2 January 2023

Monthly Financial Updates

This monthly sustainability report does not include any of the salaried income. The basis for this monthly financial review is to gauge the sustainability status of my financial independence based on the total amount of passive income received.

A new beginning. The passive income in month of December turns out to be more than I thought. Dividend income amounted to $4980.89, this concluded the year of 2022. 

Added with other passive income, overall amounted to $12949.63 for 4th quarter, average $4200 per month. Not bad, still on the positive side. Let's hope this keeps up.

Portfolio changed a bit as I diverted some resources into another investment fund which is expected to start paying me starting in January 2023. Well, still looking good.


Saturday, 31 December 2022

The year end resolution- A journey

Another year ending. And what a year indeed. One journey end while another begins.

My financial journey took a dramatic end as the last payout month of the year turns out to be more than I had projected. But it still fall a little short of my target. There has been some up and down on the market cycle, and I did inject some funds into it to boast my portfolio. However, I let go one under performed counter and took some losses. Not much I can do about it, just some of the silly mistakes I made in the early days when I begun my financial journey and so now I paid a price for it. Cough Cough. So how far I come close to my targets? Very close, it is just a short of $500. Ah................well, a small tree grow at a slow pace. 

Other than adjusting the portfolio, I ventured into another platform. A unit-trust dividend scheme that also pay out some dividend on an interval period. It was small, and just something else to diversify my options. So, the next following months and perhaps year we could see some additional passive pay out from these investment funds. Unlike a fixed deposit fund, these unit-trust are not protected under the Singapore investment scheme and subjected to value loss or gains. Not suitable for the those who wanted to protect the capital at all cost. LOL. 

The world affairs has not been well and it certainly had much impact on our lives. Both the war in Ukraine and the pandemic has been the main drive of many events. Inflation has been rising like crazy and things that we see at this price today becomes another on the next day. Household has been trying to adjust their life accordingly to control expenses. Friends and neighbors has been complaining the rising costs and slow income raise. When I look to myself, I wondered if I would have been in much dire situation had I not built up my financial knowledge and ventured beyond my salaried job to built a passive income. In fact, when I started my financial journey I had only thought of earning some extra pocket money to spend from my portfolio. As the years passed, I begun to realise how much advantages a well-built portfolio could offered. Now in face of rising inflation and lack of career advancement, my portfolio served as a cushion against all the uncertain storms. A small financial journey begun 17 years ago now turns out to be a blessing as I am now more resilient against financial crisis and could hope to rely upon my portfolio to sustain my household should things turns worse.

One of my longtime classmates has recently begun to embark on his own financial journey to build a portfolio. Although he is already in late forties, it is better than not even doing anything to improve his financial knowledge. Singapore has a several advantages when comes to making a choice in building a financial portfolio, we got access to numerous investment information and platforms to find ones that suit us. We are also well connected to world platforms should we want to expand our knowledge to our world beyond.

As I mentioned last year, I took a small step exploring the cryptocurrency. I invested a very small amount to try out and I find it unsuitable to my criteria. I still much prefer the traditional bricks and mortar like stocks and property. LOL. So, I guess I will ignore it for now.

Some of my friends lamented about the world affairs and its impact on Singapore. A few others got a hit and retrenched from their job. From what I see, it is going to be a long term affair and the world will need a very long time to recover. I predicted likely to be 5 years, maybe even more. Not very promising years ahead. 

Despite so much uncertain events, I am still making a long term plans to move from my current corporate careers into a role that offered me more time for myself. Yes, I am not even 55 years old to get my first CPF payout, but I am looking further ahead of my life. If I am to see it, I see myself still has around 15 functional years ahead, maybe less. I hope to do the things I wanted to do. Naturally, for that to happen, my portfolio would need to grow to a certain strength to finance myself when I lose my salaried job. I can already feel the weight of the time getting over me and so I hope to fulfill whatever things I had yet explore to finish it while I am still functioning. 

So what I intent to do when that day comes? 

Secret. Mu hahahahah....!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Sunday, 25 December 2022

Christmas Orchard 2022

Wow, the crowds is back. But.... the covid-19 still spreading.... ah when will things ever return to normal. Hmmm not very likely soon.

The lights still on, some shopping malls it appeared are having lesser decoration than previously. 

 
The CentrePoint, used to be one of the winners when comes to Christmas decoration lighting. Times has passed, it appeared they have resolved to just some simple decorations along the main walkway.
 
 

Some of the people are still wearing mask. Haha, actually I'm of them as well.