New Year, New Post, New Goals

 

Happy New Year Everyone!
(even though I'm a couple of days late)

What a whirlwind 2021 has been. Singapore went through so many phases of Covid measures that I lost count. Nevertheless, 2021 was an eventful and meaningful year. The LO turned one and she's expected to start Playgroup in a few weeks time. We also started dabbling a little into stablecoins to gain some yield there. I got back into the hobby of collecting shiny cardboard and for those interested you can check out my IG through the link at the bottom. I initially set out to get 1oz of gold and ~30oz of silver last year but i didn't quite hit the mark on gold, so let's see if we can do that this year.

I definitely have been away from this page for awhile. IIRC, my last post was sometime in Aug 2020 and I just did not have the motivation to look at our numbers and crunch out some post. Honestly, everything felt too routine and kind of a drag. Well, I'm back from a break and I hope that I can gather some momentum for this year.

Looking back at 2022, we aimed to get $2400 in dividends/passive income. Based on my last check on stocks.cafe (which I use to track our portfolio), we earned ~$2,500 in dividends in 2021. This excludes our other passive income streams such as bank interests and crypto yields. This kinda exceeded my expectation as I thought we could only hit this target if we included our other streams of passive income. Going forward, I think we will only be tracking our dividends closely or I might go crazy sieving through all our different accounts 😂

So what's next in 2022? 

First off, I would like to write more consistently. Some people say 'Consistency is key' so my target for 2022 is to write at least two posts a month. This should be manageable given our current schedule and work demands and if I'm feeling it, I may write more and if I do that's a bonus.

We are also going to continue our DCA strategy into our current holdings. I think given our background and schedule, we can only do what we can to stay in the market and reduce our risks where possible. So far, this method has been stable enough for us and kinda survived the Covid-19 test.

One thing that we did not execute enough on was entering more positions into growth stocks and some ETFs that we wanted to. We are going to work to try and change this and increase our exposure in these positions.

We are also targeting $3,600 in dividends this year which will translate to ~50% increase from 2021. Currently, all the dividends received are reinvested. Hopefully this will pay off in the long run.

Next, we are going to continue to increase our exposure in crypto and physical precious metals. In my mind, these two are hedges in the bigger picture of growing the value of our portfolio.

Last but not least, it is to make time for more healthy activities like exercise and 'excursions' with the LO. As we are entering our 30s, gotta keep the weight down as our metabolism slows down and get in a couple of sessions of exercise per week to ensure we are healthy enough when we are older to enjoy the fruits of our labour.

If you have read till here, THANK YOU! On a lighter note, I want to collect more Shiny Cardboard and I may post some pictures of what I have in my Personal Collection (PC).

Share with me your New Year's Resolutions and Goals! Remember to stay safe everyone!

On a separate note, I have started a YouTube Channel showcasing my hobbies. If you are interested, you can watch my latest video here! Any feedback, subscriptions or comments is deeply appreciated!

My YouTube Channel: LINK HERE!

My Instagram: LINK HERE!

Check out my other stuff: LINK HERE!

SG FI Dad, out.

FI Dad and the Cryptoverse Part 1: Am I Affected by the Binance Ban in Singapore?

Staring into the Cryptocurrency Universe o.o

So Binance.com has been ordered to stop providing products in Singapore as reported here. The reason for this ‘Ban Hammer’ coming down now is due to Binance.com not being regulated under the Payment Services Act in Singapore. With effect from 9 Sep 2021, Binance.com will not be providing any SGD trading pairs, payment/transfer options and it’s apps will be removed from the Singapore iOS App Store and Google Play Store. 

**Do note that Binance.Sg is a separate entity and they are still operating in Singapore**

I think cryptocurrency in Singapore definitely has gained massive traction.  I think most folks who didn’t know or understand it previously, would have picked up bits of information or knowledge from different sources. When I ask the less informed around me about crypto, typically they still think that it’s a form of currency used for money laundering and has negative connotation. So I cannot blame anyone for thinking that way. 

Personally, I have not used Binance.com much even though it has the largest number of trading pairs and cryptocurrencies available at reasonable fees. In my most recent forays into crypto, I have been using Gemini ActiveTrader (AT) and Coinbase Pro. Gemini AT is definitely easier to use and the fees are incredibly low. The downside is the lack of trading pairs available so you win some, you lose some. But it is sufficient for my ‘yield farming’ and DeFi purposes. 

So to answer the question in the title. No I haven’t been affected in this Binance.com ‘fallout’. For those affected, try exploring the other options available if you are not a crypto trader. If you are, there are also probably available options out there or work arounds that other writers may be more knowledgeable about. 

Share with me your thoughts and comments on this ban and what you think are the future implications! Remember to stay safe everyone!

On a separate note, I have started a YouTube Channel showcasing my hobbies. If you are interested, you can watch my latest video here! Any feedback, subscriptions or comments is deeply appreciated!

My YouTube Channel: LINK HERE!

My Instagram: LINK HERE!

Check out my other stuff: LINK HERE!

SG FI Dad, out.

Alternate Income: July 2021

I haven't been posting much due to work, family and other commitments. And it's already the middle of August!? Time really flies. The situation in Singapore seems to be stabilising, at least with regards to Covid-19 and there has been reports that our economy is outperforming initial estimates which is good news for all. I can only hope and pray that the current measures continue to be effective and everyone plays their part in ensuring this 'new normal' continues. On a lighter note, EPL is back but my favourite team crashed to a 2-0 defeat to the newly promoted Brentford. New season, same old story. Okay, with that little recap out of the way, we can get back into how our portfolio performed in July 2021. 

For July 2021, we received $243.96 from interests and dividend returns. Its not the first month that we surpassed our target of $200 per month and it feels good to have achieved this target again. Seeing the chart below also gives us some confidence in achieving our target for this year. Viewing our stocks.cafe report, we tend to receive more towards the middle part of the year. Hopefully this will make up the shortfall which we experienced earlier in the year.

As we are entering the last quarter of 2021, we continue to remain disciplined in our investment efforts.  By my rough estimates, I am confident that we will reach our goal of $200 per month in alternate income for 2021 with our continuous DCA entry into the market. Hopefully I did not compute anything wrongly and the data will back me up come December.

Share with me your thoughts and comments on dividend investing! Remember to stay safe everyone!

On a separate note, I have started a YouTube Channel showcasing my hobbies. If you are interested, you can watch my latest video here! Any feedback, subscriptions or comments is deeply appreciated!

My YouTube Channel: LINK HERE!

My Instagram: LINK HERE!

Check out my other stuff: LINK HERE!

SG FI Dad, out.

Our First Experience In DeFi (or sorta)

Some examples of Crypto. 

Cryptocurrency got a lot of attention towards the end of 2020 and continue to gather news worthy headlines in 2021. In my opinion, crypto is like a financial blue cheese, you either like it or you don’t. I’m not questioning or examining the underlying asset and function it performs here. I have had my personal experiences with cryptocurrency and milked some gains in its last bull run. However, with all things technological, the crypto space has continued to evolve and we just dipped our toes into the DeFi space (or sorta).

DeFi, or Decentralised Finance, attempts to utilise cryptocurrency/blockchain technology to recreate traditional financial and banking systems. As a result of the decentralisation, no central (d'uh) institutions are relied upon. The most common way this is done is through the Ethereum Blockchain. DeFi allows individuals to borrow or loan funds to others through the use of smart contracts. These individuals, as a result, are able to speculate, trade and even earn interests in 'savings-like' accounts that are provided on certain platforms.

 In the crypto-verse, it is essential for any individual to do your own due diligence. With altcoins and other s***coins popping up constantly, one may fall prey to a scam or a 'pump and dump' scheme. I recently watched a YouTube Video by Coffeezilla highlighting the many perils of crypto. Despite this, I still think that in the long run, there will be some real utility and functions that crypto can be used for apart from the constant speculation.

Currently, our crypto probably makes up for less than 5% of our portfolio. I really think this is because we are risk averse with many impending commitments. As such, to dip our toes into this volatile space, we have decided to try buying stablecoins for its yield. That leads us to the next question, "Which stablecoin should we get?"

In terms of stablecoins, we initially shortlisted Tether and USDC as they appeared to be widely used and 'accepted' in the crypto-verse. However, upon closer digging and inspection, we quickly shifted our focus towards USDC. Tether has many points that were sus to us. I think a quick google search would show you some results that raises valid concerns. To us, USDC is probably safer at the moment due to the actual audits done, the backers of this project and that it is actually backed by USD (fiat). 

We currently park our USDC and some other crypto in Celcius for the yield. We were drawn to the simplicity of the app and user interface. If any of you are interested to give it a try, do check out our referral link here.

If any of you have better or safer suggestions on how to 'yield farm', do share your thoughts in the comments below. I am all ears to learn and gain new perspective. 

On a separate note, I have started a YouTube Channel showcasing my hobbies. If you are interested, you can watch my latest video here! Any feedback, subscriptions or comments is deeply appreciated!

My YouTube Channel: LINK HERE!

My Instagram: LINK HERE!

Check out my other stuff: LINK HERE!

SG FI Dad, out.

Alternate Income: June 2021

And June has ended already! What!? Honestly the year is really flying by. We have gone into P3HA for awhile now and I hope with all the plans and measures in place, we will see further progress as we enter the last quarter of the year. The Euros 20/21 has been equally interesting and exciting to watch. There has been plenty of upsets and my predicted winners are already no longer in the running. Will football really be coming home now? Now to see who wins the entire thing. Anyone has their favourites? About one more month till EPL is back and I can't wait. Okay, with that little recap out of the way, we can get back into how our portfolio performed this month. 

For June 2021, we received $253.86 from interests and dividend returns. Its not the first month that we surpassed our target of $200 per month and it feels good to have reached this target again. Seeing the chart below also gives us some confidence in achieving our target for this year. Viewing our stocks.cafe report, we tend to receive more towards the middle part of the year. Hopefully this will make up the shortfall which we experienced earlier in the year.

As we are going past the halfway mark of 2021, we continue to remain disciplined in our investment efforts.  By my rough estimates, I am confident that we will reach our goal of $200 per month in alternate income for 2021 with our continuous DCA entry into the market. Hopefully I did not compute anything wrongly and the data will back me up come December.

Share with me your thoughts and comments on dividend investing! Remember to stay safe everyone!

On a separate note, I have started a YouTube Channel showcasing my hobbies. If you are interested, you can watch my latest video here! Any feedback, subscriptions or comments is deeply appreciated!

My YouTube Channel: LINK HERE!

My Instagram: LINK HERE!

Check out my other stuff: LINK HERE!

SG FI Dad, out.

WE ARE ONE! Our Site is One Year Old!

WE ARE 1!

Wow, time flies. A year ago on 10 June, I decided to publish the first article on this site. The idea behind creating a blog/website has always been in and around my mind as it allows me a space to pen down my thoughts and occasionally receive comments and feedback from the community. 37 posts later and here we are. A lot has changed in 1 year! Our daughter is now almost 14 months old and starting to take her first steps. We are also looking around and planning for our LO to attend playgroup in about a year’s time. COVID-19 also happened and the current Phase 2 Heightened Alert status just shows how volatile the situation can be if we let our guard down. 

Overall, the journey thus far has been meaningful and I am always thankful for the comments and connections made. Looking back at the older posts also allows for some reflection seeing how far we have come as a family in our financial status. No crazy gains like what some others have had, but we are taking things slow and steady. 

Given our current status, CoastFI or BaristaFI is our eventual goal whereby we can have that bit of financial security and at the same time have the ability to know that we can pursue something we really want down the line. The amount needed for this with our LO currently is definitely substantial. If and when we do have a second child, this amount will increase further. The current target amount is definitely >$1M but I will delve into the breakdown in a subsequent post.

We have also continued to be disciplined in our monthly investments thus far and this has contributed to the gradual increase in our portfolio. You can check out some of the older posts here to see our progression. I am looking to expand and dabble into the DeFi space to potentially increase some yield. 

So what can we look forward to in the coming year? I am looking into the possibility of getting a custom domain and custom website done. If you have any lobang or plugs for either of this, comment below or shoot me an email and let’s talk about it! I am also going to continue shooting videos for my YouTube channel and hopefully we hit 100 subscribers by the end of the year! Do check my channel out if time allows and I appreciate any feedback! We should also be on track for our portfolio to go from 5-figure to 6-figure by the end of the year or early next year. 

In other news, we are expecting to receive our BTO by mid-2022. Exciting times ahead as we start to plan for our own home and renovation. I'm not sure if readers would like to follow our renovation planning and execution journey but I will take notes along the way and hopefully this info will be helpful to some people down the line. Maybe I will do a video series on this as well heh.

As someone who is constantly distracted, I find myself constantly looking around for the latest trends and new sources of income. I think the lesson learnt thus far in this journey is not to hesitate or procrastinate. Sometimes, I find dipping my feet in for the experience helps me understand the situation better and allows me to be more decisive. That said, I am always thankful for the support around me and we are doing this to avoid being the next 'sandwich generation'.

So, if you have read till here, THANK YOU! I appreciate each and everyone of you for taking some time out of your busy schedule to stop by and have a peek into my thoughts. If you have any comments or feedback on what else you would like to read or watch on, let me know below!

Watch my latest video here! 

My YouTube Channel: LINK HERE!

My Instagram: LINK HERE!

Check out my other stuff: LINK HERE!

SG FI Dad, out.

Alternate Income: May 2021

Wow, May has already ended and we are halfway into 2021. Time really passes quickly and everyday, the situation around the world is constantly evolving. We went back in Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) and I sincerely hope that everyone has been doing fine and staying safe. I got my vaccination jabs done in May and even though I experienced some side effects, I think it is definitely better than the alternative. Now we can only hope that the situation improves here in Singapore and we return back to the new normal, sooner rather than later. In other less serious news. football season is over and now we have to content with the long wait until EPL starts again in August. Luckily, we should have some Euros action to tide us over. I just hope that all these international sporting events do not become a catalyst for the next wave of the pandemic. Okay, with that little recap out of the way, we can get back into how our portfolio performed this month. 

For May 2021, we received $441.09 from interests and dividend returns. Its not the first month that we surpassed our target of $200 per month and it feels good to have reached this target again. Viewing our stocks.cafe report, we tend to receive more towards the middle of the year. Hopefully this will make up the shortfall which we experienced earlier in the year.

As we are going past the halfway mark of 2021, we continue to remain disciplined in our investment efforts.  By my rough estimates, I am confident that we will reach our goal of $200 per month in alternate income for 2021 with our continuous DCA entry into the market. Hopefully I did not compute anything wrongly and the data will back me up come December.

Share with me your thoughts and comments on such apps you guys are using! Remember to stay safe everyone!

On a separate note, I have started a YouTube Channel showcasing my hobbies. If you are interested, you can watch my latest video here! Any feedback, subscriptions or comments is deeply appreciated!

My YouTube Channel: LINK HERE!

My Instagram: LINK HERE!

Check out my other stuff: LINK HERE!

SG FI Dad, out.