Want that $1m in liquid assets or $120K in passive income?

I am very happy to receive emails from readers of all ages but I am especially happy to receive emails from young people who are just getting ready to join the workforce. 

Why?

I always say that we should plan for retirement early. 

Don't wait till we are in our 30s or 40s because we think we are still young in our 20s. 

This belief in planning early is clearly seen in many of my blog posts.






I have also shared my own experience, including some very personal financial numbers, as well as what I did to get to where I am today. 

Some readers are amazed by how simple it sounds but, of course, it isn't as easy to execute. 

Definitely, there is also always an element of luck.

Everyone's experience is going to be different and the paths we take very likely will not be the same. 

It is not about having $1 million by a certain age. 

Definitely, it is not about having $120K in passive income by a certain age either. 

It is about having a better life no matter what our age may be.






Be inspired to take action.

Be inspired to have a better life.

This is what my blog tries to do, to inspire.

Hi AK,

I happened to stumble on your blog when I was researching on the topic of financial planning. And i must say that it was a valuable find.

Anyway, I would like to ask you a question and seek your guidance in it.

I am currently studying uni and about to graduate. Hence, I'm starting to think and plan for my finances so that i'm better prepared in the future.

I understand that I have to save up an emergency fund first, before starting to invest the rest.

This is where my question comes in. Given my low initial capital (i'm expecting about $500-$1k a month of free cash flow that i can invest in the near future), how do i go about investing for a start?

Since transaction fees are really expensive (min of $25), do i put my money in those regular share plans that buy into STI ETF where the transaction cost is 1%? 

Or do i buy single shares/REITs/etc to build up a dividend paying portfolio? 

And even if i do buy singly, do i accumulate them for one company first since I'm only investing a small sum at any one time?

Hope my question isn't too confusing, i tend to be a little long winded :p

Thank you.

AT

Hi AT,

Welcome to my blog. :)

You probably read my blog posts on what fresh grads should think of doing first to help towards a financially secure future. 

Must always get the basics right first.

The next step which is what you are thinking of now is to invest and secure a second stream of income. 






Of course, there is another school of thought which is to grow wealth through investing in growth stocks. I am not dogmatic. They are both good ideas. In fact, why not do both? ;)

If your monthly free cash flow is $500 to $1000 and you would like to get into the thick of things right away, then, buying into an ETF is a good idea. 

Look for the guest blogs by Matthew Seah on the offers by POSB and OCBC in my blog. He did good write ups on these.

You could also choose to build up a war chest and buy stocks when Mr. Market goes into a depression. 







Need to be a disciplined saver and need to have patience. 

Of course, you need to have the courage to bite when almost everyone is feeling depressed too.

There is no hurry. Take your time to find out what you are more comfortable with. 

Self-knowledge and peace of mind are priceless. :)

Best wishes,
AK

Related posts:
1. Retirement (funding) adequacy.
2. Dollar cost averaging and expected returns.
3. How to recession proof your life?