Category: Wealth & Health

Aug 2024 Investment Portfolio Performance Update: A Review of Endowus, AutoWealth, Tiger Brokers, and Crypto Platforms

On By RistrettzIn Performance, Personal Finance Series, Robo Advisors, Wealth & HealthLeave a comment

So, the whole idea of updating on a per-month basis quickly fades away with changes in my life. It is also not feasible to update as regularly as I could have done so in 2020. Eventually, the updates plateaued for a shocking 2 years where many of my decisions were to take profit and reduce positions and were too difficult to document in detail.

Nonetheless, we can proceed for a fresh 2024 and hopefully be about to stay disciplined about everything else on investment, family, work, and health. We have to always keep our hopes and maintain the discipline for everything.

This is a YTD performance. This year it is up almost 6k which is decent in my opinion. In the last 3 years, the entire portfolio is up about 20%. That makes it annualised around 6.5% p.a. which is palatable. The main idea is to stay invested.

Portfolio Summary

Two years have gone by and interest rates have been the talk of town. Gone are cheap money but in Singapore Real Estate prices are still pretty crazy and will still continue to be. Meanwhile, surprises in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices in recent weeks have been rather interesting, breaking upwards followed by a couple of down days. No one has that crystal ball on hand. We just have to understand the concept of being brave and buying it low and riding the high waves when Mr Market picks up.

Performance of the different portfolios in different advisors

During the pandemic, there were a lot of people doing interesting business and many specific sectors boomed like a million times. When the world opened up, it was both amazing and scary that many of these businesses were no longer relevant. That included some of the robo-advisors. Of course, 90% were expected. Some of those unexpected ones probably came from MoneyOwl. My personal experience with Income and the way they work is rather unimpressed so it has to be a management decision that closed that down. Leaders have to take a stand and sometimes they can be wrong however, I only see leaders trying things out without a clear understanding of the final goal. This was probably one of those incidents in a big corporation.

Politics – They say. To me, I’ll say that it is more like a face-saving grace or a change of mind. Probably a top-down approach to ‘why or who did this?’ It can be pretty lame to hear that. I’m not a fan of finger-pointing but that’s the sad reality even as adults. We can’t even have a proper conversation about what went wrong.

Enough of the comments, these are the performances since inception. I prefer to talk about absolute returns in dollars and sense. Not in percentages or year-to-date or month-to-date comparison. Unless I’m comparing of some sort, I probably would like to talk about the true profits or losses.

Currently, What I have now is a few of these active platforms;

  1. Moomoo Brokers
  2. Tiger Brokers
  3. Endowus
  4. Asia Wealth
  5. Crypto Portfolio

I can’t help but think that overall, Endowus really works well for me.

If you decide to sign up with Endowus, do remember to use my referral code: https://endowus.com/invite?code=EDZ8M

Endowus – Cash Fund Ultra Portfolio

This was bad. No one took responsibility but I cut it and earned it all back with a money market fund coupled with promotional cash deposit fresh funds. Keeping it in the same cash fund did not do me any good. That’s a done deal so we move on.

Endowus – ESG Portfolio

I started this ESG Portfolio in March 2021 and I have some high hopes for this fund to do pretty well. They do well for the investment portfolios. Not too much for cash funds.

The allocation is an 80%/20% Equity/Bond portfolio allocation so there will be more movement on the equity side. This is long term so, just leave it in there. You do good and it brings you sustainable returns. It is for the future and the next generation. I can’t explain more.

This is good. Overall up 17.96%.

Endowus – SRS Portfolio

Overall, the portfolio is still up +34.56% since May 2020 in SGD. As usual, in USD terms, due to no FX impact as the portfolio is USD ETFs, the performance will definitely be better especially when USD becomes stronger. Of course, the reference will be SGD since I use SGD. This SRS/Cash portfolio consists of my favorite Dimension Funds in 40% bonds/60% equity.

Overall from May 2020 to Aug 2024, it is a +34.53% increase in absolute terms – quite okay. This is for the long run. I’m just going to keep it simple to report it overall as I have less time on my hand these days. But do try it out and put out your own performance and tell everyone about the experience. Unless you nitpick aggressively – I think you will be fine. YTD, it is definitely down.

Endowus – CPF Portfolio

The CPF portfolio is looking at +21.04% since its inception in May 2020. That’s a huge drop of almost 9% from its all-time high. This portfolio is being beaten down for now.

The portfolio is doing well.

Endowus – Fund Smart Portfolio

I started this semi-medium-term Fund Smart portfolio this month in May 2021. I tried to build a balanced portfolio. I’m not exactly sure but I will go in via RSP monthly as I wasn’t sure but I do want to deploy some of my cash. The all-time absolute return is +0.58%. haha. This is done monthly on RSP until 2021. I stopped that contribution a year ago since I had a small China play which did not pan out well but still. This is a 20 years portfolio.

Overall: 52% Equity and 48% Fixed Income

a. 15% in Multi-Asset Fund (1 Fund)

b. 45% in Equity Funds (2 Funds)

i. Focus on China Play [10%]

ii. Global equity with dividend accumulation (Re-invest) [20%]

iii. Small Cap equity play (For the Alpha) [15%]

c. 40% in Bond Funds (3 Funds)

i. Climate Bond Fund Play [20%]

ii. Core Fixed Income Play [20%]

Endowus – Retirement Portfolio 1

I got down into building a portfolio of unallocated funds to the institution Pimco GIS Income Fund. 0.55% will be the fees annually so that’s going to be the start of the accumulation of the coupons from the funds. I am down -5.22% for March 2024 and with the current news it is at +2.98% for Aug 2024

Endowus – Retirement Portfolio 2

Yet again, I put in 2 tranches of S$5k into the Lion Global Infinity 500. At one point it was close to 6-7% down and this month it is +3.47%. Real volatility, is expected and still strongly convicted on this one.

Overall, absolute returns are at +29.64%. Surprising because at one time it was down for a bit.

Endowus – Income Portfolio

I initiated this 6-8 months ago. Hopefully, over time the income portfolio can be passed on to my kids to continue as a form of RSP. Returns are pretty good now. Close to 20% returns on income given that the year has not ended.

Endowus – New China Portfolio

This is a new one that I put into. This is a long-time view given the current valuations. It looks good. I am willing to take some risks.

AutoWealth – Portfolio

Yet again, I put in 2 tranches of S$5k into the Lion Global Infinity 500. At one point it was close to 6-7% down and this month it is +3.47%. Real volatility, is expected and still strongly convicted on this one.

Tiger Brokers – Trading Platform

Yet again, I put in 2 tranches of S$5k into the Lion Global Infinity 500. At one point it was close to 6-7% down and this month it is +3.47%. Real volatility, is expected and still strongly convicted on this one.

Crypto – Portfolio

Crpyto finally went back to normal and my portfolio is back to the place it was 2 years ago. It has been rather hurtful for the past 2 years or so. All those additional profits are gone as no profit taking took place. Perhaps it is time to review about taking a portion out once more once the trend sets in and takes off again. The season is still higher but still currently plateaued.

The reason for Endowus (As sustainable as it is)

Like a broken recorder, the pros once more:

  • Endowus is the first and only robo-advisor to be approved by the CPF board.
  • 100% trailer fees back to the consumer, not the fund management fee. This is really one of a kind I’ve seen so far.
  • They do have a decent team that makes sense when introducing their platform in my personal opinion.
  • I believe all retail investors should try them out because of how they are trying to disrupt investing and make investing work for everyone.

Thank you all in advance for using my referral code. They are not perfect but in my opinion good investment strategies.

The last point is to do your own diligence. What works for me may not work for you. Investing in traditional portfolios is about risk management.

Disclaimer

If you decide to sign up with Endowus, do remember to use my referral code: https://endowus.com/invite?code=EDZ8M

If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes for other services at Referral and Recommendations

These pictures were taken off the internet websites for reference.

Alternative Real Estate Investments

On By RistrettzIn Finance, Interest, Personal Finance Series, Random, Wealth & Health1 Comment

As a global city with a robust economy, Singapore’s real estate market is driven by a confluence of factors. We have a well-regulated environment, a highly developed infrastructure, and a strategic location. The city-state’s status as a major international financial centre, and a reputation for safety.

We have a wide range of properties and by-products in real estate. From high-end residential properties in the heart of Orchard Road, trophy assets to hardcore township out of CCR. Especially in the OC Region which has seen significant rises in property prices over the last 3 years.

I’ve always been a fan of investing and also owning real assets. In Singapore, we are quite a different animal as compared to the rest of the world. Two main factors will be:

  1. Our really long-term and sound housing board strategy
  2. Our high occupancy rate

These did not just come by chance. There is a drive from the government which was successful. The plan for FDI and local brands going overseas made the difference. That was how we succeeded in making our name and reputation known to the rest of the world.

Owning real estate is more of an emotional decision sometimes and one has to be prudent. As we do not have a crystal ball, we always have to depend on experience and research to make decisions. Most recently, many people would have been priced out of certain types of real estate. There are still other ways of getting into real estate with a lower notional or quantum via investing.

One way is Reits Investing and again everyone should really do their own due diligence. I’m not a fan of chasing market upside. (All that said, it really also depends on the situation). I put in some monies into Reits and also into Syfe Reits portfolio when markets were lower 2 months ago. My expectations of a Federal interest rate reduction were taken into consideration.

If you would like to try out Syfe Robo Reits, do check it out via my link here: https://www.syfe.com/invite/wealth/SRPTSMQ5J

I’m a little concerned about picking stocks usually. First of all it is because of my own experience, second because most of the time I was too busy while I was working. Many times, I am unable to adjust my portfolio due to market changes and sad to say, the losses then slowly became bigger. Either I cut loss or I continued to be a long-term holder. Heh.

During COVID, there were several businesses, robos, investing firms that came up. It was pretty interesting. That was also when I discovered Real Vantage. I have invested in that for almost 3 years now and they are sort of an overseas REITs player who makes deals available to the retail investor. The investing form is similar to REITs but in the form of debt or fixed income.

They are a local firm with founders formerly in REITs or real estate businesses. They source deals globally but over the last three years, I’ve seen deals from the United States, the United Kingdom, From HongKong, mostly Australia and once for Singapore (if I remember correctly it was to fund the development of a pair of bungalows or Semi-Detached). Technically, appreciation depends on the deal. Most of these investments is similar to a fixed income investment where you receive coupons on a monthly or quarterly basis.

One thing I’m certain is that they are pretty sustainable. It isn’t some fly-by-night firm and there’s some shared interest. It is a little bit like crowdfunding for the masses but it is licensed and done properly. I’m quite comfortable with how they do things and it does look like they are expanding slowly as business picks up.

Pros

  • Global investing
  • Investing amount is small. Easy to fund via SGD
  • Options to invest in local CCY or the investment CCY (Risk will be FX risks)
  • Quite an experienced team
  • They have been around for more than 3 years now
  • Every opportunity comes with a webinar to understand the investment better
  • Q&A to answer all the questions
  • Pretty good reviews on the internet.

Cons

  • Some mixture of foreign currency
  • Limited to mostly income sort of returns
  • For people who are not too open to non-financial and well-known financial institutions, it is probably a stumbling block.

I don’t see why it is not worth a try since some of the deals do look interesting. I have invested in some industrial, some residential and some mixed developments. If you don’t mind, give it a go at my link here https://www.realvantage.co/register?ref_uuid=07e38f8c-eb0b-11ec-88a3-0273d1e11af4

You get a benefit of the 0.25% additional on the investment amount which is pretty decent. I’ll get the same in return.

Conclusion

I can’t tell anyone this is worth your time to do all these because we have different values in terms of time and what it gives back to you. If you would like to give it a go, please do use my referral link: https://www.realvantage.co/register?ref_uuid=07e38f8c-eb0b-11ec-88a3-0273d1e11af4

If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes for other services at Referral and Recommendations

These pictures were taken off AI visuals for reference.

Being Comfortable or Uncomfortable – Property Market Changes

On By RistrettzIn New Ideas, Personal Finance Series, Random, Wealth & HealthLeave a comment

What is HDB? Singapore’s Housing and Development Board (HDB) is a pivotal institution in the city-state’s journey towards modern urban living. Established more than 60 years ago, HDB has played a crucial role in transforming Singapore’s housing landscape. We have evolved from a nation grappling with inadequate living conditions into an efficient, high-quality public housing model. Other than affordable homes, it aims to foster vibrant communities and promote a high standard of living.

In the most recent announcement of cooling measures the LTV of resale HDB loans is reduced from 80% to 75%. What does this mean? In very layman’s terms, it just means for a 1 million dollar value of HDB property valuation; one can loan up to 750,000 SGD instead of 800,000 SGD. The recent news of a record price of 1.77 million on a single HDB home, means that the LTV will be reduced by 5% should resale buyers continue the same purchasing trend.

It is quite clear that the cooling measure is to ensure the resale HDB price is at sustainable rates. In my own opinion, the gov has all the statistics. The new prices of HDB to say, million-dollar HDB are rare. (i.e. location, HDB size, layouts, rarity, duplex) is still dependent on multiple factors. Not many can afford to pay top dollar for a resale leasehold property. I’m not an agent nor am I in public service. I strongly believe that there are rationable explanations behind every decision (Be it a good or bad one) and in this aspect, the focus of this issue is really about a few points.

  1. Demand for HDB. Increasing supply so that demand will go back to normal.
  2. It is highly likely given our gov focus on statistical approaches many times (Not saying all the time) This 5% is probably the way they manage the resale affordability (Based on the median House Pricing and resale pricing) If this cooling measure is insufficient, I don’t think they will stop at just 5% until it slows down. To put it simply, there’s no crisis and no bubble. Our home assets remain to be our assets.
  3. Young homeowners assistance (i.e. first-time home-buyers). Standard, Plus, Prime new HDB changes. Providing the incentives to stay at CCR, RCR or OCR depending on one’s choice. The new incentives also help low to mid-income households to own homes with benefits, subsidies and incentives islandwide.

To be honest, this strategy seems to be a rejuvenation of places to own in small Singapore as well and every school is a good school strategy. All these policies in my view are linked to one another for a more inclusive society. Just to see the entire big picture – The execution needs some finesse. Singapore Government is the basis, once they have declared, they will do all to execute it. The issue is just a matter of when that will be done.

How is that going to affect private housing going forward? I’m not too sure but I’m kind of swayed to the fact that it will slow down that price hike in housing. Being land scarce, it is hard to believe that prices will drop in the near term. My definition of the near term is 10 years just because the properties, living spaces, and amenities take years to develop and create a natural habitat for the township.

For some sense within me, there will be more generation changes. More people will hold on to their HDB. Less property flipping will happen and like ever before, only the rich get richer assuming they get the right properties.

The Housing Board is a testament to addressing housing challenges with foresight and ingenuity. By constantly pushing the envelope in housing design and community development, HDB not only meets the needs of today’s residents but also paves the way for a better, more inclusive future.

Conclusion

If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes for other services at Referral and Recommendations

These pictures were taken by AI.

Resilience and Adaptability = Confidence

On By RistrettzIn Psychology, Random, Wealth & HealthLeave a comment

Life is like a game. You play a game and this game cannot unwind or move back or restart. You will face good and bad decisions. More often, you will face a dilemma. I like to listen, adapt and use psychology to understand and comprehend most things. I find that humans are a handful and psychology is the best way to understand someone instead of a concept or a model.

Our life, work and family revolve around integrating these into our day-to-day life. When faced with challenges, it saps the energy out of us and makes us feel down, upset or even dejected at times. However, the same can be said about joy and happiness. More importantly, these moments never last forever and instead come and go like the rides of a roller coaster. It is a simple measurement of life that nothing lasts forever.

Comparing ourselves with other makes a good benchmark on where one would like to be at a certain point in time but it should not turn into envious or jealousy. Let’s say that let us be glad we can do the things we do, no other should influence you into turning green nor should that affect your decision to change your values and principles.

More often than not, we as humans are more resilient than we think we are. Most of us need time to get over things, some people are made different, and they move on faster than the rest. It is not a good or bad thing. What I meant to say is that there are trigger points in life that are essential and these triggers are due to an in-built mechanism that moves subconsciously within us. This means, that when one person does not think he can achieve or do this, situational issues may have triggered a situation where, over a period, this person continuously pushes forward better than he thought he was. (In the sub-conscious

As I get on with my morning exercise which I am trying hard to change and get used to in order to reduce the cm on the waistline for my own good. There were alot of thoughts that flowed through my mind. Things such as wisdom words, mentoring and coaching stayed with me even within the last 10 years where I no longer meet my ex boss, inspiration mentor or coach. Here I am trying to be a notice inspiration leader.

Simple headlines and things I learnt

a. What i the one thing that no one takes away from you. This is what my first real boss told me and that is Knowledge. The wisdom of apple is one that no one can take away from you. It is unquantifiable and only shows when you act on certain aspects

b. Learning and training. Is there really a need to learn and train in an environment. I’m learning everyday, I just need the credentials but guess what those around me whom I worked with studied in University of Imperial College, MTI, Colombia, Havard and Cambridge. I learned valuable lessons without going through the official program. Do we really need to study for the sake of studying. We only work 40-50 years of our lives and spending more time in school – Unless I want to be a researcher or educator, I’ll consistently go back to school.

c. No experience, no skills, no other relevant education. We should really rid ourselves of this concept. Who started off with experience, skills and relevant education. Most leaders just forget where they once were and just want to get their shit done quickly and productively. It is hard to find a mentor or coach. Why? because it is a time value and what they can be doing.

d. Spiritual – It is not meant to be a preaching session. When all else fails. Look to where your beliefs bring you. You will be surprised at the result. What is Faith?

i. Scenario 1: When you fall forward and see your friend/partner in front of you, you fall forward with the confidence that the will catch you.

ii. Scenario 2: When you fall backwards and you see your friend/partner still in front of you. you fall backwards without fear and worries. That is faith. (Please do not do this in real life or you will end up hurt)

e. Everything happens for a reason and nothing lasts forever. The question is how long so make the best out of your time.

Conclusion

I meant to write this as a form of inspiration. I am a nobody and I’m not an inspirational leader. However, I aim to be one and no one was a leader at birth. The same can be said about skills and experience. We are born equal and we choose our own path. So, Sulk and Swear all you want – then move on and don’t prove anyone anything. They don’t even care or even know what you are thinking. If you show ethics and integrity, be real and honest – Things will fall into place eventually.

When you find small success in life, that’s where positivity exudes. This is where you find confidence. The saying “fake it till you make it” holds some truth because marketing sells and you have to keep selling yourself and your own USP until someone values what you are talking about.

Disclaimer

If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram

Thank you in advance. It would help in every little way now that I’m in between work.

If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services

Keyboarding Warriors

On By RistrettzIn Personal Finance Series, Psychology, Random, Wealth & HealthLeave a comment

I would like to keep things positive on this blog channel. I have no sponsorships of any kind nor do I have any paid users. I keep this blog clean and with the objective of journalling and hopefully or eventually being able to monetise. Any referral or affiliate links are how I keep the lights on this blog going. My time, effort, domain, email, research and other miscellaneous costs are worth something. My rate card per hour is not cheap and when I say not cheap I mean it, it is not cheap.

Whatever I recommend or suggest, I don’t put a gun to anyone’s head to use it. One, like any investment decision – Do your own diligence. It gets under my skin when someone starts to blabber nonsense or type in comments online without using their brains. When I get angry or upset, no one messes with me and trust me – No one does. In my roles, I don’t give two hoots if your corporate rank or life acquires you a “managing director” or “CEO”, as long as you talk shit or do funny things, I shoot my missiles in that way. The toilet cleaner and the CEO are the same = Both Humans. Sometimes the toilet cleaner would make a better people person than the highly-paid CEO.

This is a free world. We are free to choose, free to select. Don’t undermine others of their selection and choices. If you have comments that don’t help, do the favour and keep it to yourself. Unless there is a solution, don’t just rattle. I’m so sick and tired of overconfident people who don’t even hear themselves and what they say. The worse part is, they still think that they are the best or better than the rest. It is a very dangerous mindset.

I’ve said what I said. I’ll end it here and move on positively. I’m just sad for those who don’t realise it but again, I don’t mince my words. Good luck.

Disclaimer

If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram

Thank you in advance. It would help in every little way now that I’m in between work.

If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services

Today’s Deal of the day – Dobin App

On By RistrettzIn Deals, Finance, Interest, Macroeconomic, New Ideas, Performance, Personal Finance Series, Promotion, Random, Wealth & Health2 Comments

At the start of 2024, there were signs that new offerings were being put out for deal seekers but as it seems, after January, there has been a drag of three months. Nothing much now except for Dobin. Before we start, let me just say that this is an affiliated link and by doing some actions, you do help me in keeping the lights on this blog. Please do try the app out. I have been using it for the past 6 months and I must say it has one of the better apps available without annoying advertisements.

At the same time, I can track expenses and connect my banking apps. Today is the last day for the referral. You can sign up and refer your friends and family to get cash rewards too. Besides that point, the main aim is to use the friendly app for tracking personal expenses. Personally, I prefer this app over the rest since there are no pesky advertisements and they are done here locally in Singapore. Support local I guess.

Here is the download link: Dobin Download

Do use my referral code please: ZUPUNWI

And remember to connect at least one bank account or one credit car on Dobin.

What You Need to Do:

  • Open the Dobin App and tap on the referral widget on your home screen.
  • Share your exclusive referral code with your friends & family.
What Your Friends Need to Do:

  • Download Dobin and enter your promo code during sign-up.
  • Connect at least 1 bank account or credit card on Dobin.

Disclaimer

If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram

Do use my referral code please: ZUPUNWI

If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services

Consolidation

On By RistrettzIn Personal Finance Series, Psychology, Random, Wealth & HealthLeave a comment

Consolidation is quite the generic word to use when we consider downsizing, restructuring and/or a natural progression some would say. Similar to any business or investing cycle, there are peaks and troughs across any period. Opportunities and investment ideas are fewer now. Low-hanging fruits are being snapped up quicker than ever before. Deals and good stuff will go out much faster in a phase where people are coming to the realisation that free money is going to be harder to come by.

This is apparent from the closure of the grab pay card (since GXS is there and it can do much better than what it originally can), credit card deals have more excluded components, nerfed perks and an increase in legal T&Cs on rewards. New payment cards have harder requirements to earn referral fees, and investment platforms have started to consolidate. With the way things are, it does look and feel like many are taking a cautious approach. People, families corporations and those with job would hold to ride through this mini storm which I call a transition or consolidation.

This also comes to fact from an unprecedented Covid travel closure which sparks an acceleration in a few sectors. Though many did not expect things to turn out that rough, they still did and made some industries redundant. In return, multiple new entrepreneurship sectors evolved, giving rise to other types of demand.

With that in mind, things will likely slow down in the next 3-6 months with the possibility of an extended period. Certainly, it would not be easy for those finding a good deal. It is however important to stay upbeat and be resilient. Things can only get better.

With that, Just to keep light on this small deal blog, check out the referral shop.

Disclaimer

If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram

Thank you in advance. It would help in every little way now that I’m in between work.

If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services

Inconvenience Others for Yourself

On By RistrettzIn Random, Wealth & HealthLeave a comment

So it seems like many people are user-friendly and many people are the types who like to have a few user-friendly people around them. We can say that generally, people don’t really use their common sense much. In the workplace, most people have pretty low EQ and are generally politically correct. Most people just have the natural tendency to inconvenience others for their own purposes. You probably hear more Yes men and lackeys instead of someone more competent. Big companies lack the human touch and are too far to understand or feel the work put in by the layers of reporting lines.

Inconvenience others
Thumbs down to the Head American Honcho JF

When I was fresh out of school, CEOs, CFOs, and COOs seemed like a far-reach. Beyond the touches of anyone. As time went by, I realized that they were just a normal human being with nothing more than a connection than knowledge. Most do not have a vision but work with a team of advisors who have personal gain to their names. The problem with C-suites is that most of them panic at the smallest movement. What they do stand out from us locals is that they speak well and have a good storage of vocabulary in their sack to be used.

Competence-wise, Nah..not many since the days of Bill Gates and Jack Ma. The top-level people today are less visionaries and more workers. Are the people who planned for takeover to blame? I actually do not think so. Rather, I felt that people have been too comfortable and less resilient in themselves. They poop in their pants when shit comes by hence making more mess out of a big mess.

Inconvenience others
The idea of management is beyond managing people

What is Management? Management is about democracy. You don’t just manage people, but you also share your visionaries and ideas to convince people that you are the right person to follow. You can’t please everyone but at least set some standards and don’t be a half-bucket who sways your ideas once something else comes along. More importantly, it’s the working style and those who work below you will have to look up to you. Then, because it is a democracy, you need more than 50% of the people on your side. It is basic.

Random musings that I get from being as frustrated as hell early in the morning.

 

Petrol Prices – Ways to Save Money On Petrol/Diesel

On By RistrettzIn Interest, New Ideas, Personal Finance Series, Promotion, Random, Wealth & HealthLeave a comment

Just earlier today. I wrote a piece about saving money and I was reminded of petrol prices. Stay tuned until the end for a nice freebie at the end which is in limited stock.

Sometimes saving money is about not spending it at all or cutting back on what we commonly call an austerity measure. Usually, that is quite drastic and meant to be a joke of some sort. However, some things have to be spent, necessities or even things that you have previously committed to paying for. It is akin to having a car and petrol prices are directly linked to costs.

For Example:

  • You purchased a home. You can’t stop the mortgage
  • You purchased a car. You can stop the financing payments (If any) and the petrol costs or the charging costs.
  • You purchased a subscription plan that has a contractual period. You can’t stop the payment. (Well, you can do an early termination if it makes economic sense)

I don’t wish to keep discussing the increase in GST. In a sense, this increase is necessary for economic gains and country-building. Additionally, business costs have increased, snowballing effect of the laggard inflation and upcoming soft landing is becoming apparent.

Petrol Prices

Discussing petrol prices has always been contentious with people around here. Regardless of any discussion, the price is as such. On the Price Kaki website, there’s a comparison of petrol grade 95, 98 and Premium.

Petrol Prices
Petrol Prices: Petrol Grade 95 as of 12 Jan 23

Petrol Prices
Petrol Prices: Petrol Grade for 98 on 12 Jan 23

Petrol Prices
Petrol Prices: Petrol Grade for Premium on 12 Jan 23

In this year 2024, I wish to be able to bring joy to others as much as possible so in that aspect I have a good deal for anyone who drives a car and would like to get direct discounts from the petrol kiosk.

Don’t be confused and don’t be sceptical about it. It is a good deal and I have been using it for 9 months now so it is not a sham. I have a limited fleet card on hand at the moment and would like to offer to the first 5 pax who indicate their interest on google forms here: Fleet Card Interest Gathering and First 5 GIveaways.

One condition is to follow/subscribe to my blog and also to add my telegram channel here at Life Journey Telegram. Thank you!

The first lucky 5 gets it.

Rest assured, this information is for me to understand how to address you and share that information via email. I’m gathering some interest here so let me speak with the guys and see if we can release more slots for you.

Save on Petrol Prices – Pros

1. No age or salary restriction

This is not a credit card. Anyone who has a vehicle registered in Singapore has proof of address in Singapore and a credit card for recurring payment can apply for this. There’s no bank involved in this.

2. A physical card

It is a physical card at the moment and is only available to ESSO and SHELL kiosks in Singapore.

3. Fabulous Discount on petrol prices

Perks for this card are a direct 23% or 24% for SHELL and ESSO respectively.

4. No Complications. No minimum spend or Top Up

Away with the complications of minimum inclusive spending and potential discounts. To me, cold-hard discounts are the best since they are upfront discounts.

5. Ease of Payment on petrol

This fleet card works like a credit card and you need to set up a credit card payment to pay once a month.

6. Convenience

Once you have been registered by the company, you will get a pin and each time you visit the kiosk, just the card and you can skip the cashier queue. That’s really convenient.

7. Continue to earn credit card rewards/miles/cashback

Even more, discount via double dipping and still be rewarded with your credit card rewards.

Save on Petrol Prices – Cons

1. New to Many

I understand the scepticism but what have you got to lose other than savings for your petrol.

2. No accumulation of reward points on your petrol loyalty card

You don’t earn kiosk points or rewards that you have accumulated for some time. To me, there’s a cost to everything including reward points. Just finish up your points or claims and move on to something else. But you still earn reward points for your credit card (No exclusion for most cards – At least I still earn mine on my Premier Miles Card)

3. There will be a 1.8% fee for the credit card charges

I believe that they use Stripe as their provider so the B2B fees will be at 2.4% and they roll it to consumer at 1.8%, hence the discount will be All-in 21.2% or 22.2% which is still decent.

From what i understand, one can use the giro payment and it takes 4-8weeks to set it up. There’s no fee for that however if any one Giro payment fails, thats the $10 fee slapped on your bill for the GIRO return so think wisely. I think it is still good to go on credit card recurring payments.

If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram

I have a limited fleet card on hand at the moment and would like to offer to the first 5 pax who indicate their interest on google forms here: Fleet Card Interest Gathering and First 5 GIveaways.

If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services

How to Save Money? Tips and Tricks

On By RistrettzIn Interest, New Ideas, Personal Finance Series, Promotion, Random, Wealth & HealthLeave a comment

Saving money is an essential aspect of personal finance. Implementing some smart strategies can help you build your savings and achieve your financial goals. Here are a few tips on how to save money:

Saving Money
A Rainy Day fund is more apparent in 2024 as we all set ourselves for the soft landing ahead

Create a Budget:

Start by reviewing your expenses and income. This will give you a clear picture of where your money is going and help you identify areas where you can cut back.

Track Your Expenses:

Keep a record of all your expenses, including small purchases. This will help you understand your spending patterns and identify areas where you can make adjustments.

The envelope theory involved stashing cash away in different envelopes. This helps with the first condition – budgeting. In this day and age, perhaps a better way is to use a digital app such as Dobin.

I’ve found the ultimate personal finance app: It helps to manage my money & save on everyday purchases.

Quote: Download the app here: https://www.dobin.io/download. You may use my referral code when you sign: ZUPUNWI 

Cut Back on Non-Essential Expenses:

Review your expenses and identify items or services that you can live without. Consider making small lifestyle changes such as reducing dining out or entertainment expenses.

If you really still plan to have these expenses to eat out. Perhaps playing the miles game as you spend to double dip on rewards.

Kris+ is a lifestyle rewards app that gives you discounts and privileges at over 1,000 partner outlets islandwide! Earn rewards (KrisPay miles) for payments made on the app, and use them to offset future purchases!

Quote: Sign up now with my link below, and my referral code L329518 and we’ll each be rewarded with SGD 5 worth of KrisPay miles upon your first transaction on the Kris+ App 

Don’t forget to check in daily every week to earn about 30 KrisPay Miles. Meanwhile, you can also utilize Google Pay to make payments via Krist+.

Quote: Use my code when you sign up and transact at least S$10 for the first time in Google the  e Pay App or use my code t74cf8f

Meal Planning:

Plan your meals ahead of time and create a grocery list. This will help you avoid unnecessary trips to the store and impulse purchases. Look for sales and use coupons to save on groceries.

The CDC vouchers should do most household some good and defray some costs. More about that here if you have not claimed yours. Claiming your CDC Vouchers

Save on Utilities:

Make small changes in your daily habits to save on energy costs. Turn off lights when not in use, unplug electronics when not in use, and adjust the thermostat to optimize energy usage.

Perhaps switching to an Open Electricity Market retailer can save you  10-15% off your electricity bills.

Quote: Sign up for Senoko Energy with my referral code: “YM8SCA2D”. You will receive a S$20 rebate on your electricity bill. Browse their price plans and start saving today. T and Cs apply. Senoko is your electricity retailer

Compare Prices:

Before making a purchase, compare prices from different vendors or stores. This can help you find the best deals and save money.

Saving Money
Double or Triple Dip for More Savings

 

For comparison’s sake, if you are exchanging a foreign currency for any purpose. You can try iChange for money exchange and remittance.

Quote: Their rates are very competitive. Sent $5 for you to try it out. Download the app here https://ichange.onelink.me/Px1i/iyv9ymrr and add paul38 to receive it.  

Alternatively, if you want the convenience of using multi-currency cards, there are three options that you can consider. You get the idea.

  1. You Trip Personal User: Get $5 when you sign up. Sign up with my referral link: Personal YouTrip (Valid until 4 Feb 2024)
  2. The other option is to perhaps consider using a Revolut Card as an alternative and you can get $80 when you make three $10 transactions:  My Revolut Referral Link
  3. Quote 3: Use this Crypto.com App to sign up for Crypto.com and we both get USD 50. Code: im3py887ty

Automate Your Savings:

Set up automatic transfers from your checking account to a dedicated savings account. This way, you’ll save money consistently without having to think about it.

Other than a bank standing instruction, the alternative is to use Money Market Funds for either:

  1. Using Tiger Brokers as a platform to sign up to make that regular saving.
  2. The other option is to select another provider such as Moomoo Brokerage Invest App for a great welcome starter kit here at Moomoo Invest App
  3. The third option is to select Webull and get your starter kit promotion. Click here to register at Webull Sign-up link

Avoid Impulse Buying:

Before making a purchase, give yourself a cooling-off period. This will help you evaluate if the purchase is necessary or if you’re buying on impulse. As the saying goes, delayed gratification. Any new tech is always appealing and after a while, it loses its appeal.

Cancel Unnecessary Subscriptions:

Review your subscriptions and cancel those you no longer use or need. This could include streaming services, gym memberships, or magazine subscriptions[1].

Prioritize Debt Repayment:

If you have outstanding debts, focus on paying them down. High-interest debts, such as credit card debts, should be prioritized and paid off as quickly as possible.

Remember, saving money is a gradual process, so be patient with yourself. Small changes can add up over time and lead to significant savings. By implementing these tips, you’ll be on your way to building a more secure financial future.

Disclaimer

If you like what you are seeing, do remember to check them out and do your diligence. There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy and no one solution to life. Join my telegram group to find out more about deals and join the community to connect for ideas: Life Journey Telegram

If you like what I am sharing or if it resonates with you, do use my referral codes here at Referral Services