Rainbow on FI

Usual tool and communication apps aside, here are 3 nifty apps that I enjoy using daily. The apps are easy to use and have clean navigation interfaces, good for folks like me who doesn't like complicated functions and ad spams. 1) Life Reminder   The top app that I have been using for years and even spent to get rid of pop-up ads is Life Reminder . Maybe I have been getting on in years, my memory tends to be failing me and this app proved to be a real life saver.  Whenever I have an appointment, important matters that need following up or urgent chores, I would key into this app. With each reminder, I can also attach image for reference, write notes and set pre-alarm. I was amazed that it can even set actions like phone calls and SMS with the reminders. The reminders can also be set on an auto-repeat basis so I can easily get reminders on birthdays and anniversaries (besides marking them on calendar app which I will forget to check).  Present and past reminders can also b...

I am surprised and feeling wtf to find out today that my $100 Endowus fee reward will be expiring in October this year (rewards earned can be viewed under Earn rewards --> Track my rewards). I was expecting the fee reward to be able to offset any of my invested goals' fees, but apparently not.  On emailing them, they simply slapped me a reply that contains a link to their TnC. Paragraph 4 reads - Upon successfully registering for the promotion via the Promotional Link provided to you by Endowus and completion of the Qualifying Investment during the Promotion Period, a S$100 Endowus Fee credit (the “Reward”) will be distributed to your Endowus account by 24 January 2025. However, please note that the Reward will be valid for 6 months from the date of distribution of such Reward and will only be applied on or for investments made through your Endowus account using SRS. Great. So now I know I can't use it for any of my other investment goals and got to watch it expires. FYI the...

This is a belated post as I finished moving some times ago and thought I would save some tips to remind myself the next time I move house. I have underestimated the gross amount of items that I have had and ended up needing 2 separate days of truck moving. I booked a Lalamove 10-ft truck with mover for the second big move as I don't need cartons nor wrapping for furniture. Lalamove was very efficient, the driver arrived early and moved all my storeroom items and remaining carton boxes with care despite the rainy weather. Here's my tips for house-moving / lessons learnt from mistakes: 1) Defrost your refrigerator If you have a layer of ice in your freezer compartment, do defrost it a day before and clean up the water. That would save you from having to clean up any leakage of water from a defrost during and after the move. 2) Turn off the tap of the washing machine and disconnect the water pipes Disconnect the tap connecting pipe and drain away the water prior to the move. If yo...

As updated in my previous post, I have finally bought my own place solo. For the past few months I have been busy coordinating with various contractors and vendors for my house renovation. As I am still on flexi work schedule, I decided to be my own ID. With only a simple renovation in mind, I set my reno budget as 20k (aircon & fixtures inclusive). The renovation process and acting as my own ID were not as easy as I thought. It took me about a month to gather and compare quotations from different contractors and another few weeks to finalize all the things that I need my chosen contractor to do. I eventually settled for a main contractor who specializes in carpentry work but also provides painting, tiling and electrical services. I have grossly underestimated the amount of defects that need fixing for this resale flat. Fortunately, the floor tiles and some of the existing built-ins are still in good condition so I kept them, otherwise I would have burst my budget. The first issue ...

2024 has been a relatively peaceful year. So peaceful that I have read countless novels and other books, met my sports buddies almost every weekend and picked up horticulture. Physical and mental health As we say, health is wealth. I have stuck fairly consistently with my exercise regime and tried to include more fruits and vegetables in my meals (although I eat out more and cook less these days). My weight, BP and cholesterol levels are doing ok. For those 40 years and above, remember to get your  subsidized health screenings from the government . Working less and meeting up with friends more contributed to an improved mental health. I see that the government has stepped up on initiatives in the community but work place initiatives from employers still seemed lackluster, especially for those who can't WFH and need to commit 44 hours or more a week at frontline work. I have also started a Gratitude journey to celebrate all my little life milestones. Financials Investment wise ...

I recently saw this video on CNA Money Mind channel https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/money-mind-2024-2025/going-gold-4299741 and thought I would summarize some learning points for those interested in gold investment. Photo by Zlaťáky.cz on Unsplash Gold is viewed as a safe haven asset in time of uncertainty, crisis or geopolitical risks. Demand for gold is influenced by Central bank purchases. The purchase premium of gold decreases in % with relationship to the gold bar's weight. Eg, a heavier gold bar has lower purchase premium over a lighter one. There's no GST for investment grade gold bars. Gold-backed ETF is backed by physical gold. Lower yield environment will benefit gold prices as the opportunity cost of holding gold lowers. Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/673513/monthly-prices-for-gold-worldwide/ As seen from the chart, the last mega price spike was in year 2019 to 2020. This year we saw another mega spike. In order to circumvent any US withholding t...

Life's not easy, life goes on. Rather than gripe (we know the saying "人生不如意事十之八九"), it is important for us to focus on risk management in our daily lives and how to become anti-fragile. Buying insurance, setting stop-losses, cut losses and bad connections out of our lives, look before stepping and don't seek cheap thrills. That's risk management at its very least. Taleb's concept of anti-fragile is one level above risk management and robustness.  It is about how chaos can make one better and stronger. Don't fear volatility, uncertainty and disruptions. Instead view them as opportunities.  Quoting the video, we should learn to  "transforms fear into prudence, pain into information, mistakes into initiation and desires into undertaking" . Toughen your mindset If you have tough desire, then be prepared for a tough process working towards it. Another point highlighted in the video for our mind training is - we can imagine worse case scenario, imagine...