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Recently, I met up with three friends for dinner and over after dinner drinks, I recounted a story.
An ex-school mate of mine upon finding out that I was largely unemployed said that I should be ashamed of myself.
This was even after I told him that I was not being a burden to society by being jobless and that I was financially free.
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't be ashamed of yourself.
"You are still young and can still contribute to society.
"You have wasted a good education which was actually partially paid for by the country."
Wow!!!
That was something, wasn't it?
Some serious stuff there to think about.
One of my three friends I told the story to promptly said:
"He is just jealous lah! What's there to be ashamed of?
"Don't have to work and still have money coming in.
"Just spend money. Spending money is also contributing to society."
Er, he forgot something.
Earlier in the same evening, he said:
"Wah, AK. Actually, it is very hard to make money from you."
Yes, AK doesn't spend much money and is very careful when it comes to spending money.
AK is not like David Gan. (See related post number 1.)
 |
| A new past time for me. |
So, I guess,
AK doesn't contribute to society much that way.
Cham.
Like that, how?
Related posts:
1. To be richer, do not indulge...
2. AK on early retirement.
3. Work because you want to...
Bloggy Award
36 comments:
You're an investor in big and small enterprises that do many useful things for society, and if you have excess money you can also donate it to worthy causes that likewise do many useful things for society. You're better than people who are just bitter and resentful.
AK, I am guessing, you probably don't really care about what these people say right? hmmm
Welcome to the Aquarium hobby. I have been on it like 20 years already. LOL
Contribution to society, Yes. Start cleaning the public drainage and walk path as an exercise near your properties. help increase your property value too leh. I think not many people can match you in public contribution !
Hi Izy,
Day by day, I try to be a better man. -.-"
Hi Ellaa,
Alamak, what makes you think that? I always value opinions from friends. Honest. Don't you believe me? ;)
Hi Cory,
The fish tank takes up a lot of my time now. I can stare at it for a couple of hours each day...
Hate to break it to you but eventually you will contribute to the society.
Coz you can't bring all the money along with you wherever you're going. So eventually....
Hi Ray,
That is a consolation. ;p
Your friend is just myopic and jealous. Why do you need to be employ when you are already financially free? This is a position that most people envy. Cant blame him entirely because we had been brought up to think - study hard and get a good job. If you had read Robert Kiyoshaki's book, most people are in the E and I quadrant. You are one of the few that are in the I and B quadrant which is above the formers. So nothing to be ashamed of.
This is what I did - tell people that you are a Private Investor instead of unemployed. They will give you the respect because it means you have reached your destiny in life and have lots of money to generate more money without having to worry about the next pay cheque.
Your blog is a big big contribution to society already!!
Hi Henry,
Thanks for sharing your perspective. Hmmm... Private Investor. There is a nice ring to that. Mysterious too. How much money does a Private Investor make? There isn't any easily available information unlike for regular jobs. Keep people guessing. ;p
Unfortunately, the banks don't look at dividends as income. I am not able to apply for credit cards anymore, as a result. Recently, a bank told me I could get their credit card if I put money in a FD as collateral. Occupation: None. -.-"
Hi lili,
You think so? I like to think so too. Thanks. :)
Hi AK,
Tell yr friends you are now a beach bum :)
Yr post reminds me of a super-investor Warren Buffett mentioned in his article "The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville".
"The second case is Tom Knapp, who also worked at Graham-Newman with me. Tom was a chemistry major at Princeton before the war; when he came back from the war, he was a beach bum. And then one day he read that Dave Dodd was giving a night course in investments at Columbia. Tom took it on a non-credit basis, and he got so interested in the subject from taking that course that he came up and enrolled at Columbia Business School, where he got the MBA degree. He took Dodd's course again, and took Ben Graham's course. Incidentally, 35 years later I called Tom to ascertain some of the facts involved here and I found him on the beach again. The only difference is that now he owns the beach!"
Hi AK,
This place might be of your interest : https://www.facebook.com/NTUHerbGarden
You can still contribute as a voluntary gardener.
Person in charge is Mr Ng (though I was introduced by my friend as "Uncle Wong").
Best Rgds ....... Kent
Hi jojo,
I enjoyed the story very much. Thank you for sharing! :D
Hi Kent,
My planter in the sky is enough gardening for me. Haha... Thanks very much. :)
Nice neon tetra you have!!
I have aquarium too at my house, maintained by my brother!
A feeling of Zen while looking at them?
Hi Solace,
It is a cheap and quiet past time.
I could sit in front of the tank and look at the fish for an hour at a go. Very ZEN. ;p
Hi AK,
I certainly think so. I have gained much investment knowledge and financial wisdom through your blog.
Thank you!
Hi lili,
I am very happy to hear that. Thank you for the encouragement. :D
Hi AK,
You forgot that you need to pay commission,clearing fee,SGX trading fee and most importantly GST which is a tax on domestic consumption when you buy/sell shares.
All these transactions are spending money too and it's definitely contribution to the society in a way. :D
Hi Kevin,
You are a good person. Thank you for making me feel better about myself. ;p
From my FB wall:
Lim Der Shing:
"The argument has some merit. We are social creatures and i do think there is some form of responsibility to give back. But there are many ways to do so. To me your blogging and influencing people on how to better manage their money is a great impactful way. Better than just doing a job."
AK paiseh.
From my FB wall.
Loke Oilin:
BTW what u just posted reasonates with me..Pple think I am not contributing to society thru real hard work.....I am now living off my shares investments.True I am lazy .So I also did what I did .I vowed to liberate myself from full-time work..
And I hit that milestone when I was 34 yrs old...earlier than my target of 40yrs old.
Too early right.Ha.I must continue to make...Stressed.Yes.But hard to go back.
If a bird flew out fr a cage do u think that bird will want to fly back in
AK says:
Retiring from gainful employment early, we can always do something else which contributes to society and which we enjoy doing at the same time. :)
what, to me, you are good contributor to the stock investment society, that alone is your greatest contribution. no need to be bother by what your friends say. :-)
Loke Oilin:
I mean I am on the path but I don't feel secured.Like u I am frugal.Pple say I am a miser.
I mean I haven't reached a certain target yet like 1.5m.But my expenditure is low so I still can
So I have coined a new term financially semi-free.Not yet completely financially free
Well I replied to my friend what is there to be ashamed of.I very angry
They don't get it.Just don't get it.The growth is my portfolio is my pride and achievement.
So the word ashamed is like a stab into my heart feeling
AK:
You just have to determine how much passive income you need to live your life and once you have that, you are financially free. Don't set the bar too high. Stressful. Of course, whether you stop working part time or not after that is something else. Take this from someone who should be ashamed of himself. ;)
Hi Arthur,
I am only bothered by the words of people who matter to me, usually. :)
You are very kind. Thank you. :)
Hi AK 71,
Don't bother with the hassle of the words from others. There is a saying. Not sure whether you have heard it before. Circle of influence or Circle of Concern.
Which one would you choose? Or both?
It depends on your decision.
Ben
Hi Ben,
I prefer my own company. Circles make me giddy. ;p
Agreed with LiLi, your blog is awesome.
DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF WITH DAVID GAN. THANK YOU U
Agree with Lili, your blog is super awesome.
David Gan is a loud person inorder to stay popularity. DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF TO HIM, U R MUCH MUCH MUCH BETTER. THANK YOU U.
Hi Unknown,
I don't know if I am better than him or anyone else. I do know we are definitely quite different. ;)
Thank you for the very kind words. :)
Reader says...
Haha AK, if only it was just as easy to crack my own puzzle to financial freedom like you.
I realize I have to read many of your posts a few times to "get it"! Looks like I have a long road ahead.
AK says...
I am just a regular lazy fellow and chose what I feel is the path of least resistance. ;p
Reader says...
Not a good idea (to max our kids' SA account to $166k). Unless you taught them well and they show motivation. Otherwise, like what happen to my friend, his son is not working, just living life without aim because he's got money coming. And he's just over 30.
AK says...
That was what someone said about me.
AK should be ashamed. :(
Eric Kua says...
AK has worked 3x as hard so that he can stop earlier. Nothing wrong with that.
AK says...
Now I am playing 3x as hard... :p
Yu said...
happy new year ak!
wishing u and ur family 🐷事顺利!
i just started visiting ur blog and really enjoying them.
wise man wise man.
i think ur dividend income is sufficient for ur entire life alr, why dont u start enjoying life like pig
eat sleep and play hehe
(AK thinking to himself...
That is exactly what I have been doing.
Eat, sleep and play. Shh...
I should be ashamed of myself!
Bad AK! Bad AK!)
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