A quick dive into the numbers, specifically the interest paid. In January 2021, I was paying about $11 a day in interest on a $201k mortgage balance (1.89%). I was paying as much as $14.40 a day back in 2018. The decrease was largely due to the paydown in principle amount. After the lapse in…
20k CPF Ang Bao
Early January is always one of my favorite time. New year new hope plus I get to see how much is my ang bao from the CPF Board. It’s almost 20k for 2021 which is 9% more than 2020. This works out to be about an interest rate of 3.2%. For a risk-free bond, nothing…
Refinancing my mortgage
Every two years or so, I get to refinance my existing mortgage. It is always an exciting time for me as I get to compare the different packages, fixed/floating, tenure, tricks the bank has come up with since the last exercise etc. The banker I deal with always find me a little too enthusiastic. She…
CPF Update
Apologies for my tardiness. With a kid, it is getting harder to post regularly. I know it is a lousy excuse but I need to get it out of the way. Anyway, my CPF has crossed the $600k mark. Given it is a key pillar of my FIRE journey, I am happy to say that…
Hyflux
I first made my ill-fated investment in Hyflux’s perps a decade back in 2011. Back then and now, 6% is very enticing. Too good to be true even. And how true that turned out to be in hindsight. Based on my records, I collected $2.1k in interest/dividends until Hyflux halts them in 2018. With its…
Rights Issue AGAIN
As you may already be aware, Sembcorp Marine has come out with another rights issue. Its long suffering shareholders (me included) can either cough up more $ or risk a massive dilution. Over the years, I have lost about $14k to this one name alone. In fact, this must be my biggest loser. I lost…
Busy Spring Cleaning
It’s April. Rainy and hot. Birthday month. Busy month. Of course it’s not your usual housework “spring cleaning”. Although I am still doing my share of the real housework. What I meant is re-balancing my portfolio. With the recent stock market highs, I have taken the opportunity to pare down my legacy positions in SC…
Breakeven
A year after being 30% down, my portfolio has finally broke even. I know this is nothing to shout about. Many people have done well in this type of market recovery. But imagine. 30% in a year. And my portfolio is significantly larger now than it was a year ago. Nobody knows where the stock…
My CPF angbao
The first few days of January are always exciting. Another year is upon us and there are hopes and well wishes all around. The weather also cooperated this year. It was cool and sometimes chilly for first two weeks of 2021. Not that cold until you have to bring out your winterwear like some people…
Cashflow game
Been playing the cashflow game from Robert Kiyosaki. Reread his books RDPD and its sequel Cashflow Quadrant. Interesting game. Quite addictive. You take on the persona of an employee, whether a high earning professional or a low wage worker. You choose a lifelong dream to achieve – travel the world etc. The game starts. Roll…