This is a very belated reflection on 2025. In summary, it was a year of learning new things and continuing the settlement of family matters after my mother's passing.
Personal Growth
I have made full use of my $500 SkillsFuture credits before they expired at the end of 2025 by signing up for two hobby-related courses.
In a bid to save money, I have also learned to fix simple household problems from ChatGPT, such as fixing my leaking sink tap. My other uses for ChatGPT are making food recipes and polishing my blog articles, but proof-reading for the contents is still necessary. Maybe I could write more Quick Guide posts with it. If you are interested on how I fixed my leaking bathroom sink tap, just leave a comment below.
The milestone task of the year has to be selling my mother’s property.
Engaging an agent reduces administrative hassles, but it can sometimes feel like a tug-of-war. Naturally, agents are incentivized to close deals quickly, which may not always align with the client's best interest.
My way of navigating this:
- Set a lower budget when buying and a higher asking price when selling.
- Be firm with my criteria and avoid rushing decisions as time is on my side.
- Encourage the agent to bring in more viewings to generate competitive offers.
- Don’t settle too quickly. Think through carefully. Negotiate patiently.
Thankfully, the overall buying and selling both went smoothly. After the handover, I set up an estate bank account to distribute the cash proceeds. A minimum balance of $3,000 must be maintained for six months (as imposed by UOB) to avoid early account closure penalties. My mother passed away without a will, and I DIY-ed the process of getting a Letter of Administration from the Court in 2023, you can read more about it here.
Towards the end of last year, I started contemplating a career switch by tapping on the SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) for SkillsFuture Career Transition Programmes (SCTP). While part-time work has given me flexibility, recent reductions in scheduled work and income uncertainty have made me reconsider returning to full-time employment.
It’s not about chasing the rat race again — I’ve already achieved FI. It’s about growth. I want work that aligns with my passions and values, where I can use creativity and problem-solving skills — not repetitive, mundane tasks.
With the government pushing AI training and innovation, I’m curious whether there are opportunities intersecting AI and healthcare. Perhaps something that leverages both my interests and experience. At this stage of (mid)life, staying mentally engaged and connected to society feels important.
“Ikigai at work is when you find joy in solving your work problems instead of being stressed by them.”
On the social front, I continued expanding my circle through small group activities — badminton, board games, and climbing. I believe quality matters more than quantity when it comes to friendships. I am trying to be more intentional — fewer people perhaps, but deeper connections.
Financials
My Singapore portfolio performed well, boosted by bank stocks and several blue chips. One regret: selling City Developments at $7+ only to see it climb past $9. CNMC Goldmine Holdings, which I bought on a pullback, has performed well and I intend to hold. Other winners are Singtel, Keppel, SGX, ST Engineering and the bank stocks.
The “rotten apples” in my basket remain Prime US REIT, First REIT, ThaiBev, and Capitaland China.
My Endowus funds are doing decently. I added more capital there as SSBs and T-bills have been offering unattractive yields.
My US trading account recovered somewhat from last year, but I have struggled to navigate broader market uncertainty. For now, I’m staying away from highly volatile counters and waiting patiently for better entry opportunities.
I will also be terminating my DBS Treasures account at the end of this month after fulfilling the six-month no-closure period. I’ve reopened an SAYE account to take advantage of the better interest rates. This time, I’ve renamed it “DO NOT TOUCH until <date>” to avoid any accidental transfer of money again— lesson learned.
In cryptocurrency, I failed to react quickly to the big sell-off and felt like a frog in slowly boiling water. Since I’m not actively trading and mainly vested in mainstream coins, I’ll simply continue to HODL and perhaps add on to my current holdings.
My biggest investing regret, after nearly 20 years, is not entering the US market earlier. Back then, access wasn’t as easy — no platforms like Endowus or Moomoo — and I was wary of currency risks and lacked understanding of trading the US stock market. Mystockinvesting recently blogged about investing in SG versus US stocks here, I think it's a good good read for those starting out. For comparison of trading fees on the popular local platforms, you can refer to my post here.
When US tech stocks crashed a few years ago, I regretted missing that buy-in opportunity. Now, despite some pullbacks amid geopolitical uncertainty, valuations still look stretched.
I’ve also been using spare cash to perform CPF housing refunds while continuing to service my housing loan via CPF OA. This allows me to maintain liquidity for emergencies or investment opportunities.
As for the CPF 1M65 goal — I suspect I may only achieve it after selling my house in future.
Overall, 2025 was less about dramatic breakthroughs and more about steady navigation through mid life.
Thanks for reading!
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