Simple Budget, Simple Life

I wanted a morbid title - If I drop dead, I'd hate myself for not spending my money. But since it's a new year, I shall make it less disgusting. You get the drift. I thought about this on 30-31 Dec 2020 when I was feeling damn sick. I had bad gastric (thinking if I've gastric cancer), fever at 37.9 deg then dropping to 37.2 deg, then back up, then dropping to 36.8 deg (thinking if I've covid), backaches (again, is it Covid??). My brain was overthinking. While friends were hyped up for the new year, it was just a mundane day for my hub and I. No celebrations with friends and no fireworks to look forward to. Anyway, I thought, IF I'm really sick, and I suddenly drop dead, I'd be pissed I didn't spend my money. With at least $350k accessible money now, what exactly am I accumulating for? I've no kid. I don't need to leave a legacy. My parents and husband and self-sufficient.  So what am I saving for? I pondered....and realised I've nothing I want. M

Since I started blogging here in 2016, I have been doing my own financial review and reflections at the end of the year. It is timely to think about the good and the bad that came and pass. Here's a recap over the years: 2016 -  Unexpected review of 2016: hitting $200k in net worth 2017 -  End 2017 review - net worth at $287k 2018 -  End 2018 review - net worth at $372k  2019 -  End 2019 Review - inching close to $500k net worth  (~$440k) I read back again at what happened in 2019 and am so glad I managed to EXPEND ALL MY VACATION LEAVE and travel to 17 cities. Who would have known that I couldn't even go to JB for my usual shopping in 2020?  Back in 2019, I set very generic goals🙄. I supposed since I have already secured a flat of my own, I have already met my basic needs. Goals like aiming for promotion at work is something that I don't really crave because I prefer NOT to have the stress that comes with it. Here's what I wished for 2020 and whether they came true: B

I've been hitting my cash savings goal on target. First, it was $100k by 28 . I reached it at 25. Then, I set a goal to save another $100k by 28 . I reached it at 28. I didn't set similar goal for 30. But, what I set was to receive $1000 passive income per month (see my goals on the left side panel of my blog) . Back then, my thinking was to derive this passive income from stocks. However, my SGX portfolio is pretty pathetic - with $80k pumped in, my paper value is only at $60k with a dividend yield at 3.2%. I'm hoping to venture beyond local stocks through Tiger Brokers given it's low fees, and hopefully it'll spur my investment journey. If you're keen to join, pls use my referral link  please. I realised beyond income from stocks, I could derive income from other sources too  - where I receive around $600 to $1500 per month. Not too bad, but it is likely to drop since most of the income comes from high-interest savings account which banks are now cutting int