Innotek Dividends and Ex Dividend Share Price
I have been holding Innotek for a few years now and am pleased that it had recently announced that it would be paying out 5 cents in dividends per share again for this year. Innotek has been paying out dividends consistently over the past few years that I have owned this stock. Anyway, Innotek was trading at around 49 cents cum dividend but once it wend ex dividend (XD) yesterday, the share price fell by almost 7.5 cents to 41.5 cents. This shows that it will be hard to apply any dividend capture strategy.
The Death of Reading
Reading is slowly becoming a dying hobby. I am not surprised that many bookshops around Singapore have closed down. First it was Borders at Wheelock, followed by PageOne at Vivocity and also Harris in Great World. Will bookshops become a thing of the past? Why are these bookshops not profitable?
These are questions that I ask myself. And I have come to this slow realisation that people actually might be reading a lot less than in the past. When I refer to reading, I mean the reading of physical books. On the other hand, they are actually now reading more through sources like the internet which has become so accessible.
People are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for the latest handphone, but might not even spend that same amount on books. They might love reading, but they simply do not see the need to buy physical books to read. Even a person like me who quite enjoys reading seldom buy any books. Even if I do, my monthly budget or money spent on books is only around $20 to $50. That is almost peanuts when compared to the amount I spend on food, transport, and other so-called necessities in life. So I am not surprised in a certain way that the bookshops have closed down. If even a book lover like myself is spending so little on books, how much money can these bookshops even make?
I also realised that time passes, I have set aside less and less time to read. Work, the internet, distractions prevent me from reading a book in peace. The latest book I bought still lies half read on my bedside drawer. And yet, I have plenty of time to surf the net, eat, sleep and do so many other things. Do I like reading? Yes. But I simply cannot afford the luxury of sitting down and reading like in the past.
These are questions that I ask myself. And I have come to this slow realisation that people actually might be reading a lot less than in the past. When I refer to reading, I mean the reading of physical books. On the other hand, they are actually now reading more through sources like the internet which has become so accessible.
People are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for the latest handphone, but might not even spend that same amount on books. They might love reading, but they simply do not see the need to buy physical books to read. Even a person like me who quite enjoys reading seldom buy any books. Even if I do, my monthly budget or money spent on books is only around $20 to $50. That is almost peanuts when compared to the amount I spend on food, transport, and other so-called necessities in life. So I am not surprised in a certain way that the bookshops have closed down. If even a book lover like myself is spending so little on books, how much money can these bookshops even make?
I also realised that time passes, I have set aside less and less time to read. Work, the internet, distractions prevent me from reading a book in peace. The latest book I bought still lies half read on my bedside drawer. And yet, I have plenty of time to surf the net, eat, sleep and do so many other things. Do I like reading? Yes. But I simply cannot afford the luxury of sitting down and reading like in the past.
The Street Light
Composed this recently when I was feeling poetic.
The Street Light
The quiet street lies dead ahead,
And everyone is fast asleep.
The street lights shine up my bed,
blinds half shut, I'm wide awake.
Still eyes shut, he sleeps.
Dreams of tomorrow,
what joys it might give or grave sorrows, who knows?
And the light still assails, still shining.
Does the light come in or does it go out?
And makes the bedroom bare for all to ponder.
That someone is fast asleep at night,
dreaming, hoping, thinking.
Still the street light shines ahead,
and everyone is fast asleep,
but everyone is fast asleep.
The Street Light
The quiet street lies dead ahead,
And everyone is fast asleep.
The street lights shine up my bed,
blinds half shut, I'm wide awake.
Still eyes shut, he sleeps.
Dreams of tomorrow,
what joys it might give or grave sorrows, who knows?
And the light still assails, still shining.
Does the light come in or does it go out?
And makes the bedroom bare for all to ponder.
That someone is fast asleep at night,
dreaming, hoping, thinking.
Still the street light shines ahead,
and everyone is fast asleep,
but everyone is fast asleep.
Britains Got Talent - Susan Boyle
Everyone loves an underdog story. Just sharing some of my favourite youtube videos. This videos shows Susan Boyle in her auditions where she declares that she wants to be like Elaine Page (to the sniggers of the audience). The next video shows her singing a duet with Elaine Paige.
First REIT - Sold Off Again
I bought First REIT just recently. After the share price rose by more than 10 cents in the last month or so, I decided that it was a good time to lock in some profits or more than a thousand dollars. Just sold off the 10 lots that I owned at 89.5 cents a share. Most of the time, First REIT trades at sub-80 cents level and I guess that is where the price is probably headed to. If so, I will probably pick it up again when it reaches my desired buy price.
Top 5 Regrets of the Dying
Certain that many people have read this article before but guess it is always good to re-visit this article. Tamworth-based writer and blogger Bronnie Ware shared from her experience as a palliative care nurse the various main life lessons from hours spent with the dying. These are the top 5 regrets and it is something worth reflecting upon.
I wish:
1. I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This was the most common response.
2. I hadn't worked so hard. "They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
3. I'd had the courage to express my feelings
4. I had stayed in touch with my friends
5. That I had let myself be happier.
You can see that the one regret people don't have is that they should have spent more time on their work or in office.
I wish:
1. I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This was the most common response.
2. I hadn't worked so hard. "They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
3. I'd had the courage to express my feelings
4. I had stayed in touch with my friends
5. That I had let myself be happier.
You can see that the one regret people don't have is that they should have spent more time on their work or in office.
Long Weekend
Wishing all Christian readers a most blessed Good Friday and Easter. Hope you all enjoy the long weekend and find rest. It has been a restful weekend thus far for me and I hope all readers find the same rest that I have been having.
Just lounging around and doing nothing much.
Just lounging around and doing nothing much.
Silver Bullion and Coin Collection
Have been slowly building up my coin collection of silver including a few bullion. As of today, I have the Canadian Maple Leaf, American Eagle, Austrian Philharmonic, Buffalo coins and some Scottsdale Silver bars. Many of them are mainly 1 troy oz and some of them are sealed in airtight containers.
The coins are nice to look at, but I seriously regretted using my bare hands to touch some of them as they now have a whittish tarnish on them which can't be removed.
The coins are nice to look at, but I seriously regretted using my bare hands to touch some of them as they now have a whittish tarnish on them which can't be removed.
Crossed the 250,000 Page Views
Not too long ago, I shared that this blog has crossed the 210,000 pageview mark. I am happy to say that this site has surprisingly and beyond my wildest expectations crossed the 250,000 page view milestone earlier this week. Thank you readers for your support, advice, comfort, jokes that you have shared with me along this journey. I cannot thank you enough for how you all have contribute to this site and to me personally in one way or another.
Hopefully, this site will remain relevant for all. It is challenging to generate content. Very difficult considering that I do not have much free time to sit down, think and write. Many of the posts are either written in the wee hours of the night when I would really love to be sleeping rather than writing, and also when my brain really stops functioning normally.
Hopefully, this site will remain relevant for all. It is challenging to generate content. Very difficult considering that I do not have much free time to sit down, think and write. Many of the posts are either written in the wee hours of the night when I would really love to be sleeping rather than writing, and also when my brain really stops functioning normally.
Just a sampling of some of the posts of this blog to get the newcomer started.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
What are REITs?
Buy Property or Invest in REITs?
Why Invest in REITs?
Singapore REITs - History and Regulations
Income Investing - REITs
REITs trading below Net Asset Value
Commodities/Gold/Silver
Buy Silver in Singapore
Is Gold and Silver Still a Buy?
Insurance
Cheapest Insurance in Singapore?
Can You Trust Your Financial Planner?
Popular Reads
How Much to Give for Chinese Weddings
How Much to Give for Church Weddings
A Brutally Honest Post
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
What are REITs?
Buy Property or Invest in REITs?
Why Invest in REITs?
Singapore REITs - History and Regulations
Income Investing - REITs
REITs trading below Net Asset Value
Commodities/Gold/Silver
Buy Silver in Singapore
Is Gold and Silver Still a Buy?
Insurance
Cheapest Insurance in Singapore?
Can You Trust Your Financial Planner?
Popular Reads
How Much to Give for Chinese Weddings
How Much to Give for Church Weddings
A Brutally Honest Post
Dividends and Rights Issue
Being a very analytical sort of person, I cannot really understand why listed companies will have a rights issue while also declaring dividends at almost the same time. My simple mind tells me that rights issue is to access capital while issuing dividends is almost akin to giving away money. So why ask for more money when you are giving away money at the same time?
Anyone cares to explain? Speaking about Pacific Andes here.
Anyone cares to explain? Speaking about Pacific Andes here.
Don't Write When You Have Nothing To Write About
Well, that's the mentality I have been taking nowadays. I haven't felt a strong urge to write about anything and that perhaps explains the irregularity in posting any new articles. I don't feel like there is anything new in terms of knowledge that I can contribute at the moment, and so I stopped writing for a while.
In terms of investments, I haven't made any new investments just yet. I have been toying around with the idea of investing in CitySpring Infrastructure Trust or one of the industrial REITs but couldn't decide between the both and so am just sitting still right now and not doing anything. I know that is probably not a good thing to do since I tend to procrastinate for way too long and sometimes, it just seems so much better to act first and then analyse later.
Well, CitySpring Infrastructure Trust seems like a real safe and defensive bet considering that it owns infrastructure that are what I would call "recession proof". However, I think there was just a rights issue not too long back and I do have some concerns over its ability to grow its distribution. On the other hand, industrial REITs also provide an equivalent yield and might be likely to make yield accretive acquisitions. Of course, considering that the economic situation is still not that stable, there might be a likelihood that rental rates might drop. So that is another risk to consider. Not too mention that industrial REITs tenant base are also not as diverse as compared to a retail REIT ,etc.
In terms of investments, I haven't made any new investments just yet. I have been toying around with the idea of investing in CitySpring Infrastructure Trust or one of the industrial REITs but couldn't decide between the both and so am just sitting still right now and not doing anything. I know that is probably not a good thing to do since I tend to procrastinate for way too long and sometimes, it just seems so much better to act first and then analyse later.
Well, CitySpring Infrastructure Trust seems like a real safe and defensive bet considering that it owns infrastructure that are what I would call "recession proof". However, I think there was just a rights issue not too long back and I do have some concerns over its ability to grow its distribution. On the other hand, industrial REITs also provide an equivalent yield and might be likely to make yield accretive acquisitions. Of course, considering that the economic situation is still not that stable, there might be a likelihood that rental rates might drop. So that is another risk to consider. Not too mention that industrial REITs tenant base are also not as diverse as compared to a retail REIT ,etc.
Salary of Fresh Graduates
Survey results are out on the starting salary for fresh grads:
SMU
Leads the charts. Class of 2011 earns average of $3,388. Top 20 per cent of the cohort earned gross monthly salary of $5,039. Graduates from Information Systems Management earned an average of $3,637 per month.
Those with GPA 3.40 to 3.59 earned an average of $4,294 per month.
NUS
Law graduates earned average of $5,037. Medicine earned an average of $4,016
NTU
Computer engineering earned average of $3,577 while engineering grads earned $3,489 per month.
What do you think of the latest survey results?
SMU
Leads the charts. Class of 2011 earns average of $3,388. Top 20 per cent of the cohort earned gross monthly salary of $5,039. Graduates from Information Systems Management earned an average of $3,637 per month.
Those with GPA 3.40 to 3.59 earned an average of $4,294 per month.
NUS
Law graduates earned average of $5,037. Medicine earned an average of $4,016
NTU
Computer engineering earned average of $3,577 while engineering grads earned $3,489 per month.
What do you think of the latest survey results?
Losing Grip on Time
I feel like I am losing grip on time, and time is just literally, slipping me by. Every week, I can't help but exclaim, that another week has passed. It is simply way too amazing for me to fathom. It seems like one moment I am brushing my teeth, getting ready to go to work. And then the next moment, I am brushing my teeth, getting ready to go to sleep. It is something like groundhog's day but totally different. Rather than time repeating itself over and over, I am sort of losing grip on it and it seems to be slipping faster and faster and faster. And I can't seem to hit the "Pause" button. Before I know it, the week is over. And it scares me..really.
Day by day passes by. Week after week. It is so scary sometimes I shiver when I think about the number of days or weeks that have passed since I last ate at a particular restaurant or met up with a friend. And when I try to recall the last time I did something or visited some place, it scares me to realise that the last time I did that thing or visited the place was maybe one to two years back. And it just seems like it happened yesterday.
I am not sure my words have really described the feelings that I feel inside. But I truly feel like I am living in a movie that is on "fast forward" mode, hurtling right to the end. And I know that there is no way I can hit the "rewind" button and that there is no way I can ever go back in time to smile at my loved ones, to hold them, and to tell them that I love them. I seem to be trapped in this time tunnel where every thing is moving so fast. And I am here begging, please slow it down a bit for me God. Life is too beautiful and it is passing me by just too quickly.
Day by day passes by. Week after week. It is so scary sometimes I shiver when I think about the number of days or weeks that have passed since I last ate at a particular restaurant or met up with a friend. And when I try to recall the last time I did something or visited some place, it scares me to realise that the last time I did that thing or visited the place was maybe one to two years back. And it just seems like it happened yesterday.
I am not sure my words have really described the feelings that I feel inside. But I truly feel like I am living in a movie that is on "fast forward" mode, hurtling right to the end. And I know that there is no way I can hit the "rewind" button and that there is no way I can ever go back in time to smile at my loved ones, to hold them, and to tell them that I love them. I seem to be trapped in this time tunnel where every thing is moving so fast. And I am here begging, please slow it down a bit for me God. Life is too beautiful and it is passing me by just too quickly.
Tarnish on Silver
Tarnish has appeared on some of my silver bullion. I bought some candian silver maple leaf some time back and used my bare hands to handle them. I thought that the oils on my finger ruining the coin was just superstition by those crazy coin collectors. After all, we handle coins everyday and I don't see the normal 10 cent or 20 cent coins getting spoilt.
To my horror, I discovered some white stains on my silver coins which were very clearly in the pattern of my fingerprints. Tried wiping them off with a cloth but to no avail. They don't see to come off. Now my shiny coins are "stained" by the white marks.
Anyone has any idea how to remove them without spoiling the silver?
To my horror, I discovered some white stains on my silver coins which were very clearly in the pattern of my fingerprints. Tried wiping them off with a cloth but to no avail. They don't see to come off. Now my shiny coins are "stained" by the white marks.
Anyone has any idea how to remove them without spoiling the silver?
Minimum Wage Move for Malaysia?
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister said that the government had reached an agreement with the private sector on the need for a minimum wage policy. Based on a certain website, it was rumored that the Cabinet had agreed to set a minimum wage of below RM1,000 for the 3.2million workers in the private sector, with a RM100 difference between states in the peninsula and East Malaysia.
The opposition has however said that the minimum wage should be set higher at between RM1,000 and RM1,200. The Democratic Action Party's (DAP) Charles Santiago said, "A higher increase in minimum wage will increase productivity and innovation."
I am not sure how a higher minimum wage increases productivity and innovation. Anyone has any idea?
The opposition has however said that the minimum wage should be set higher at between RM1,000 and RM1,200. The Democratic Action Party's (DAP) Charles Santiago said, "A higher increase in minimum wage will increase productivity and innovation."
I am not sure how a higher minimum wage increases productivity and innovation. Anyone has any idea?
How Bad Do You It (Success)?
Giavanni Ruffin with the inspirational speech by Eric Thomas (a.k.a the hip hop preacher). Enjoy.
"And when you get to the point when all you want to do is be successful as bad as you want to breath, then you will be successful." - Eric Thomas
"And when you get to the point when all you want to do is be successful as bad as you want to breath, then you will be successful." - Eric Thomas
Dividends from Suntec REIT and First REIT
Received dividends of $24.79 from Suntec REIT and $193 from First REIT. Not a bad month in terms of dividends considering that I also collected some dividends from Ascott REIT and Gamco just a few days back.
Dividends from Ascott REIT and Gamco Global
Received dividends of $609.45 from Ascott REIT and $31.59 from Gamco Global Gold & Natural Resources Trust. Not bad for the month of February.
Will probably be looking at reinvesting the dividends into some other REIT. There are quite a few REITs and I am thinking of diversifying across the various sectors (e.g. industrial, commercial, residential, hospitals, hospitality , etc).
Will probably need to give it further thought.
Will probably be looking at reinvesting the dividends into some other REIT. There are quite a few REITs and I am thinking of diversifying across the various sectors (e.g. industrial, commercial, residential, hospitals, hospitality , etc).
Will probably need to give it further thought.
GoodBye PageOne, You Will Be Missed
PageOne closes down. So another bookshop closes. First it was Borders at Wheelock, then it was PageOne at Vivocity and now Harris at Great World is also closing down.
It just seems that bookshops are not able to be profitable nowadays. Or is it simply the case that Singaporeans don't really read anymore? I mean there are so many things online for us to read that we don't want to fork out the money to buy a book. I think very little people actually spend more than $100 a month buying books. We could easily spend that amount in a single day on a good meal. But not on books. Sadly.
And so the bookshops all around us are closing down. High rent is one factor. But I think most bookshops probably have very low profits. And it doesn't help that people are also buying books online nowadays.
Bye bye PageOne. You will be missed.
It just seems that bookshops are not able to be profitable nowadays. Or is it simply the case that Singaporeans don't really read anymore? I mean there are so many things online for us to read that we don't want to fork out the money to buy a book. I think very little people actually spend more than $100 a month buying books. We could easily spend that amount in a single day on a good meal. But not on books. Sadly.
And so the bookshops all around us are closing down. High rent is one factor. But I think most bookshops probably have very low profits. And it doesn't help that people are also buying books online nowadays.
Bye bye PageOne. You will be missed.
Maximum Number of Posts for Blog on Blogspot or Blogger
Just found out that Google does not limit the maximum number of posts once can have for a blog. That's right! The maximum number of posts for a blog on blogspot or blogger is infinity. One is entitled to an unlimited amount of posts though there is a limit of 100 blogs per user.
That gets me wondering. Is it possible to really have 10,000 or even 100,000 posts on a blog. What kind of blog will that look like? Is there even such a blog around today (like a world record for most number of posts on a blog)?
I really really wonder.
That gets me wondering. Is it possible to really have 10,000 or even 100,000 posts on a blog. What kind of blog will that look like? Is there even such a blog around today (like a world record for most number of posts on a blog)?
I really really wonder.
Fortune REIT
Bought Fortune REIT some days back. Cannot remember when. First time I have entered into this . I like the brand name behind the REIT that's all. The exposure to retail malls in Hong Kong was also a factor. Just wanted to diversify out of my Ascott REIT, First REIT, etc holdings that I have. Well, Li Ka Shing owns Cheung Kong which listed Fortune REIT. So that is a plus point for just owning a small investment in Fortune REIT.
Also collected my first cheque for Gamco Global Gold Trust. After deducting withholding tax and stuff, I only pocketed slightly over S$30. Bleah..
Also collected my first cheque for Gamco Global Gold Trust. After deducting withholding tax and stuff, I only pocketed slightly over S$30. Bleah..
My Day
Personal thoughts. My day. Ride the MRT. Go to work. Eat lunch. Work work work. Eat dinner. Bath. Surf the net. Do a bit of reading. Reflection. Sleep.
Wow. Each day of my life passes by so fast. Simply amazing.
Yeah, this is an entirely lame post =) But I haven't done such a lame thing for a long long time. I wonder if I blog like that for the next 3 months, will people still visit this blog and bother to read it.. Maybe i shd give it a try.
Wow. Each day of my life passes by so fast. Simply amazing.
Yeah, this is an entirely lame post =) But I haven't done such a lame thing for a long long time. I wonder if I blog like that for the next 3 months, will people still visit this blog and bother to read it.. Maybe i shd give it a try.
Hatched@Evans Road
I am not much of a foodie. But I do appreciate good breakfasts and am always game for some nice breakfast food whether it is at the hawker centers in Singapore or at the hip and cool cafes scattered around little obscure corners in Singapore. Over the weekend, had my breakfast at Hatched which is located at Evans Road just near to Botanical Gardens and opposite the School of Physical Education (or is it now NUS?).
Carparking was a breeze as there was space in the open air carpark where a lone mango tree and a jackfruit tree was growing. It isn't your typical carparking in Singapore so I enjoyed the way it was quite quaint and peaceful.
Verdict on the Food.
Nothing special and nothing especially bad. The mocha was a bit too sweet. Tried the Usual Suspect which was basically eggs, sausages, baked potatoes and baked beans. It also came with a slice of toast and a cup of coffee. Nothing fantastic really but nothing that will make me complain about it. For $15, I will think the price is slightly on the high side but that is the kind of price you pay for a "Big Breakfast kind of meal" in Singapore cafes. I like the ambience. But I think there are better breakfast places around in Singapore. Of course, unless I want an unassuming place to eat my breakfast. Hatched basically strikes me as an unassuming place. It is not an uppety-class kind of cafe. Down to earth. Nice place.
Carparking was a breeze as there was space in the open air carpark where a lone mango tree and a jackfruit tree was growing. It isn't your typical carparking in Singapore so I enjoyed the way it was quite quaint and peaceful.
Verdict on the Food.
Nothing special and nothing especially bad. The mocha was a bit too sweet. Tried the Usual Suspect which was basically eggs, sausages, baked potatoes and baked beans. It also came with a slice of toast and a cup of coffee. Nothing fantastic really but nothing that will make me complain about it. For $15, I will think the price is slightly on the high side but that is the kind of price you pay for a "Big Breakfast kind of meal" in Singapore cafes. I like the ambience. But I think there are better breakfast places around in Singapore. Of course, unless I want an unassuming place to eat my breakfast. Hatched basically strikes me as an unassuming place. It is not an uppety-class kind of cafe. Down to earth. Nice place.
Retiring on Dividend Earnings
All investors like to make a return on their investment, and stock dividends give a great return on your investment. There is no guarantee of dividend payment, but it is unusual for most companies not to pay out every year. Investors can use these dividend payments to fund an expansion in their portfolio or just take the money out.
Most companies that are doing well issue dividends to shareholders annually, but this depends on the company being successful. If a company exceeds targets it can pay a larger dividend and if it is struggling it can cancel the dividend payments completely.
What are Dividends?
Dividends are a bonus paid out of profits to shareholders, with a small amount paid to the holder of each stock. For investors with a small stake and few shares it might not amount to much, but it can add up for large shareholders. Pension schemes and other large investors use this income to supplement the proceeds of their investments, and you can use them in the same way to help fund your retirement without having to sell your shares.
In fact, many investors use the dividend yield of a stock to help influence their buying decisions. One trading theory is that a high dividend yield indicates that the stock is selling cheap and might increase in the future. This can make it a desirable investment, but investors should take care to ensure that the company is not falling on hard times.
The size and frequency of any dividend payments are issued to stockholders when the company files its accounts. These should be issued to all shareholders, who can use them to see how their investment is performing.
Using Dividends
While you are working and amassing shares to build a nest egg, it makes sense to invest the dividends back into buying more shares. This is a great way to increase your stock portfolio without having to spend any of your own money.
Alternatively, people use the dividend payments to pay for the nice things in life. They spend the money to pay for a holiday, a new car or anything else they might need a lump sum to pay for.
In Retirement
Once you retire, you can continue to use dividends in exactly the same way as you did previously. However, most retired people are on a reduced income and might even struggle to survive on their pension. For these people, the extra income that comes from the dividends certainly makes life a lot easier. It is important, however not to rely on these dividends as the companies can decide not to issue them at any time. Shareholders should treat them as a bonus rather than part of their income.
For most retired people, it makes sense to hold onto any investment in the stock market for as long as they can afford to. The long term benefit to their income from the dividends might very well outweigh the short-term gains from selling the stock and living off the proceeds.
Most companies that are doing well issue dividends to shareholders annually, but this depends on the company being successful. If a company exceeds targets it can pay a larger dividend and if it is struggling it can cancel the dividend payments completely.
What are Dividends?
Dividends are a bonus paid out of profits to shareholders, with a small amount paid to the holder of each stock. For investors with a small stake and few shares it might not amount to much, but it can add up for large shareholders. Pension schemes and other large investors use this income to supplement the proceeds of their investments, and you can use them in the same way to help fund your retirement without having to sell your shares.
In fact, many investors use the dividend yield of a stock to help influence their buying decisions. One trading theory is that a high dividend yield indicates that the stock is selling cheap and might increase in the future. This can make it a desirable investment, but investors should take care to ensure that the company is not falling on hard times.
The size and frequency of any dividend payments are issued to stockholders when the company files its accounts. These should be issued to all shareholders, who can use them to see how their investment is performing.
Using Dividends
While you are working and amassing shares to build a nest egg, it makes sense to invest the dividends back into buying more shares. This is a great way to increase your stock portfolio without having to spend any of your own money.
Alternatively, people use the dividend payments to pay for the nice things in life. They spend the money to pay for a holiday, a new car or anything else they might need a lump sum to pay for.
In Retirement
Once you retire, you can continue to use dividends in exactly the same way as you did previously. However, most retired people are on a reduced income and might even struggle to survive on their pension. For these people, the extra income that comes from the dividends certainly makes life a lot easier. It is important, however not to rely on these dividends as the companies can decide not to issue them at any time. Shareholders should treat them as a bonus rather than part of their income.
For most retired people, it makes sense to hold onto any investment in the stock market for as long as they can afford to. The long term benefit to their income from the dividends might very well outweigh the short-term gains from selling the stock and living off the proceeds.
Valentine's Day and Gifts
Valentine's Day is coming up on 14 Feb and I believe it is the season of gift buying again. Most couples will probably be wondering what gifts to buy each other. I remember the days of my youth when I had to literally crack my head to figure out what gifts to buy. I am not a good gift buyer actually.
If you asked me how I will buy my gifts, I will probably tell you that I will buy them online. Shopping online has almost become second nature to me. I can surf the net in the comforts of my home and still literally browse through the many online shops like Ebay to buy a gift. And I think this trend of shopping online will perhaps get more and more common to many people.
Another thing I realised is probably that married couples don't really celebrate Valentine's Day in as big a manner as the unmarried couples. I could be wrong on this but will like to think that my generalisation should be pretty accurate.
So how are you spending your Valentine's Day? And what gifts are you buying for your loved ones? Have you stopped buying gifts for your husband/wife because you are married?
If you asked me how I will buy my gifts, I will probably tell you that I will buy them online. Shopping online has almost become second nature to me. I can surf the net in the comforts of my home and still literally browse through the many online shops like Ebay to buy a gift. And I think this trend of shopping online will perhaps get more and more common to many people.
Another thing I realised is probably that married couples don't really celebrate Valentine's Day in as big a manner as the unmarried couples. I could be wrong on this but will like to think that my generalisation should be pretty accurate.
So how are you spending your Valentine's Day? And what gifts are you buying for your loved ones? Have you stopped buying gifts for your husband/wife because you are married?
How Much to Give for Chinese Wedding
A frequent question that is often asked by many people is this: "How much to give in terms of money for a Chinese wedding?" For the uninitiated, there are many traditions that are followed in a typical wedding involving a Chinese couple. One of these traditions is the giving of red packets (or what is known as ang baos) to the bride and groom during the wedding day itself.
While the red packet symbolises good luck and is meant to "ward off evil spirits", most younger Chinese couple do not really make this association with red packets. It is more of a tradition that has been passed on from generation to generation and we just carry on this tradition as a form of blessing that we hope to give the newly weds. This giving of red packets (with money stuffed inside) is somewhat similar to the Western culture of giving wedding presents I guess, with the exception that money is given instead.
While the amount of money packed inside the red envelope is not meant to be much of an issue, the amount given is usually meant to "reimburse" the newly wed for the expenses involved in hosting the wedding lunch or dinner. Relatives, business associates and close friends of the couple and their parents might sometimes feel obliged to give more than that as it is seen as "blessing" the couple and also forging good ties with the family. It is not unusual for parents to give a large red packet to their children during the tea ceremony.
For most people though, the amount to give in the red packet will just be what is sufficient to cover the expense of the lunch or dinner that you are invited to. For example, if it costs $1200 for a table of 10 people, most people will give around $120 to "cover the costs". Of course, some might give a little extra just in case they are uncertain about the "per table cost". In Singapore, if the wedding banquet is held in a hotel, be prepared to fork out anywhere from $120 to $160 per person. For the more expensive 6 star hotels, it can go as high to $200 per person.
For info, the amount given by each guest is usually recorded down so it is assumed that the giver of the red packet will write his or her name down on the red packet to facilitate this process. The reason for these records is so that the married couple can "give" back an equivalent or even higher amount of money in the event that he or she is invited to your wedding or even your children's wedding. It is a weird concept even for many younger Chinese couples but it is part of the "do and die and don't ask why" kind of tradition we keep.
Here are some pointers when giving the red packet:
While the red packet symbolises good luck and is meant to "ward off evil spirits", most younger Chinese couple do not really make this association with red packets. It is more of a tradition that has been passed on from generation to generation and we just carry on this tradition as a form of blessing that we hope to give the newly weds. This giving of red packets (with money stuffed inside) is somewhat similar to the Western culture of giving wedding presents I guess, with the exception that money is given instead.
While the amount of money packed inside the red envelope is not meant to be much of an issue, the amount given is usually meant to "reimburse" the newly wed for the expenses involved in hosting the wedding lunch or dinner. Relatives, business associates and close friends of the couple and their parents might sometimes feel obliged to give more than that as it is seen as "blessing" the couple and also forging good ties with the family. It is not unusual for parents to give a large red packet to their children during the tea ceremony.
For most people though, the amount to give in the red packet will just be what is sufficient to cover the expense of the lunch or dinner that you are invited to. For example, if it costs $1200 for a table of 10 people, most people will give around $120 to "cover the costs". Of course, some might give a little extra just in case they are uncertain about the "per table cost". In Singapore, if the wedding banquet is held in a hotel, be prepared to fork out anywhere from $120 to $160 per person. For the more expensive 6 star hotels, it can go as high to $200 per person.
For info, the amount given by each guest is usually recorded down so it is assumed that the giver of the red packet will write his or her name down on the red packet to facilitate this process. The reason for these records is so that the married couple can "give" back an equivalent or even higher amount of money in the event that he or she is invited to your wedding or even your children's wedding. It is a weird concept even for many younger Chinese couples but it is part of the "do and die and don't ask why" kind of tradition we keep.
Here are some pointers when giving the red packet:
- The red packet is usually collected at the reception area where you slot it into a box. There might be different boxes used so do slot it in the correct box. The receptionist will often ask you whether you were invited by the groom or the bride and should be able to advise you accordingly.
- If you happen to be late and the reception is closed, the bride and groom will usually go around the tables to take photos and greet the guests. You can pass the red packet to the groom then.
- Don't give a red packet just because it has chinese words printed on it. The chinese words printed on it might mean "Happy New Year" .
- If in doubt of how much to give, you can always check on the internet what is the existing table rate for the hotel. If necessary, just call up the hotel and ask them to give you a rough estimate.
- As the number "8" sounds like "prosper" in chinese, people often give amounts that end with a "8" (e.g. $128, $188). This is however not really necessary but is a good gesture nonetheless.
Hope this posting helps to solve the mystery of how much to give for Chinese weddings. Will like to hear your views on this: How much do you usually give for Chinese weddings?
March 2016 Update:
The Straits Times newspaper came up with a guide on how much one ought to give for hotel weddings in Singapore. The figures are quite astounding add it is meant to just cover the cost per pax (see below):
The above indicates that if you are invited for a wedding dinner at Capella Singapore or St Regis, you should be prepared to give a red packet of around $234 per pax.
Video by Jade Seah on How Much to give for Weddings:
》How much is Nikah in Singapore
=======
For those who are interested, do check out the following links
Articles on retirement, savings, financial planning and investing:
Insurance
Popular Reads
The Road to Financial Freedom:
March 2016 Update:
The Straits Times newspaper came up with a guide on how much one ought to give for hotel weddings in Singapore. The figures are quite astounding add it is meant to just cover the cost per pax (see below):
The above indicates that if you are invited for a wedding dinner at Capella Singapore or St Regis, you should be prepared to give a red packet of around $234 per pax.
Video by Jade Seah on How Much to give for Weddings:
》How much is Nikah in Singapore
=======
For those who are interested, do check out the following links
Articles on retirement, savings, financial planning and investing:
- Lease BuyBack Scheme
- How to Retire in Singapore
- Retiring on Dividends
- Receiving Cash in Mailbox Every Month
- 2 Ideas That Will Change Your View About Investing Forever
- Are You Ready to Manage Your Cash Flow?
- Are You Ready to Take Charge of Your Healthcare Costs?
- 3 Great Ways to Spend Your Annual Bonus
- 10 Great Passive Income Sources
- Buy a 2nd Property or REITs?
- What are REITs?
- Buy Property or Invest in REITs?
- Why Invest in REITs?
- Singapore REITs - History and Regulations
- Income Investing - REITs
- REITs trading below Net Asset Value
Insurance
Popular Reads
The Road to Financial Freedom:
- #1 - The Greatest Mistake
- #2 - Protect What You Cannot Afford to Lose
- #3 - Spend Less Than You Earn
- #4 - Spend Less Or Earn More
- #5 - Buy Assets Not Liabilities
- #6 - Read and Learn More
- #7 - The Magic of Part Time
- #8 - Health Equals Wealth
- #9 - It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint
- #10 - Congrats! You have Achieved it!
Retirement Planning Mistakes
For most people, retirement is probably the best part of life they look forward to. Yet, many people often make certain mistakes in retirement planning. In this article, you will find out what are some of the common mistakes made and how you can probably avoid them.
Introduction
Retirement is a time when you will no longer need to work for income and when you can spend time doing the things you like to do, such as spending more time with your family or travelling. In order to enjoy this time it is important to plan properly for your retirement.
The best way to enjoy your retirement is to be financially secure. The only way to ensure that is to start saving towards your retirement fund early, and let compounding returns do its work. Of course, you will also have to hope that you do not get caught out by any of the common retirement planning mistakes.
Start Early
The sad fact is that to get the maximum benefit for your contributions to a retirement fund, the money has to be in the account for as long as possible. This means ideally starting to contribute as soon as you start work and using 40 years of compound interest to increase the size of your fund. Many people often think that they have time to spare and only start planning for retirement when it is too late.
The best time to start retirement planning is actually when you have just started work. By planning early, you will get a good overall idea of how much you need for retirement and how much you ought to save to reach that amount. Retirement planning and life expectancy also goes hand-in-hand. One basically needs to know how many years you are expected to spend in retirement in order to save up sufficient money.
Taking Risks and Failure to Diversify
When you are younger it is tempting to take risks with your investment to increase the size of it faster. This will usually give you a bigger return much faster. However, the downside is an increased risk of the investment going wrong and turning sour. This matters less when you are young as the fund still has plenty of time to recover, but when you are approaching retirement age, it is best to be more prudent with your money.
At a point about ten years before you are planning to retire, consider moving your funds from a high risk investment to a lower-risk investment. This should reduce the risk to your money and make sure that as much as possible is available for your retirement.
The mistake that people make when planning their retirement is to put all of their funds into the same place. This might give you the best return on your money, but if it encounters a problem you might lose some, or even all, of your investment. If possible diversify your investment so that the money is in several different places and invested in several different markets to keep it safe.
As people frequently mention, asset allocation is probably one of the biggest mistakes that people fail to take care of when doing investments. How often it is that we hear about people who are near their retirement and lose all they have because of some risky investment. This can be avoided if we allocate our assets properly.
Consult Independent Professionals
Can you trust your financial advisor? As well meaning as they might be, your friends, family and bank manager might not have access to the best information or access to the best products for your needs. While they might be sincere in their intentions, they still might be sincerely wrong. When you start retirement planning, avoid the common mistake of consulting the wrong people to help you plan your future. The best advice is always available from an independent professional, who will be able to find you the best retirement products for your situation.
Once you have chosen a retirement plan, it is important to reconsider it on a regular basis. Life changes, like getting married or starting a family, will need you to re-examine your situation and perhaps change your investment priorities.
Conclusion
We are all not financial experts, so it is easy to make retirement planning mistakes that will affect the quality of life during your golden years. Get independent advice from experts and diversify your investments to protect your future and make the most of your retirement.
Overview for January 2012
The first month of 2012 is over. January has been pretty uneventful for me except for quite a few large ticket items that I have spent on. Passive income and dividends were $0 but I am expecting a bumper crop in the month of February since that will be when all the dividends from my REITs will most probably come in.
Expenditure wise, I have probably burnt some holes in my pocket from some large ticket items:
Expenditure wise, I have probably burnt some holes in my pocket from some large ticket items:
- Car Servicing. Sent my car for servicing and maintenance during the weekend. It was long overdue and so, since I was free, decided that it will be a good time to spruce the car up a bit. The costs added up quite a fair bit - over $560++. That was for a 36 point check (normal servicing, don't ask me what the checks were), changing a new battery, change of transmission oil and new wipers to go along with it.
- Term Insurance. Just made annual payment of S$347.50 for my wife's coverage. Necessary expenditure but expensive nonetheless.
Investments wise:
- Invested in First REIT mainly for dividend income. First REIT is listed on the Singapore stock exchange and holds hospitals and nursing homes in various countries. It gives a quarterly distribution of around 1.9 cents per unit.
- Invested in Gamco Global Gold &Natural Resource Trust (GGN) - provides US$14 monthly dividends. Yet to receive the first batch of dividends for January since it usually takes some time before the cheque is posted. Expecting this to come in for the month of Feb 2012.
Blogging wise:
- Started an ad campaign and have spent close to US$100 on advertisements and promotional costs for this site.
- Also exploring new ways to generate content (either by hiring a freelance writer or through other means).
Best Steak in Singapore?
Just ate at Astons today and felt that I had just eaten one of the best steaks in Singapore. Okay, I am pretty certain that there are better steaks around but this has to be the cheapest, most affordable and tastiest steak that I have eaten.
For those of you who know Astons, it is an unassuming Western restaurant that supposedly started out in a hawker(?) or foodcourt(?) somewhere in Singapore. It slowly expanded and has several restaurants in Singapore. It is a little like the Botak Jones stalls except that it is much better.
Ordering the Steak
I don't usually order steak when I eat from western food stalls in food courts or hawker centers. The quality overall has been quite bad - at least based from my experience. Many of the steaks are from dubious cuts and are either overcooked, tough or tasteless.
However, I decided to try the steak at Astons today. They are after all quite well-known for their steaks (well, at least if I remember the food reviews correctly). The last few occasions, I actually ate the burger so was thinking whether today was the day that I ought to jump out of my "comfort" zone.
I ordered a prime ribeye for $13.90. The two side orders I chose were the coleslaw and onion rings. Service was prompt and the dishes were ready in under 15 mins.
My Verdict
Loved the steak. It was tender and cooked to perfection. Other than the mushroom sauce which they seem to drizzle on everything (including their burgers), everything was perfect. The onion rings were nice and crispy, the coleslaw was "oh so delicious"... In fact, I wolfed down both the side orders before finishing the steak.
Will definitely eat it again if I visit Astons! Yum yum!
For those of you who know Astons, it is an unassuming Western restaurant that supposedly started out in a hawker(?) or foodcourt(?) somewhere in Singapore. It slowly expanded and has several restaurants in Singapore. It is a little like the Botak Jones stalls except that it is much better.
Ordering the Steak
I don't usually order steak when I eat from western food stalls in food courts or hawker centers. The quality overall has been quite bad - at least based from my experience. Many of the steaks are from dubious cuts and are either overcooked, tough or tasteless.
However, I decided to try the steak at Astons today. They are after all quite well-known for their steaks (well, at least if I remember the food reviews correctly). The last few occasions, I actually ate the burger so was thinking whether today was the day that I ought to jump out of my "comfort" zone.
I ordered a prime ribeye for $13.90. The two side orders I chose were the coleslaw and onion rings. Service was prompt and the dishes were ready in under 15 mins.
My Verdict
Loved the steak. It was tender and cooked to perfection. Other than the mushroom sauce which they seem to drizzle on everything (including their burgers), everything was perfect. The onion rings were nice and crispy, the coleslaw was "oh so delicious"... In fact, I wolfed down both the side orders before finishing the steak.
Will definitely eat it again if I visit Astons! Yum yum!
Saving for Retirement at 30
It’s starting to become the dream of more and more people, to be able to retire just after you leave your 20’s. So saving for retirement at 30 is sort of the new thing, the thing that many young professionals strive for and something that can be in the back of people’s mind when they choose their occupation. The better job, the more money, and the earlier they can retire.
In a fluctuating world economy you have to take several things in to consideration if you’re seriously thinking about going in to retirement when you’re in your early 30’s. First of all, you need to look at how much money you can make in a month and in a year from your occupation. After that, the amount you can spare for an investment portfolio.
Let’s face it, unless you get a job that pays 8-10 thousand US Dollars every month you won’t have enough to get by for the next 50 years when you turn 30. So the best way of increasing your money if you have a steady job is by getting an investment portfolio. Invest your money in stocks, bare bonds, commodities, oil, gold and silver, and currency to get the best rate of return on your money.
Saving up for retirement at 30 with the help of an investment portfolio isn’t the easiest thing if you haven’t got
an idea how these things work. Then what you can do is get an investment adviser that can give you the best advice on where to invest your money for the best return.
We said previously that the money has to last for 50 years, and that’s true. The average life of a human is around 80 years, so if you’re looking at retiring at 30 you have to save up enough money for the coming 50 years. Now during your 20’s it is all about building your capital, that means a higher risk on your investments and putting more money in to markets that can have a large pay off.
When you decide to retire you will be thinking about keeping your capital, so making safe investments where you will have a much lower pay off rate but much more stability.
The next thing to do is to choose where you’d like to retire to. The most common and cheapest places would be the Philippines, Thailand and even Singapore. South East Asia is becoming a more and more popular destination for Asians looking to retire early. Find out basic costs such as, average rent per month, health care, food, transportation and all the other things that you will spend money on in a month. When you find a reasonable estimate of what you need to get on well every month it’s time to start doing a bit of math.
Take your average monthly spending and multiply by 12. That’ll give you your annual spending. Take your annual spending and multiply with 50 and you get an estimate of what you’ll need to get by for the next 50 years. So for example in Thailand you might need 50 000 Baths per month, 600 000 Bath in one year and 30 000 000 Bath for the next 50 years. A way to save on your monthly cost is to purchase a house or apartment when you move over but that would mean you’d have to increase what you need before you actually move.
[This article is a guest post by a writer in Philippines. Read more about retirement planning]
In a fluctuating world economy you have to take several things in to consideration if you’re seriously thinking about going in to retirement when you’re in your early 30’s. First of all, you need to look at how much money you can make in a month and in a year from your occupation. After that, the amount you can spare for an investment portfolio.
Let’s face it, unless you get a job that pays 8-10 thousand US Dollars every month you won’t have enough to get by for the next 50 years when you turn 30. So the best way of increasing your money if you have a steady job is by getting an investment portfolio. Invest your money in stocks, bare bonds, commodities, oil, gold and silver, and currency to get the best rate of return on your money.
Saving up for retirement at 30 with the help of an investment portfolio isn’t the easiest thing if you haven’t got
an idea how these things work. Then what you can do is get an investment adviser that can give you the best advice on where to invest your money for the best return.
We said previously that the money has to last for 50 years, and that’s true. The average life of a human is around 80 years, so if you’re looking at retiring at 30 you have to save up enough money for the coming 50 years. Now during your 20’s it is all about building your capital, that means a higher risk on your investments and putting more money in to markets that can have a large pay off.
When you decide to retire you will be thinking about keeping your capital, so making safe investments where you will have a much lower pay off rate but much more stability.
The next thing to do is to choose where you’d like to retire to. The most common and cheapest places would be the Philippines, Thailand and even Singapore. South East Asia is becoming a more and more popular destination for Asians looking to retire early. Find out basic costs such as, average rent per month, health care, food, transportation and all the other things that you will spend money on in a month. When you find a reasonable estimate of what you need to get on well every month it’s time to start doing a bit of math.
Take your average monthly spending and multiply by 12. That’ll give you your annual spending. Take your annual spending and multiply with 50 and you get an estimate of what you’ll need to get by for the next 50 years. So for example in Thailand you might need 50 000 Baths per month, 600 000 Bath in one year and 30 000 000 Bath for the next 50 years. A way to save on your monthly cost is to purchase a house or apartment when you move over but that would mean you’d have to increase what you need before you actually move.
[This article is a guest post by a writer in Philippines. Read more about retirement planning]
First REIT and Ascott REIT Declare Dividends
First REIT just declared distribution/dividends of 1.93 cents per share. A quick look at First REIT's dividend history gives me some sort of confidence to enter this REIT again. I had previously sold off my entire shareholdings in it but have recently entered into it again buying 10 lots of it recently. Since the distribution is paid quarterly, it looks like I will be receiving a small bonus every 3 months. Not too bad for some passive income. Based on my 10,000 shares, I figure that I will be receiving around $193 for Feb 2012.
Ascott REIT had also declared their semi annual dividends of slightly over 4 cents per share. I currently hold 15 lots in Ascott REIT so that should also provide me with a neat sum of around $600 for Feb 2012.
I am also still waiting for my dividends from Gamco Global Gold Trust (GGN). This is a monthly dividend stock and though the dividend is paid on 24 Jan, I figure that I will only receive the cheque in late Jan or early Feb.
Ascott REIT had also declared their semi annual dividends of slightly over 4 cents per share. I currently hold 15 lots in Ascott REIT so that should also provide me with a neat sum of around $600 for Feb 2012.
I am also still waiting for my dividends from Gamco Global Gold Trust (GGN). This is a monthly dividend stock and though the dividend is paid on 24 Jan, I figure that I will only receive the cheque in late Jan or early Feb.
Investing in Real Estate
Real estate is usually one of the most expensive purchases that a person ever makes. The cost of real estate has risen significantly worldwide over the last decade until the economic problems came to life. Even now that housing prices have stabilized, they are still much higher than at the start of the last decade.
This can make it difficult for people to buy or invest in real estate, but it is great for anyone who bought before the prices started to rise. As any loans on the property are paid off over time, the cost of living there will be limited to any taxes and repair bills.
Advantages of Real Estate
As well as providing you with somewhere to live, or work, real estate can really work as an investment. If you own housing, you can rent it out to bring in a nice amount of money every month to supplement your salary. You will have to pay out for any repairs, and bad tenants can do a lot of damage, but many landlords have an agency that takes care of all that for you. Another advantage of property is the high cost of it. It might cost you a lot of money to buy, but you can usually sell it for a profit. Many landlords accumulate a portfolio of property that they use as a retirement fund, and sell it off when it is time to retire.
Disadvantages
Real estate is really expensive, and it can be difficult to borrow the money you need to buy a property. This can make it very difficult to start investing in real estate, although treating it like a business and presenting a solid plan to your bank may help if you want an investment property. A lot of people also end up asset rich and cash poor.
Choosing Real Estate
The hard part is choosing which real estate to invest in. Your intended use of the property will determine which is suitable. A house for your family might be a completely different choice to a property intended for rental to the holiday market in a resort area for example.
If you have the necessary skills, then you can make a lot of money by buying properties that need renovating and performing the necessary repairs. Your skills will enable you to perform the repairs quickly and cheaply and you can turn around real estate like this for a profit within a short space of time.
Building and maintenance skills are also useful if you want to be a landlord. By doing the repairs yourself it will save on the costs of paying for skilled craftsmen. It will also save money if you can manage the real estate yourself and deal with the tenants, but many people prefer to use an agency to do that.
Real estate can be a great property investment that can make a great profit, but can lead to large losses. Anyone considering property as an investment needs to research the market properly and invest in the right property in the best location they can afford.
[This is a guest post]
This can make it difficult for people to buy or invest in real estate, but it is great for anyone who bought before the prices started to rise. As any loans on the property are paid off over time, the cost of living there will be limited to any taxes and repair bills.
Advantages of Real Estate
As well as providing you with somewhere to live, or work, real estate can really work as an investment. If you own housing, you can rent it out to bring in a nice amount of money every month to supplement your salary. You will have to pay out for any repairs, and bad tenants can do a lot of damage, but many landlords have an agency that takes care of all that for you. Another advantage of property is the high cost of it. It might cost you a lot of money to buy, but you can usually sell it for a profit. Many landlords accumulate a portfolio of property that they use as a retirement fund, and sell it off when it is time to retire.
Disadvantages
Real estate is really expensive, and it can be difficult to borrow the money you need to buy a property. This can make it very difficult to start investing in real estate, although treating it like a business and presenting a solid plan to your bank may help if you want an investment property. A lot of people also end up asset rich and cash poor.
Choosing Real Estate
The hard part is choosing which real estate to invest in. Your intended use of the property will determine which is suitable. A house for your family might be a completely different choice to a property intended for rental to the holiday market in a resort area for example.
If you have the necessary skills, then you can make a lot of money by buying properties that need renovating and performing the necessary repairs. Your skills will enable you to perform the repairs quickly and cheaply and you can turn around real estate like this for a profit within a short space of time.
Building and maintenance skills are also useful if you want to be a landlord. By doing the repairs yourself it will save on the costs of paying for skilled craftsmen. It will also save money if you can manage the real estate yourself and deal with the tenants, but many people prefer to use an agency to do that.
Real estate can be a great property investment that can make a great profit, but can lead to large losses. Anyone considering property as an investment needs to research the market properly and invest in the right property in the best location they can afford.
[This is a guest post]
How Much of Salary to Save
Based on a recent online survey, it was found that 2 out of 3 Singapore workers were saving no more than 20 per cent of their monthly salary. How much salary do I save?
I figured that I am currently saving about 30% of my monthly salary. This goes into savings plans, bank deposits or stock investments. This is probably possible for me because I have kept my "wants" to the bare minimal. Apart from the occasional dining at restaurants, I probably do not spend much on anything else. No gadgets, clothes or whatever. So most of my expenditure is really going into my needs and paying for the bare essentials.
Based on my rough calculations, I also figure that I am possibly able to save as much as 50% of my salary if I really want to. But that will really mean cutting back on many of the "luxury" items that I can afford. Saving comes really easy to me as I am pretty much of a saver rather than a spender. I do not see the need to have or own the latest toys and gizmos. Being frugal is perhaps part of me =) And that is perhaps why I have written posts like:
As many people have always advised, it really is not about how much you save. The most important thing is to get into the habit of saving. Try to build up an emergency fund and also set up a disciplined savings plan for retirement. Thereafter, it should get quite easy as you discover more and more ways to save money. Like they say, the first step is always the hardest.
I figured that I am currently saving about 30% of my monthly salary. This goes into savings plans, bank deposits or stock investments. This is probably possible for me because I have kept my "wants" to the bare minimal. Apart from the occasional dining at restaurants, I probably do not spend much on anything else. No gadgets, clothes or whatever. So most of my expenditure is really going into my needs and paying for the bare essentials.
Based on my rough calculations, I also figure that I am possibly able to save as much as 50% of my salary if I really want to. But that will really mean cutting back on many of the "luxury" items that I can afford. Saving comes really easy to me as I am pretty much of a saver rather than a spender. I do not see the need to have or own the latest toys and gizmos. Being frugal is perhaps part of me =) And that is perhaps why I have written posts like:
As many people have always advised, it really is not about how much you save. The most important thing is to get into the habit of saving. Try to build up an emergency fund and also set up a disciplined savings plan for retirement. Thereafter, it should get quite easy as you discover more and more ways to save money. Like they say, the first step is always the hardest.
What Should I Do With My Ang Baos?
Recently, I asked readers for their views on what should I do with my annual bonus. This was really triggered by reading the newspapers and learning that most Singaporeans actually intend to spend their annual bonuses instead of saving it.
Since the Lunar New Year is upon us, I am sure many readers are still in the privileged group (i.e. unmarried) and are still entitled to collect red packets (or what we commonly call as Ang Baos in Mandarin). Again, I post the same question: What will you do with the money in your red packet?
Or for those of you who are no longer entitled to collect red packets, what do you wish that the receivers of your red packets will use the money for?
At the same time, I will like to wish all readers a Happy Lunar New Year!
Since the Lunar New Year is upon us, I am sure many readers are still in the privileged group (i.e. unmarried) and are still entitled to collect red packets (or what we commonly call as Ang Baos in Mandarin). Again, I post the same question: What will you do with the money in your red packet?
Or for those of you who are no longer entitled to collect red packets, what do you wish that the receivers of your red packets will use the money for?
At the same time, I will like to wish all readers a Happy Lunar New Year!
Retirement Age and Retirement Planning
As soon as we settle into working life we start to look forward to retirement - that great day when we can leave work for the last time and be free to enjoy our golden years. For most people, this happens at the birthday after you reach the government retirement age. Some people are lucky enough to have the financial security they need for early retirement. In either case, some form of retirement planning will be required. Retirement planning basically involves finding out the age that you will retire at and working towards saving enough money so that you will be able to live comfortably without drawing a salary when retirement comes.
The Retirement Age Act
In Singapore, the Retirement Age Act determines the minimum age of retirement. A person can currently retire the day before their 62nd birthday. This may change in the future, and as the average population ages the retirement age is likely to increase like it has in other countries. In some parts of Europe the retirement age is as high as 67 currently.
Employment Contracts
The employer should give the employee advance notice of their retirement unless their employment contract explicitly specifies it. It is also unnecessary for the employer to give any retirement benefit unless it is in the contract.
Employers do not have to retire an employee once they reach retirement age. If both are happy, then they can continue to work for as long as the employee remains fit and able to perform their duties.
Wage Reductions
To help companies in Singapore continue to employee older people, it is legal for them to reduce the wages of employees over the age of 60. This can be a straight salary reduction, or a reduction in any other employee-related costs such as bonus, benefits and pension contributions.
This can lead to experienced people losing up to 10% of their salary as soon as they celebrate their sixtieth birthday. Luckily, employers cannot just base the reduction on age alone, but must take into account other reasonable factors. These can include the employee’s ability to perform their duties fully as they age.
It is important to remember that the 10% is a maximum reduction and can be taken off in one chunk or in several smaller deductions. This allows the employer to effect a gradual reduction to the employee’s salary over a period of time.
Working after Retirement Age of 62
The Singapore Retirement Act does not allow for compulsory retirement at the age of 62, and neither does it stop anyone continuing to work beyond that age if they want to. Anyone who wants to continue working should arrange it with their employer. Re-employment after age 62 is also probably going to be a norm in the future.
Other Exceptions
Some fixed-term employment contracts are immune from the Retirement Act. People on these contracts can continue to work as normal and then retire at the end of the contract. A notification exists to the Retirement Act that specifies which people are exempt.
Conclusion
Retirement usually marks the end of your "paid" working life, and for many people it is something to look forward to. Others love work and try to continue working for as long as they possibly can. Whatever your views, it is important to know the laws in your country concerning retirement so that you know what are the likely scenarios (e.g. pay cut) when it is your time to retire.
"How to retire in Singapore?" is perhaps a question that is often on people's minds. For some people, it might even involve drastic moves like moving to a cheaper country to retire (read: Retire in Philippines). Well, if you are interested, you can also read some of my thoughts about retirement and let me know what you think.
The Retirement Age Act
In Singapore, the Retirement Age Act determines the minimum age of retirement. A person can currently retire the day before their 62nd birthday. This may change in the future, and as the average population ages the retirement age is likely to increase like it has in other countries. In some parts of Europe the retirement age is as high as 67 currently.
Employment Contracts
The employer should give the employee advance notice of their retirement unless their employment contract explicitly specifies it. It is also unnecessary for the employer to give any retirement benefit unless it is in the contract.
Employers do not have to retire an employee once they reach retirement age. If both are happy, then they can continue to work for as long as the employee remains fit and able to perform their duties.
Wage Reductions
To help companies in Singapore continue to employee older people, it is legal for them to reduce the wages of employees over the age of 60. This can be a straight salary reduction, or a reduction in any other employee-related costs such as bonus, benefits and pension contributions.
This can lead to experienced people losing up to 10% of their salary as soon as they celebrate their sixtieth birthday. Luckily, employers cannot just base the reduction on age alone, but must take into account other reasonable factors. These can include the employee’s ability to perform their duties fully as they age.
It is important to remember that the 10% is a maximum reduction and can be taken off in one chunk or in several smaller deductions. This allows the employer to effect a gradual reduction to the employee’s salary over a period of time.
Working after Retirement Age of 62
The Singapore Retirement Act does not allow for compulsory retirement at the age of 62, and neither does it stop anyone continuing to work beyond that age if they want to. Anyone who wants to continue working should arrange it with their employer. Re-employment after age 62 is also probably going to be a norm in the future.
Other Exceptions
Some fixed-term employment contracts are immune from the Retirement Act. People on these contracts can continue to work as normal and then retire at the end of the contract. A notification exists to the Retirement Act that specifies which people are exempt.
Conclusion
Retirement usually marks the end of your "paid" working life, and for many people it is something to look forward to. Others love work and try to continue working for as long as they possibly can. Whatever your views, it is important to know the laws in your country concerning retirement so that you know what are the likely scenarios (e.g. pay cut) when it is your time to retire.
"How to retire in Singapore?" is perhaps a question that is often on people's minds. For some people, it might even involve drastic moves like moving to a cheaper country to retire (read: Retire in Philippines). Well, if you are interested, you can also read some of my thoughts about retirement and let me know what you think.
Land Banking Investment Risks
[Photo credits: Image by kwerfeldein]
Land banking is an investment scheme where someone buys a piece of land and sells it later for a profit. Sometimes they divide the land into a number of smaller plots and sell each one to generate a profit. The investor can hold the rights to the land for a short time and make a quick profit or hold the position for years before selling the land.
Often the plot is a piece of pristine land that is agricultural in nature, but it can also be former industrial land which might be contaminated. If the landowner is able to get building permission to develop or rezone the land, it will increase the value of the land, and they can make a profit by selling it to a building developer. Sometimes the land is completely undeveloped and it might be possible to use it for farming.
Advantages of Land Banking
One of the great advantages of land banking over other kinds of investment is this: the investor owns something that physically exists. This is different to stock and commodity traders who own a certificate, a piece of the business which is not really tangible to certain people or in other more complex finance instruments, they are just "numbers on a computer". Land banking thus often appeals to a different kind of investor who like the idea that their investment is actually a tangible asset.
Problems with Land Banking
I have written previously to beware about land banking, primarily because it is often an unregulated investment in many countries. In a previous poll that I did on this blog, respondents also felt that land banking was one of the more toxic investments around. Most people in Singapore are also probably aware of the case surrounding Profitable Plots which was involved in land banking.
Like any other form of investment, the price of land can go down as well as up. If the piece of land contains industrial contamination or can never get permission for development then it becomes effectively worthless.
Another problem with land banking is that a number of unscrupulous people have used it as a way to defraud people. They buy a plot of cheap land and then produce fake documents that make it look like it is worth more than it actually is and sell it on to unsuspecting investors. The rogue land bankers just vanish with the money leaving the investors with a worthless tract of land.
Locations of the Land
Land bankers can, in theory, invest in land anywhere in the world. However, some countries have laws that prevent non-nationals from owning land. If you are considering investing in land it is important to consult a lawyer who is an expert in the laws where you are buying the land. This will help to prevent any legal problems surprising you in the future.
Environmental Issues
In some areas of the world, virgin land is being taken and cleared to become agricultural land. This virgin land is often some way from existing agricultural land and infrastructure making it cheap to purchase. The investor can then hold the rights on the land until the infrastructure moves closer to it. At this point, they can rent it out to farmers or sell it for a profit. It might also be that the land is in an area suitable for mining and the investor buys the land in the hope to sell it to a mining company. In either case, the government could decide that the land lies within a protected area
Buyers Beware
Land banking is one way for people to invest and actually have the feeling of owning something tangible. It can be a great way to make money, but it is also a risky business. Anyone considering this should probably get legal advice first and only risk money that they can afford to lose.
What Should I Do With My Annual Bonus?
The Sunday newspaper carried an article on how people were intending to spend their annual bonuses. While most have or were planning to spend it on holidays, clothes and IT gadgets, others were thinking about saving or investing a part of it.
The article got me thinking on what I ought to do with my annual bonus. Currently, it is seating in the bank and I realised that it is not being put to good use. One idea that I have been toying with is to pay off my car loan which is still outstanding. The idea of being a little closer to being debt free is just so appealing right now. By paying off my car loan, I will just be left with my housing mortgage loan.
Another idea will be to invest that sum of money in a mixture of REITs as well as monthly dividend stocks like Gamco Global Gold & Natural Resources Trust (GGN). This will serve as a passive income flow for me.
For REITs, I am choosing between Suntec REIT, Sabana REIT and LMIR Trust.
Any ideas or suggestions from anyone?
The article got me thinking on what I ought to do with my annual bonus. Currently, it is seating in the bank and I realised that it is not being put to good use. One idea that I have been toying with is to pay off my car loan which is still outstanding. The idea of being a little closer to being debt free is just so appealing right now. By paying off my car loan, I will just be left with my housing mortgage loan.
Another idea will be to invest that sum of money in a mixture of REITs as well as monthly dividend stocks like Gamco Global Gold & Natural Resources Trust (GGN). This will serve as a passive income flow for me.
For REITs, I am choosing between Suntec REIT, Sabana REIT and LMIR Trust.
Any ideas or suggestions from anyone?
Investing in Silver
Since man first discovered silver, it has been an object of desire for both its value and its use as a form of money. This usually means that investing in silver gives a good long-term return to the investment. Not too long ago, I wrote about buying silver in Singapore, how I was buying more silver (for collection purposes) and also some of my broader investment thoughts for 2012. Of course, I warn readers not to take what I write as any form of personal finance advice.
The Silver Market
The market for silver is not as big as the gold market, but is still worth an estimated $15 billion annually. Traditionally, the price of silver tracks the price of gold. The ratio was set by United States law at 1:15 in 1792, but price increases in both metals meant that the gold/silver ratio rose to over 1:60 in 2009. The price of silver has continued to rise and reached record levels in 2011, with the average price reaching $41.20 for one troy ounce.
Like most commodities, silver trades on a market with traders buying and selling the metal to make a profit. The London silver bullion market is one of the main places where it trades. Another is iShares.
Silver in Banks
In some countries investors can walk into a bank and buy silver bullion over the counter. This can then be taken home and stored in a safe or kept in a safe deposit box in the bank. It is even possible to store your silver in allocated or unallocated storage with a bank or dealer to keep it safe.
Silver comes in a variety of bars, including:
* 1000 oz troy bars (31 kg)
* 100 oz troy bars (3.11 kg)
* 1 kg bars
* 10 oz try bars (311 g)
* 1 oz troy bars (31.1 g)
* Odd weight bars
The most popular bars are the 100 oz troy, with popular brands including Engelhard and Johnson Matthey. The branded bars are usually worth more than unbranded or odd weight bars.
Investing in Silver
Silver can be both a long-term and short-term investment. In the short-term, investors can trade silver for a profit in the same way as any other commodity by always aiming to buy low and sell high. Market fluctuations can give profits on each trade, but also losses meaning that this can be a risky investment as one needs to know how to time the market (something I admit I am totally not good at!)
Over the longer term, the price of silver has generally risen, with a sharp rise over the last few years. This is great news for anyone that owned silver before 2005, but not so good for anyone thinking of investing now. Of course the market price could continue to rise, but nobody knows for sure and it could fall back down to earlier levels.
Over the past few years, investing in silver has been a great way to make money. The price has increased by eight times in 11 years and doubled since last year, but that does not mean that it is guaranteed to continue that way so never risk any money that you cannot afford to lose.
You might also be interested in reading the recent article on Investing in Gold.
[Picture credits to digitalmoneyworld]
The Silver Market
The market for silver is not as big as the gold market, but is still worth an estimated $15 billion annually. Traditionally, the price of silver tracks the price of gold. The ratio was set by United States law at 1:15 in 1792, but price increases in both metals meant that the gold/silver ratio rose to over 1:60 in 2009. The price of silver has continued to rise and reached record levels in 2011, with the average price reaching $41.20 for one troy ounce.
Like most commodities, silver trades on a market with traders buying and selling the metal to make a profit. The London silver bullion market is one of the main places where it trades. Another is iShares.
Silver in Banks
In some countries investors can walk into a bank and buy silver bullion over the counter. This can then be taken home and stored in a safe or kept in a safe deposit box in the bank. It is even possible to store your silver in allocated or unallocated storage with a bank or dealer to keep it safe.
Silver comes in a variety of bars, including:
* 1000 oz troy bars (31 kg)
* 100 oz troy bars (3.11 kg)
* 1 kg bars
* 10 oz try bars (311 g)
* 1 oz troy bars (31.1 g)
* Odd weight bars
The most popular bars are the 100 oz troy, with popular brands including Engelhard and Johnson Matthey. The branded bars are usually worth more than unbranded or odd weight bars.
Investing in Silver
Silver can be both a long-term and short-term investment. In the short-term, investors can trade silver for a profit in the same way as any other commodity by always aiming to buy low and sell high. Market fluctuations can give profits on each trade, but also losses meaning that this can be a risky investment as one needs to know how to time the market (something I admit I am totally not good at!)
Over the longer term, the price of silver has generally risen, with a sharp rise over the last few years. This is great news for anyone that owned silver before 2005, but not so good for anyone thinking of investing now. Of course the market price could continue to rise, but nobody knows for sure and it could fall back down to earlier levels.
Over the past few years, investing in silver has been a great way to make money. The price has increased by eight times in 11 years and doubled since last year, but that does not mean that it is guaranteed to continue that way so never risk any money that you cannot afford to lose.
You might also be interested in reading the recent article on Investing in Gold.
Investing In Gold
Gold is one of the most valuable and desirable substances known to man. For many years it has been a status symbol as well as a form of currency since the days before money. It is also the most popular material for making jewellery, with roughly half of all gold being used in this way.
Gold Price
For many years, the price of gold was a relative standard for currencies around the world. This started to change in the 1970s when the value of the US dollar stopped being linked to the price of gold and finished in 2000 when the Swiss Franc was the last currency to remove the link.
Like all commodities, it is possible to treat gold as a short-term and long-term investment. Over hours, days or weeks, the fluctuation in the price of gold on an exchange allows traders to buy and sell for hopefully a profit. With luck or skill, a gold trader can buy some gold at a low price, sell it at a higher price and buy more when the price drops. Repeating the process allows an investor to make a lot of money, but if it goes wrong they could make a loss on each trade.
Historically, the price of gold has risen at a steady rate making it a great safe investment. In fact, during the recent financial crisis many people turned to gold as an alternative way of saving. This is a relatively safe way of investing in gold, but still leaves you with the problem of finding somewhere to keep it safe. Most experts recommend that gold is a rainy day investment, like an insurance policy that should be kept until you absolutely need to sell.
Gold Coins/ Bullion
Another way to invest in gold is gold bullion coins. These cost slightly more than the spot price of gold, but are easier to buy, trade and store than larger pieces. Typical sizes include 1/10oz, 1/4oz, 1/2oz and 1oz. The governments of the UK, USA, Canada, China and most other major world powers mint these coins, so they are very reputable.
Mining Stocks or Close Ended Funds
Apart from investing in physical gold itself, one can also invest in the mining companies that are involved in gold production. There are also certain funds that invest in various mining stocks. One of these close ended funds is Gamco Global Gold & Natural Resources Trust which pays out a monthly dividend. If you have been reading and following this blog, you probably know that I have loaded up on GGN just recently..
Storing Gold
Many major banks will store gold for customers, as will specialized gold exchanges and trading houses. You can even walk in to some banks and hand over your money in exchange for a gold ingot. Once you have carried this heavy bar home, you need somewhere secure to store it. If you do not have anywhere secure enough then most banks will have a vault that you can use for a fee.
Every major bank and most of the governments in the world store gold. Since the start of the economic woes in 2007, the world banks have become net buyers of gold which shows just how great an investment it really is.
This desire for gold and its scarcity and it being difficult to obtain means that it should continue to keep its value, but like anything the price of gold is not immune to market fluctuations and could even crash.
Gold Price
For many years, the price of gold was a relative standard for currencies around the world. This started to change in the 1970s when the value of the US dollar stopped being linked to the price of gold and finished in 2000 when the Swiss Franc was the last currency to remove the link.
Like all commodities, it is possible to treat gold as a short-term and long-term investment. Over hours, days or weeks, the fluctuation in the price of gold on an exchange allows traders to buy and sell for hopefully a profit. With luck or skill, a gold trader can buy some gold at a low price, sell it at a higher price and buy more when the price drops. Repeating the process allows an investor to make a lot of money, but if it goes wrong they could make a loss on each trade.
Historically, the price of gold has risen at a steady rate making it a great safe investment. In fact, during the recent financial crisis many people turned to gold as an alternative way of saving. This is a relatively safe way of investing in gold, but still leaves you with the problem of finding somewhere to keep it safe. Most experts recommend that gold is a rainy day investment, like an insurance policy that should be kept until you absolutely need to sell.
Gold Coins/ Bullion
Another way to invest in gold is gold bullion coins. These cost slightly more than the spot price of gold, but are easier to buy, trade and store than larger pieces. Typical sizes include 1/10oz, 1/4oz, 1/2oz and 1oz. The governments of the UK, USA, Canada, China and most other major world powers mint these coins, so they are very reputable.
Mining Stocks or Close Ended Funds
Apart from investing in physical gold itself, one can also invest in the mining companies that are involved in gold production. There are also certain funds that invest in various mining stocks. One of these close ended funds is Gamco Global Gold & Natural Resources Trust which pays out a monthly dividend. If you have been reading and following this blog, you probably know that I have loaded up on GGN just recently..
Storing Gold
Many major banks will store gold for customers, as will specialized gold exchanges and trading houses. You can even walk in to some banks and hand over your money in exchange for a gold ingot. Once you have carried this heavy bar home, you need somewhere secure to store it. If you do not have anywhere secure enough then most banks will have a vault that you can use for a fee.
Every major bank and most of the governments in the world store gold. Since the start of the economic woes in 2007, the world banks have become net buyers of gold which shows just how great an investment it really is.
This desire for gold and its scarcity and it being difficult to obtain means that it should continue to keep its value, but like anything the price of gold is not immune to market fluctuations and could even crash.
Retire in Philippines
7107 islands of heaven; that is what you’ll find if you go to the Philippines.
Expat’s from all over the world are taking their hard earned money to the beautiful island paradise of Philippines to enjoy an early retirement at a place where they can afford to live and be treated like Kings and Queens. Talk about retirement planning!
The long, golden sand beaches stretch for miles and miles around island after island. Cruising between them with your own boat for a week or two to explore a new hidden place in paradise along with your spouse, partner or entire family that you brought with you when you made what most likely will be the best decision of your life.
The South China Sea is home to the Philippines, a tropical paradise that can boast hot and humid weather 24 hours a day for 365 days of the year. Along with the amazing weather, the quality of life when you have a normal retirement payout every month is excellent. Before making this life changing decision there are several things you have to consider.
First of all, you have to think about where you’re going to live and how much you want to pay for it. The most expensive place in the Philippines by far is Manila. If you go to some of the regions outside or to remote islands you can find houses, apartments and bungalows for a lot less than in the large city of Manila. You can get accommodation from P10,000 per month all the way up to P50,000. 10,000 Philippine Pesos is around 220 USD.
The second biggest expense you’ll have is your utilities. That means water, electricity, phone etc. All of the things that will keep your house up and running and that will keep you nice and comfortable in your own little paradise. Your average cost for all your utilities will end up on average around P8,000.
Food and groceries is essential for anyone’s living and it is exactly the same in the Philippines. Now you can go down two roads, you either go for locally and nationally produced food or you go for imported food. Now the imported food will be at a higher cost, still, nowhere near the amounts you were paying at home. If you go for the local food you can save even more money. Budget about P30,000 for a single month if you’re not living by yourself.
Now we’re going to get to the luxuries that you can afford to have when you move to the Philippines if you have a decent budget. Two major ones are a personal driver and a maid. You can get a personal driver for between P3.000 and P5.000 a month, so under 100 USD! All you have to do is make sure you provide food during the day and a vehicle for them to drive in if they don’t have one. A maid is even cheaper than that. For about P2.000 every month you can have a maid doing all the work around the house that you never felt like doing or downright hated.
Taking all these things in to account, the Philippines is an amazing please to settle down after your hard years of working. Spend your money wisely and live the rest of your life being treated as a King or Queen.
Only in the Philippines.
[This article was written by a resident of the Phillipines.]
210,000 Pageviews and Counting
Well, they say the first 200,000 is the easiest part (or at least I made that up). But anyway, after a roller coaster ride through the year, I checked my stats recently to discover that this blog has garnered over 200,000 pageviews. It is 210,000 today and I can only say that it is exciting to know that people are coming back for more. At least, it is a sort of comfort, that somebody is actually reading what I am writing.
I will like to thank all readers for their continuous support. This is also to readers who hail from outside Singapore like the United States, Malaysia, Slovenia, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Russia, Japan, Phillipines, India, etc.. Perhaps you just stumbled upon this blog but I do hope that you find something useful that you can takeaway with you. Feel free to drop a comment and say "hi" too!
I will like to thank all readers for their continuous support. This is also to readers who hail from outside Singapore like the United States, Malaysia, Slovenia, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Russia, Japan, Phillipines, India, etc.. Perhaps you just stumbled upon this blog but I do hope that you find something useful that you can takeaway with you. Feel free to drop a comment and say "hi" too!
Bought more Gamco Global Gold, Natural Resources and Income Trust
After reflecting on some of my investment thoughts for 2012, I entered into another position to buy GGN which currently gives a monthly dividend of $0.14 per month. The fund's investment objective is to provide a high level of current income. Overall, I think I am pretty bullish on commodities and thought that this might make a good investment since it is a close-ended fund which invests primarily in the equity securities of gold and natural resource companies.
My entering into a position in this stock was also partially influenced by Bryan Perry (who wrote the book about 25% Cash Machine) was bullish on this stock. This purchase makes it my first stock purchase for the year 2012 and I thought I better log it down so that I do not lose track of my investments.
My entering into a position in this stock was also partially influenced by Bryan Perry (who wrote the book about 25% Cash Machine) was bullish on this stock. This purchase makes it my first stock purchase for the year 2012 and I thought I better log it down so that I do not lose track of my investments.
Poly Graduates Gross Monthly Pay Rises
According to the latest graduate employment survey conducted by the 5 polytechnics, the median gross monthly salary of poly graduates have gone up by 2.8 per cent or $50 compared to 2010 figures. That means poly graduates who completed their studies in 2011 and not liable for National Service could command a salary of S$1,850. Those with National Service earned a median gross monthly salary of S$2,100 compared to S$2,000.
The overall employment rate was also relatively high at 94.7% though it was down from 2010 figures of 95.4%
Poly graduates who commanded the higher salaries studied Health Science and Built Environment, and Engineering & Maritime.
If you look at the starting pay for university graduates, the difference in starting pay between a university graduate and poly graduate is probably greater than $600.
The overall employment rate was also relatively high at 94.7% though it was down from 2010 figures of 95.4%
Poly graduates who commanded the higher salaries studied Health Science and Built Environment, and Engineering & Maritime.
If you look at the starting pay for university graduates, the difference in starting pay between a university graduate and poly graduate is probably greater than $600.
Investment Thoughts for 2012
Today is the 10th day into 2012 and I realised that I have not thought out my investment plan, made any resolutions or done anything fruitful in the past 10 days! And there has been this constant nagging in my head that tells me that I ought to focus my attention on a few things and try not to spread out my efforts too thinly. So perhaps now is a good time to update on what are some of my thoughts for 2012. This includes some of my personal reflections and does not constitute any investment advice.
Passive Income - Monthly Dividend Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
High on my list is perhaps creating a passive flow of income for myself either through stocks that provide monthly dividends or REITs which either provide quarterly or half-yearly distributions. For monthly dividend stocks, one has to turn to the US market. One of the monthly dividend stocks that I have bought into is Gamco Global Gold (GGN). REITs on the other hand are easily available on the Singapore Stock Exchange or SGX. I am looking at diversifying my REITs holding as I am currently heavily invested in Ascott REIT.
Gold is Money and Nothing Else
For those of you who have been following me, you are perhaps aware that I have been looking towards silver both as a means to hedge against inflation as well as just for collecting purposes. Buying silver in Singapore is still limited to only a few shops but hopefully this certain industry/sector will slowly develop.
Investing in this Site
I have also decided that I ought to invest a bit more time and money on this site. This includes some facebook advertising as well as my plan to work on a eBook.
These are all still works in progress but I certainly hope that the perfectionist in me does not cause me to procrastinate or be paralysed such that I do nothing at the end of the year. It has been my longest desire to write a book and an eBook might just serve that purpose.
Passive Income - Monthly Dividend Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
High on my list is perhaps creating a passive flow of income for myself either through stocks that provide monthly dividends or REITs which either provide quarterly or half-yearly distributions. For monthly dividend stocks, one has to turn to the US market. One of the monthly dividend stocks that I have bought into is Gamco Global Gold (GGN). REITs on the other hand are easily available on the Singapore Stock Exchange or SGX. I am looking at diversifying my REITs holding as I am currently heavily invested in Ascott REIT.
Gold is Money and Nothing Else
For those of you who have been following me, you are perhaps aware that I have been looking towards silver both as a means to hedge against inflation as well as just for collecting purposes. Buying silver in Singapore is still limited to only a few shops but hopefully this certain industry/sector will slowly develop.
Investing in this Site
I have also decided that I ought to invest a bit more time and money on this site. This includes some facebook advertising as well as my plan to work on a eBook.
These are all still works in progress but I certainly hope that the perfectionist in me does not cause me to procrastinate or be paralysed such that I do nothing at the end of the year. It has been my longest desire to write a book and an eBook might just serve that purpose.
How Silver Coins Are Made
I thought this was a rather informative video on how silver coins are actually made. The video also shows how the die is made. Enjoy.
Poor People
Some time ago, I wrote about the poor people around us and also some reflection on helping the poor. This message struck me again even as I was out having dinner today.
After dinner, while I was walking around, I saw a middle-aged man staring intently into a rubbish bin. At first, I thought he was just rummaging through to look for empty cans which old people often collect to sell for money. But to my horror, I saw him staring at a plastic plate which had some food left over in it.
He then proceeded to eat the leftovers from the bin. I was quite shock and taken aback that I was actually witnessing such a scene in front of me. At the same time, I did not know what to make out of it as he was holding a cigarette in the other hand even as he was eating out of the bin.
Just a few seconds. But it left a lasting impression on me and will probably haunt me. I have always known that there are poor people but to witness such a sight is quite heart breaking. And that is to know that I frequently waste so much food myself while there are actually people who are hungry enough to eat out of the rubbish bin.
After dinner, while I was walking around, I saw a middle-aged man staring intently into a rubbish bin. At first, I thought he was just rummaging through to look for empty cans which old people often collect to sell for money. But to my horror, I saw him staring at a plastic plate which had some food left over in it.
He then proceeded to eat the leftovers from the bin. I was quite shock and taken aback that I was actually witnessing such a scene in front of me. At the same time, I did not know what to make out of it as he was holding a cigarette in the other hand even as he was eating out of the bin.
Just a few seconds. But it left a lasting impression on me and will probably haunt me. I have always known that there are poor people but to witness such a sight is quite heart breaking. And that is to know that I frequently waste so much food myself while there are actually people who are hungry enough to eat out of the rubbish bin.
How to Pronounce REIT
I realised to my horror that I have been pronouncing "REIT" (the acronym for real estate investment trust) or "REITs" wrongly. For the longest time, I have been pronouncing it such that it rhymes almost with "red" except with a slight "t" sound at the end.
After watching some videos online, I think the correct way pronunciation is actually something that rhymes with "sweet" or "beet".
Hopefully, I will be able to change the way I pronounce it from henceforth.
After watching some videos online, I think the correct way pronunciation is actually something that rhymes with "sweet" or "beet".
Hopefully, I will be able to change the way I pronounce it from henceforth.
Warren Buffet MBA Talk
Warren Buffet gives a talk. Worth watching. Leave a comment and tell me what you have learnt.
Thoughts of a Blogger
So I have been a "blogger" for a few years now. And I must say that my foray into blogging was purely incidental. And since the new year is here, I reflected on what I have been blogging about for the past few years and also how I would like to see things going forward.
The weirdest part about being a blogger is that people are actually viewing my thoughts. 200,000 over pageviews since I first started this blog. That is quite a feat considering that the first few months of my blog, I was only getting 1 to 2 visitors per week! So to know that there are actually so many people reading this makes me "frightened" at times. I hope that they do not take me too seriously even though my posts often sound serious =)
Another striking thing that occured to me is the amount of email that I have to deal with. I get lots of requests for link exchanges, personal finance queries, advertising queries, guest posts requests, etc. It doesn't help that I do not check my email that frequently. Not to forget all the spam that comes in. It means that sometimes, I do not have the time to respond to emails or reply to queries which sometimes get lost in the hundreds of email. So I apologise if I have missed out your email pertaining to some request. For link exchanges, please look at my stated policy under the FAQs. So do read them first before emailing me. Leaving a comment is a good way for me to remember to respond though I sometimes have little time to respond to comments too. A million apologies again.
I am also disgusted by the lack of quality in my writing. If you know how much time I actually spend on writing and vetting my own work, you will probably forgive me.
Well, the most funny thing is that even though this is a personal finance blog (well, sort of), the greatest number of hits are actually on my non-investment related posts like Best Breakfast Places in Singapore. It sometimes makes me wonder whether I should be blogging about something else instead.
For 2012, I hope that I will be able to set aside more time to engage with readers. To really have a conversation on this blog.; to build up each other's knowledge and financial know-how. And to share with one another the ups and downs of life. By now, I hope you have gotten a slight glimpse and insight into my thoughts.
The weirdest part about being a blogger is that people are actually viewing my thoughts. 200,000 over pageviews since I first started this blog. That is quite a feat considering that the first few months of my blog, I was only getting 1 to 2 visitors per week! So to know that there are actually so many people reading this makes me "frightened" at times. I hope that they do not take me too seriously even though my posts often sound serious =)
Another striking thing that occured to me is the amount of email that I have to deal with. I get lots of requests for link exchanges, personal finance queries, advertising queries, guest posts requests, etc. It doesn't help that I do not check my email that frequently. Not to forget all the spam that comes in. It means that sometimes, I do not have the time to respond to emails or reply to queries which sometimes get lost in the hundreds of email. So I apologise if I have missed out your email pertaining to some request. For link exchanges, please look at my stated policy under the FAQs. So do read them first before emailing me. Leaving a comment is a good way for me to remember to respond though I sometimes have little time to respond to comments too. A million apologies again.
I am also disgusted by the lack of quality in my writing. If you know how much time I actually spend on writing and vetting my own work, you will probably forgive me.
Well, the most funny thing is that even though this is a personal finance blog (well, sort of), the greatest number of hits are actually on my non-investment related posts like Best Breakfast Places in Singapore. It sometimes makes me wonder whether I should be blogging about something else instead.
For 2012, I hope that I will be able to set aside more time to engage with readers. To really have a conversation on this blog.; to build up each other's knowledge and financial know-how. And to share with one another the ups and downs of life. By now, I hope you have gotten a slight glimpse and insight into my thoughts.
Start of a New Year
So it is the start of a new year. And I haven't had much time to do any reflection on 2011. There are lots of things that I want to accomplish. At the same time, I know that there are just too many distractions in life. Will this year be significantly different from last year? Or will it be the same? Why don't you tell me what you think?
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