Hard Not To Fall Into Wow Factor In The Cyber World

Two very young investors; look younger than Uncle8888's two older children stayed back to chat with him on that night and leading to this discussion - The Wow Factor!

Uncle8888 shared with them his experience with Wow Factor when he was newbie in the stock market!

In Uncle8888's early days; there was no personal blogs and chatboxes; but there were public forums and chat rooms where many newbies got caught by the Wow factor and unintentionally got burnt! 

Uncle88888 strongly believe it was definitely UNINTENTIONAL as they have no vested commercial interests! 

They are kind, truthful and well experienced retail investors sharing their trades. 

They have double, triple or quadruple their positions!

Wow!

Strong conviction!

Let follow as what many newbies would do!

Uncle8888 also followed!

How wrong can it be to follow strong conviction by the veterans?








Without knowing their position sizing relative to their capital, portfolio or net worth; double, triple or quadruple of their positions is quite meaningless.

BUT, we like to THINK that double, triple or quadruple is STRONG CONVICTION!

Mathematically it is!

But, .... Think deeply the moral of the story again!


Are you Hen or Pig?

The Hen & the Pig Go To Breakfast


A Hen and a Pig were sauntering down the main street of an Indiana town (yes, this is another shaggy dog story!) when they passed a restaurant that advertised “Delicious ham and eggs: 75 cents.” “Sounds like a bargain,” approved the Hen. “That owner obviously know how to run his business. “It’s all very well for you to be so pleased about the dish in question,” observed the Pig with some resentment. “For you it is all in the day’s work. Let me point out, however, that on my part it represents a genuine sacrifice.”

Some dividends are not meant for investors to keep forever or spend them off??? (2)

Read? Some dividends are not meant for investors to keep forever or spend them off???


S-REITs and their right issues.

What is the issue with right issues for not-so-wealthy retirees who are depending on investment income to support their household expenses;  they better know what is dilution at personal investment level.

It is same as the loud voice in the main stream shouting on maximizing your CPF for secured and happy retirement. Right?

Credit to one of Directors in BigScribe who dare to invite Uncle8888 to participate in their Talk on Optimizing CPF For Your Retirement and knowing that he is not going to sing the same song!

Are you Hen or Pig?

The Hen & the Pig Go To Breakfast

A Hen and a Pig were sauntering down the main street of an Indiana town (yes, this is another shaggy dog story!) when they passed a restaurant that advertised “Delicious ham and eggs: 75 cents.” “Sounds like a bargain,” approved the Hen. “That owner obviously know how to run his business. “It’s all very well for you to be so pleased about the dish in question,” observed the Pig with some resentment. “For you it is all in the day’s work. Let me point out, however, that on my part it represents a genuine sacrifice.”

Read? The Difference Between Smart Financial Advice and Smart Financial Advice For You (3)

Speaking And Sharing With Track Records!!!

Singapore Man of Leisure2 March 2017 at 22:28:00 GMT+8

CW,

Lucky they got you!

You speak from experience and track record ;)

Go break a leg!


CW8888:  Hmm ... That is really true!

It is about track records!

See for yourself. LOL!

Uncle8888 knows his Numbers! 

What he shared is based on track records!

He knows his total earned income from his full time employment since 1985 vs his investment performance since Jan 2000

You All Investment Bloggers Like to Make Investing Look So Easy

Last night after my sharing session on Optimizing Your CPF talk during coffee break ...

One guy: You all investment bloggers like to make investing look so easy

CW : Did you follow my blog? Since when did I make investing look so easy? Did you see my chart on Win vs Loss?

One guy: Your blog got lots of graphics?

CW: Ya.

Are investment bloggers making investing look so easy by "boasting" their success?

True for those bloggers who have vested commercial interests; but for the rest of other hobbyist bloggers; Uncle8888 couldn't remember seeing any hobbyist bloggers saying investing is easy.

Uncle8888 has seen posting of large number to wow people; but no posting that investing is easy. Right?

Some CPF Matters : Understanding It Better By Actually Going Through The ProcessTo Do It (3)

Read? Some CPF Matters : Understanding It Better By Actually Going Through The ProcessTo Do It (2)

Read? Optimising Your CPF For Retirement (2)

You can't ask Uncle8888 on these two questions for his view anymore at kopi session as to be fair to those 80 participants paying and also used their precious time to attend last night talk. He has decided to embargo these two questions till end Apr 2017.



(1) SHOULD I TRANSFER CPF OA TO SA TO EARN AN ADDITIONAL 1.5% COMPOUNDING INTEREST?

(2) SHOULD I DO VOLUNTARY CASH TOP UP TO MY CPF?

You Know Company's Balance Sheet In Its Simplest Form???

"Less Analyzing. More Investing!" - Createwealth8888

"To make money from the stock market, it is not how well you analyze it. It is how well you invest into it." - Createwealth8888



Company's Balance Sheet?

How many retail understand how a company grows its balance sheet in a simple layman understanding without an accounting background?

Uncle8888 has asked a few retail to think about it. This is the minimum level that retail must fully understand balance sheet in its simplest form; otherwise; how you analyze arh?

Surprisingly; even a few seasonal retail couldn't explain balance sheet in its simplest form; and they think they understand financial statement well to know the company's  future and business.

OK. Enough of poke!

Sorry. sorry. sorry!

What Is Actually F.I.R.E??? Why We Should Love It!!!

F.I.R.E (Financial Independence Retire Early)

After knowing a few F.I.R.E people ..

some retire from their full-time job to take care their children i.e. becoming house-husband or housewife; 

some do full /part-time charity/church works; 

one of them full-time studying Bible and 

the rest of them doing free lance or part-time jobs

F.I.R.E doesn't mean idling day after day; week after week 

F.I.R.E really means ...

FIRE Your Boss! 

FIRE Your Full Time Job!

FIRE Your Leave Application!

You have gained back lots of control over how you spend your time!

People now cannot suka suka call for a meeting and you lan lan have to attend or ask someone to rep you.

Now; people will ask you whether you are free for meeting when you are actually more free than before. LOL!

MAS: Don't trade in binary options on unregulated platforms

It says these are high-risk instruments, and many trading platforms are fraudulent and based outside Singapore.

IN the wake of complaints from investors who have suffered losses, Singapore's financial markets regulator has warned against trading in binary options on unregulated platforms.


Read? Option trading As Passive Income is still Hot!!! (2)



Don't smile or laugh!

You may also have been inspired or wow by those articles, posting or chats before! 

Many people are easily inspired when they see large DOLLAR VALUE!!!


WOW!

Real People. Real Excitement. Unbearable Temptation.

Lucky for him to have old man sitting next to him. LOL!

You look at date of the above blog post. It was 30 Aug 2016 when this ex-colleague (Now) told Uncle8888 about it.

This colleague was sitting beside Uncle8888 in the meeting room and after reading one of his FB's post he briefly mentioned one trader became rich by trading binary options and showing off his Ferrari! 


Uncle8888 heard it and told him not to trust all these un-audited statement or claims. He also shared with him on his real encounter and face-to-face with one of our local "Gurus" and the other one till his grave also no answer to simple "Yes" or "No" question.

Some CPF Matters : Understanding It Better By Actually Going Through The ProcessTo Do It (2)

Read? Turning 55 - and enjoying financial freedom (5)


Today, Uncle8888 eng eng made another trip to Bishan CPF Branch.


Last year. Thursday, 22 December 2016

It was like that ....

CPF : You can withdraw interests from SA, OA and MA too.

CW: Pls help to check how much interests I can draw out without touching my SA and OA.

CPF: Wah! You have lots of interests to draw out. It is $XX,XXX. Do you want to draw out now?

CW: :-)


CW: No. Not now. I will withdraw next year on January.


So last year at Dec 2016 was like that ...

Interests from SA+OA+MA from Jan 16 to Nov 16 = $XX,XXX (5 figure number)


Today, 13 Mar 2017, it is like this ....

After passing Q ticket and IC to CPF lady and before she could ask ..

CW : I want to withdraw interests from all my CPF accounts.

Uncle8888 also passed to her this notepad.

CW: Pls help to write down the number. Principal and interests. Thank you!


When CPF lady has written down all the numbers and handed over Uncle8888's note pad.

CW: No MA interest?

CPF: This year MA limit is raised to $52,000. Your MA has not reach the limit so you can't withdraw MA interest.


At 13 Mar 2017

Ant will like this CPF Lady. Two decimal places precision!

Let see Grasshopper dares to laugh or not?

Interests from SA+OA from Jan 17 to Feb 17 $X,XXX.XX (4 figure number)

CPF : Do you want to withdraw your interests?

CW: No. Thank you. Have a nice day!

Uncle8888 went to sit down and verify the interests with mobile phone's calculator.

VERIFIED!


Only when it comes to the actual process of withdrawing monies from CPF; then the understanding is clear!

Is CPF Board doing lousy job of educating the Public with their different understanding by different CPF staff?

Excellent Market Timer Is Super Huat!!!

IF, IF and ONLY IF .....

The FACT is after many years of collecting dividends still cannot beat the sellers who can time the market. In practice; are there such expert market timers around?

Only DBS beats the super market timers! DBS is growth stock while the other two stocks are cyclic stocks.

Something to learn about the fact on hindsight.

Some CPF Matters : Understanding It Better By Actually Going Through The ProcessTo Do It

"For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them." - Aristotle 

Uncle8888 is so free and can go test the system. :-)

Read? Turning 55 - and enjoying financial freedom (2)

Read? Turning 55 - and enjoying financial freedom (5)

Meeting And Learning From Successful Retail Investor And Trader

Last Friday; one new reader jio SMOL and Uncle8888 for kopi session at Ya Kun.

After knowing that he has been trading US market; then we asked him what is his objective of meeting us?

He said he wanted to meet and learn from successful investors and traders in Singapore to become an investor in Singapore market to build up investment portfolio for his retirement.

Now thinking back.

Are investment bloggers making successful investment looked simplified?

May be some investment bloggers have not articulate strongly that their investing journey is not that simple as what others have been reading about them.

How many of them can see beyond what they have seen and read?

Read? 16 Years of doing short-term trading and long-term investing in SGX. The Records!!! (2)

Financial Independence : Withdrawal??? Passive Income > Living Expenses??? (Good time to refresh before my talk)

Read? Financial Independence : Withdrawal??? Passive Income > Living Expenses???

True Story! Damn Good Advice!


Reply #4 on Nov 15, 2015 at 9:33am me200, candy188, and 1 more like this

ReplyQuote  Post Options

Post by oldman on Nov 15, 2015 at 9:33am

As I am now a consumer of healthcare insurance, what I am learning about insurance companies scares me even more. I was in hospital for a few weeks in Oct and chalked up a bill of well over $100,000, which I had to pay out of my own pocket first. I blamed the hospital for being too kiasu by getting money from me first. 

Then, a letter from the insurance company arrived and stating that they will not be paying anything until my oncologist replies to their list of questions. The insurance company tells that this process can easily take another 10 weeks! I then called my oncologist who kindly filled up the list of questionaire and sent it back to the insurance company. Let me see whether the insurance company finds other ways of dragging its feet. 

Of course no one wants to stay in hospital for a few weeks unless he is very sick! Glad to say, I am now on the road to recovery ... but have still to sort out these insurance issues which I previously thought will be transparent to me. How wrong I was! 

For those with private health insurance cover, be aware.... your policy may require you to have a few hundred thousand dollars sitting idle in the bank..... yes, this is not mentioned even in the fine print and certainly will not be mentioned by your insurance agent!

At best, if you have private healthcare insurance and intend to make use of the private hospitals or approved clinics, you should view your insurance plan as a reimbursement plan.... you have to pay upfront first and your insurance company hopefully will pay you back ( yes, there will be clauses in your insurance plan to allow them the flexibility of reviewing all charges before paying you back). Payback time is also up to the insurance company. 

If You Believe In Market Cycles???

Number of 55-year-olds with Basic Retirement Sum to go up

SIX in 10 active Central Provident Fund (CPF) members now accumulate enough savings for their Basic Retirement Sum account when they turn 55. The number, first achieved in 2013, is likely to rise to seven in 10 for members turning 55 in 2020.

Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say said that with higher wages and a higher labour-force participation rate, especially among older workers, CPF balances are expected to keep improving in the coming years.

He was replying to queries raised during the Committee of Supply debate on his ministry in Parliament on Monday.

Several enhancements were introduced last year to help CPF members to save more for their retirement. Examples are the higher CPF ceiling, improved ease of transfer of CPF savings to the account of one's spouse and the Enhanced Retirement Sum.

Mr Lim said that the enhanced savings are for retirement use, and that the government will not allow these savings to be used for overseas training courses, despite many calls for it.

Mr Lim noted that while CPF money can already be used to support basic tertiary education in local approved institutions, the government must also do more to safeguard CPF members' retirement adequacy - especially now that lifespans have improved.

"So we need to be careful about expanding the use of CPF for other purposes," he said.

The minister said MOM is working on improving three aspects of the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS): The first is the introduction of a self-assessment tool which members can use to determine whether CPFIS is suitable for them; the second is the lowering of the cap on sales charge to discourage financial intermediaries from proactively selling products to CPF members; the third is a review of the asset classes offered under CPFIS to gauge their suitability for growing retirement savings.

These changes will be announced later in the year. CPF members who prefer a simpler investment option can look forward to the CPF Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme, the details of which MOM is working on, said Mr Lim.

The CPF Retirement Planning Service, which was piloted last year to help members make informed decisions about their CPF savings, will be available to all members turning age 54 this year.

At the one-on-one session, Customer Service Executives will use personalised information to help members understand what will happen to their CPF balances when they turn 55 and the options available to them.

Should I pay down home loan using CPF OA and/or Excess Cash???

Read? Why I DIDN'T chose a 30 year bank loan but a much shorter one???

Zhuangzi told this story to his disciples to make a point.


Once a zookeeper said to his monkeys: "You'll get 3 bananas in the Morning and 4 in the Afternoon." 

All monkeys are upset. 

"OK. How about 4 bananas in Morning and 3 in the Afternoon?" 
Hearing this, the monkeys are content. 

Optimising Your CPF For Retirement (2)

Read? Optimising Your CPF For Retirement

At that time she could have asked Uncle8888 over a cup of kopi kosong; but today she has to buy ticket to listen and ask questions. 

Good times don't last for long. LOL!

What Uncle8888 will cover at the Talk ....

Number One Lesson For Personal Finance!!!

Even you don't bother with detailed tracking of household expenses to MANAGE/CONTROL expenses as you believe there are trade-off for too much tightening and squeezing. But, at least; every month ending; you should have an idea what is the ROUND UP monthly number e.g. 2,000, 2500, 3000, 4000 etc

Your Future Me will thank you when you are about to seriously start your retirement planning.

The Three Matters On Personal Finance: Saving, Insurance, and Investment!!! (3) - Refresh!

Read? The Three Matters On Personal Finance: Saving, Insurance, and Investment!!! (3)


The Grading for his competency in Personal Finance. It should be Well Done!

He fully understands what is the purpose of Life Insurance when he was in his late 20s, married and progressively more children with more life insurance policies to protect his dependents.

Life insurance is to cover Human Asset and protect our dependents. When Human Asset is ZERO and with no more dependents to protect; to continue to cover zero value human asset with life insurance is redundant. Unless one is planning it as Funeral gifts!

By the time we retire and never build up our own retirement fund to include self-insured after 60s; we can't grant ourselves a Pass on personal finance.

More? Insurance

QAF : If TA works for low volume stock???

Super Long Wait??? Not Coming Any Sooner???

In mean time, just count interests!

Starbucks???

It was crowded but unlikely other Starbucks goers in their mind will say : "WTF! Why sit so long!"

Try sitting long in crowded kopitiam?

Kep Crop : Can the Bulls make it happen???

Optimising Your CPF For Retirement

Now; you have your chance to hear and meet Uncle8888 Live!

on Optimising Your CPF For Retirement

He will be sharing his views that you don't hear it from main stream's loud voices!

Less Analyzing. More Investing - CW8888 (2)

Read? Less Analyzing. More Investing - CW8888

This is the common response when someone began to talk about Investing with Uncle8888 ...


Uncle8888: Why are you investing?

Someone: I invest for income (or dividends)?

Uncle8888: You look young. Are you retiring soon?

Someone: No

Uncle8888: Why do you need cash flow from stocks? You lack of money to use?

Someone: No

Uncle8888: Your cash flow come from your job?

Someone: Ya

Uncle8888: Why do you need to invest for income when you no need the cash flow from stocks?

... silence. Now not sure how to respond to Uncle8888


Discover it yourself!

This is investing for long run when you are decades away from becoming retiree!


Are you wow by 6 digits passive income?

Do you know to get there and one day wow others with your 6 digits?

This is nothing more than Primary school Mathematics. Right?

Financial Independence at 40 or Financial Independence at 50/60???

Any difference?

Financial Independence at 50/60 may mean that our children are likely to be independent soon. We may not need larger investment portfolio to generate larger investment income to fund our household expenses. We can also include asset draw-down as cash flow at the latest stage of our life as the gravestone is not that many years away!

Many will be able to reach financial independence in their 50/60 if they are willing to include asset draw-down strategy as part of their sustainable retirement income for life.

Lucky Or Unlucky When You First Get Started Investing Over Market Cycles

Read?  How Much Luck in Investing Success? My Experience in 2008/09

Hmm ... like that then Uncle8888 was unlucky to read that book Rich Dad. Poor Dad at the wrong time and triggered him to seriously started his journey to Get Out of Rat Race when STI was near its high at 2583 and then crashed down to 1198.

He was lucky or unlucky? Not sure but he did learn something very important and practically true!

Do you recall any other successful retail investors telling you this?


In investing, your account size really matters; but it takes time for you to grow your account size through saving from your earned income.


How often you hear this : Start investing when you are young and let the magic of compounding works for you!


Read? Your Account Size Really Matters! (2)

Investment Portfolio Benchmarking Among The World's Well Known Investors - Updated on Warren Buffet for 2016

Read? Investment Portfolio Benchmarking Among The World's Well Known Investors - Updated on Warren Buffet for 2015

How to be like Warren Buffet?

Steady, Steady. Pom Pi Pi.

19.0% CAGR over 52 years!

Buffett: 'Widespread Fear Is Your Friend as an Investor'

25 Feb 2017 : Warren Buffett’s Letter to Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders

Some years, the gains in underlying earning power we achieve will be minor; very occasionally, the cash register will ring loud. Charlie and I have no magic plan to add earnings except to dream big and to be prepared mentally and financially to act fast when opportunities present themselves. Every decade or so, dark
clouds will fill the economic skies, and they will briefly rain gold. When downpours of that sort occur, it’s imperative that we rush outdoors carrying washtubs, not teaspoons. And that we will do.


Many companies, of course, will fall behind, and some will fail. Winnowing of that sort is a product of market dynamism. Moreover, the years ahead will occasionally deliver major market declines – even panics – that will affect virtually all stocks. No one can tell you when these traumas will occur – not me, not Charlie, not economists, not the media. Meg McConnell of the New York Fed aptly described the reality of panics: “We spend a lot of time looking for systemic risk; in truth, however, it tends to find us.”

During such scary periods, you should never forget two things: First, widespread fear is your friend as an investor, because it serves up bargain purchases. Second, personal fear is your enemy. It will also be unwarranted. Investors who avoid high and unnecessary costs and simply sit for an extended period with a collection of large, conservatively-financed American businesses will almost certainly do well.



A few, however – these are serious blunders I made in my job of capital allocation – produce very poor returns. In most cases, I was wrong when I originally sized up the economic characteristics of these companies or the industries in which they operate, and we are now paying the price for my misjudgments. In a couple of instances, I stumbled in assessing either the fidelity or ability of incumbent managers or ones I later put in place. I will commit more errors; you can count on that. Fortunately, Charlie – never bashful – is around to say “no” to my worst ideas.

Do You Know What Is Market Cycle and Sector Cycle??? (2)

Read? Do You Know What Is Market Cycle and Sector Cycle???

Read? No Cut Losses & Multi-baggers For Long Time (2)


Cut losses fast and live to fight another day!

It could be true for trading for a living as they depend on cash flow to put food on the table. But; for retail investors who put food on the table from their earned income ; it is a different story!

Depending on who you ask?

Cut losses fast and live to fight ANOTHER day! 

For traders, they have to fight every other day and definitely have to fight another day; otherwise they will starve!

But; for retail investors over market cycles and sector; how true is cutting losses into holding MORE cash when you have war chest?

Do you have to live and fight another day? or every other day?

It is more likely when retail investors panic and cut losses into holding MORE CASH; they are more likely to stay away from the market for a long time. 

Once we cut losses into realized losses; it is very hard to recover by holding cash. We can't never recover from holding cash. The cash has to be invested again to recover from losses.

But; what Uncle8888 has observed so far that many retail investors after cut losses; they will stay away from the market far too long to recover.

Two Bank Accounts? No, You may need Four! - (5)

Read? Retirement Income for Life??? (14) - How much is enough for retirement?

If you are NOT into detailed household expenses tracking in view of controlling and tightening expenses; you may like to review Uncle8888's method of tracking household expenses for the purpose of knowing the Number and don't bother with its details to control expenses. It is just few minutes effort every moth to populate the Excel worksheet with the latest monthly number.

One dedicated bank account for all household expenses and to be funded by other sources of income e.g. salary

Since Uncle8888 has retired without earned income; this bank account is fully funded by dividends and trading P/L from investment portfolio, CPF and FD interests. 2017 has been fully funded. In Dec 2017; this bank account will be refilled by CPF interests, dividends and trading in 2017 for 2018.

The big idea here is to spend what has been earned and not to spend future money that is not earned!

Read? No More Year End Bonus!!!

With one dedicated bank account for household expenses; whenever he looked at the account balance; he won't feel rich enough to overspend or feel that poor to under spend. He will naturally adjust and adapt to the remaining account balance to ensure that he doesn't spend until the account drop below the minimum sum and get charged by the bank. So far; it works naturally well for him for decades!

When Are You Going Into Trading Like Many Other Retirees???

During afternoon's lunch with one ex-colleague; she asked when is Uncle8888 going into trading like many other retirees whom she knows.

Actually; it is quite true that many retirees some time after their retirement may go into day trading as either part-time or pastime job to kill off bulk of their abundant time or to put it nicely to perfect their trading craft.

Do You Know What Is Market Cycle and Sector Cycle???

Real Person. Real Portfolio

From deep pain in the heart over large losses with exposure to O&G sector; but now feeling much better after some trimming down with realized profits.


Uncle

Market recovery and my portfolio also doing fine

Thank for your guidance. After add in the dividend and some of realise profit. I actually got earn.

Sembcorp Ind : 334% ROC Just Based On Total Dividends Received And Still Counting!!!

Read? Kep Corp : 478% ROC And Still Counting!!!

For yield investing; it is about our Entry Price!

Even with full year 2016 dividend cut to $0.08. It is still decent 10.9%!

Less Analyzing. More Investing - CW8888

A few minutes encounter with an "unknown" face on something unrelated to investing matter. So it is quite unexpected. LOL!

Someone : Uncle, can I ask you something?

Uncle8888 : OK

Someone : I don't understand your Less Analyzing. More Investing.

Uncle8888 : Wah! To explain, we need one whole session on it. :-) Now; it is not the right time. Simply, it is .... blah blah!

Someone : Now, can I still invest?

Uncle8888 : You got see my STI chart?

Someone : Uncle's chart very cheem! I don't get it!

Uncle8888: You can go and schedule kopi session. Bring along pen and papers!

Someone: Ya Kun?

LOL!


Less Analyzing. More Investing - CW8888

It is simple four words; but Uncle8888 didn't anyhow pluck it from the sky. 

To understand why he said it? 

It is after more than a decade in the stock market; then he said it

A few pieces of paper may be not enough. LOL!

It is about 3M's - Method. Mind and Money Management

A4 Clear Holders To Give Away

Email Uncle8888 if you want to take them!

Roaming The Streets Of Singapore With BMW (Bus, MRT, and Walk)

Read? Two Months After Not Doing Anything To Increase GDP As Jobless Man! (2)


With Uncle8888's eyes wide open with an unhurried mind; what he actually saw and got him thinking and thinking ...

What is physically external to our body; we can do something preventive to at least slow down the weakness; but what is internal in our body; we can't really do much. Even with stronger financial resources; it doesn't really help.

Our organ and tissues inside our body. Our our mind - Dementia!!!

Scary thought!

Read?  One Uncommon Act Of Kindness!

Now, Uncle8888 is paying back this act of kindness by watching out to help especially when old folks seen lost at MRT transfer station.

True Story!

This old man with a piece of SGH hospital bill seen lost at Bishan station and asking around how to get to SGH to see doctor so Uncle8888 told him how to get to Outram station via NE line and asked him to follow as Uncle8888 was transferring from NS to NE line to Hougang.

But; along the way; this old man asked him for $2 to drink coffee. Immediately; Uncle8888's Red Flag raised - people who asked for direction will not ask for money. Right?

Uncle8888 told him: I also No Money! :-(

Median household income from work in Singapore up 2.6% in real terms in 2016

Read? Median household income from work in Singapore up 2.6% in real terms in 2016

THE median household income from work among resident employed households in Singapore rose to S$8,846 in 2016 from S$8,666 in 2015, up 2.6 per cent in real terms, Singapore's Department of Statistics (DOS) said on Thursday.

This is a drop from the 4.9 per cent increase in real median household income from work in 2015, said DOS's latest paper, Key Household Income Trends, 2016.

After factoring in household size, the median monthly household income from work per household member rose 3.8 per cent in real terms, lower than l2015's 5.4 per cent growth in real terms.

While households experienced real growth in average household income from work per household member in 2016, the growth has slowed down across the board.

In 2016, the top 10 per cent of households saw the slowest growth with a marginal 0.2 per cent real growth in average household income from work per household member, while it grew 7.2 per cent in 2015.

The bottom 10 per cent of households saw a growth of 1.4 per cent in 2016, when the average household income from work per household member grew 10.7 per cent in real terms in 2015, attributable to the shrinking household size and thus fewer working persons per household, said DOS.

The Gini coefficient, a measure of income inequality, fell to 0.458 in 2016 from 0.463 in 2015. After taking into account the redistributive effect of government transfers, the Gini coefficient fell to 0.402 in 2016 from 0.409 in 2015.

Blue Chip DBS Is Yield Play For Those Who Bought At The Right Time!

Read? Kep Corp : 478% ROC And Still Counting!!!


For yield investing; it is about our Entry Price!

Blue chips can also be yield play for some retail.

DBS has maintained $0.60 dividend for 2016 and that translated to 116% Return on initial investment cost just on total dividends received since 2003 and still counting!

You may see the reason why Uncle8888 has strong view on market timing!

Once we get it right we can relax for long long time! That is long term investing for cash flow.

Now, waiting for Sembcorp Ind FY 16 result and FY 16 H2 dividend

Most Full-Time Employees Want To Retire

The message is MOST!!!

Few employees can reach high level position in the corporate ladder that they will find it so purposeful and empowering not to retire as they feel that they are still contributing much; but most employees from the lower level won't feel the same. 

Why would they don't want to retire earlier when they have enough financial resources not to carry on.

See who you ask!

Higher level or lower level employees!

More Bloggers Are Promoting Or Endorsing!!!

Recently, Uncle8888 has been reading through some blog posts convincingly and then towards the end section then he realized that the true message sent is Reading is not enough. You have to attend courses to actually learn the right process of investing. It is hard to be DIY retail investors hor!

With such an ending; Uncle8888 has doubt on what he has read earlier. Real or not?


Funny is when they were shouting the message last time: I can. You can! 

No more arh?

You need mentors! *sigh*

Is Mr. STI Making Many Of Us Feeling Good??? (2)

Read? Is Mr. STI Making Many Of Us Feeling Good???


CW,

I agree and like your chart. But you had to include the word "daily" in the chart heading when its a multi-year chart ;)

In statistics, we filter out the "noise" by having moving averages :)

SMOL win liao!

Without "noise" by having 365 Trading days moving averages; what we can know about long-term performance over daily market volatility.

Income Investing For Cash Flow???

It is quite common that Uncle8888 heard from retail investors when talking about investing ..


"I invest in S-REITs for income!"

Hmm ..

Does it really matter the cash flow from our ASSETS is Black Cat or White Cat?


As retiree, Uncle8888's cash flow come from dividends, interests, trading, and when necessary some SMALL asset draw-down from those interests generating assets to supplement any short fall in annual cash flow. 

Anyway; these interest generating assets don't produce higher return so any small draw-down to this asset base is not significant and it is not going to be alarming or damaging to the gross cash flow.

In investing; it does matter when we are right we want to win bigger to over-ride and stay longer!

This is long-term investing strategy!

Patience and discipline with our eyes always watching the Ball!

Is Mr. STI Making Many Of Us Feeling Good???

Hmm .. Don't bother with two decimal places for XIRR. It is no different from the Price Tag on Good showing $X.99!

Are Price Tag like $X.99 going to disappear when someone poking that 1 cts lesser is how much cheaper?

Same. Same!

Don't worry!

Keep posting that two decimal point like price tag of $X.99. LOL!

SGX

The Risk of CPF Accrued Interest So Scary Meh???

Not when our housing loan is for our residential home till our grave!

Because a dead body doesn't need to fund RA anymore!

Many of us don't have to bother about CPF Accrued Interest as this is non-event!


Read? Is CPF Accrued Interest for our housing loan increasing and we have to pay back one day when we sell our house?

Save more than 60%. No need to invest??? (7)

Read? Save more than 60%. No need to invest??? (6)


Why there are still ACTIVE financial and investment bloggers?

Where were those who have disappeared after GFC?

Winners continue to talk loud!

Losers shut up and stay away!

That is why we only hear and read about successful investing.

The Matrix of Savers and Investors

Planning For Retirement Early Voluntarily OR Locking Up For Retirement Way Ahead Of Our Times Under Incentives???

How many folks seriously know the difference?


Voluntarily Or Incentives

Same but different!

The difference is clearly when it is shared on paper and pen with illustrations!

Reading may be harder to visualize something that is decades away!

Can You Beat STI ETF DCA Passive Investing???

This young ex-colleague with small capital has taken the common investing advice to start investing early via STI ETF monthly DCA through our local bank Invest-Saver account. 

A few bloggers even suggested for those who have smaller capital they can start investing early through this way.

He started on 23 Mar 2015 when the stock price STI ETF closed at $3.42.

CW8888: Who says market timing is not important! You listen to whom?


This young investor has been happily doing this monthly DCA passive investing until he has met Uncle8888 for a few investing lessons and began to open his eyes and get his hand dirty doing his own mini version of STI stocks.

Passive or active? There is No free lunch! Why do you want to pay for someone's lunch? Not one; it could be a dozen of lunches. Total expense ratio for this STI ETF fund is 0.42%! 

Finally; after close to two years of passive investing; he sold all his Nikko STI ETF stocks on 31 Jan 2017 and he will now fully focus on his own mini STI portfolio.

After many months has passed; finally; he has validated Uncle8888's investing lessons that he can make more managing the fund himself and decided to give Uncle8888 lunch treat.

LOL!

DBS

Save more than 60%. No need to invest??? (6)

Read? Save more than 60%. No need to invest??? (5)

So far if it not wrong; only two bloggers said loud and clear that NOT everybody need to become retail investors to beat inflation. 

Good savers who are risk averse and don't want to ride the emotion of losses or even paper losses can choose not to invest.

Good savers can beat inflation by having more than enough assets for draw-down to last their lifetime.


Read? He Has Retired At 58!

His ex-boss told Uncle8888 that he doesn't invest in stock market anymore as he can't afford to lose anymore!

Not Just Financial Independence. Build Sustainable Retirement Income For Life!!!

Two key question posed to Uncle8888 during by younger and older relatives during this CNY:


(1) How to pass your time?

(2) Is your retirement life sustainable over next few decades?


Uncle8888 over the past one decade has been thinking about it. It is not just about reaching the edge of Financial Independence and declaring freedom. 

There is still some serious works to be completed to build sustainable retirement income for life model. It may not be wise to build this model based on too much leverage as leverage is always one double edge sword. As retiree depending on tight cash flow, he has to seriously weigh on cash-back model like S-REITs. No money back!