Keeping friends without spending money?

Reader says...
Can I ask your opinions regarding friendship? 

I do like my small circle of friends but I am thrifty in nature. 





Given a choice, I would rather spend money in hawker center rather than places that cost more than $10 or 20 +. 

And also, things like drinks, movie ticket during peak hours, Sing K and etc can be costly. 

As such, I have to reject quite a few outings which are not good for friendship-wise. 





If there are free activities, I am more than willing to go out. Haha. 

How do you cope with it? And also, for work-wise how did you maintain working relationship with your colleagues even though you brought your own food from home?

AK says...
Unfortunately, no man is an island and as long as we are out in society making a living, we have to make an effort to socialize or else life could become difficult in many ways.

Having said this, we cannot choose our family but we can certainly choose our friends. ;)





If these are people who matter to you, explain your situation to them. 

If you are someone who matters to them, they will understand and accept you for who you are. :)




Related post:
Are you forced to be extravagant?

"When can I quit my full time job?" (Keep your needs simple and wants few.)

Reader says...
I am thinking of quitting my job when i am 40 years and do freelance work. 

I am pretty sure my freelance and dividends can cover my living expenses of about $8,000 pa. 

By 40 years old I will have a fully paid flat, about $120,000 stocks and bonds, $200,000 savings, CPF Oa $100,000, sa $70,000 and MA $52,000. 

Do you think i can retire from full time work given my financial status? 

Is my net worth good enough for a 40 years old





AK says...
If you are not a big spender, I think you can 🙂

And $8,000 expenses a year definitely not big spender to me 😀

Especially if your part time job is able to generate $8,000 or more a year. 😉





Reader says...
Do you think my finance is on the low end? 

Should I reach a more secure level?

AK says...
It depends on whether you feel insecure. 

If you do, work for a few more years to build a bigger buffer. 

Peace of mind is priceless.





Reader says...
I dunno what is a comfortable level.

As in how much I should have lol

AK says...
I would say that a comfortable level is when your passive income is able to cover your $8,000 a year expenses.

Then, whatever you earn in your part time job in future is extra money. 

You don't need the earned income then. 

It is just nice to have 😉




If we keep our needs simple and our wants few, we can achieve financial freedom more easily, for sure. 🙂

Related posts:
The best insurance in life!

Have your (CPF) pie and eat it (eventually)! .......................... (AK is showing off his CPF numbers graphically!)

I really like the colorful yearly statements generated by the CPF Board.

It adds a dash of color to what is usually a very boring black and white sheet of numbers.










I find the colorful statement really pretty and makes my pretty CPF numbers prettier!

You like pies?

I like pies.

Pie chart that shows how much I have in my CPF account, I like even more!

For newly minted readers of ASSI, do I hear "Oooh", "Ahhh" and the more local "Waah"?

How old am I?

Clue?

Read this blog: 8 years AAA bond.






It is about making the CPF a cornerstone in our retirement funding strategy.

If you have not read my recent blogs on the subject, read:

1. Funding my retirement.

2. CPF savings grew almost $200K in 3 years.






Remember, if AK can do it, so can you! Believe it!

Related post:
AK is showing off his CPF again.

Merger of ESR-REIT and VIVA Industrial Trust.

I have more than a handful of relatively small investments (i.e. anything smaller than $100,000 and usually smaller than $50,000 in size).

Some of them are legacy investments (i.e. leftovers from many years ago after selling off most of the investments) and ESR-REIT (formerly Cambridge Industrial Trust) was one of them.








The last time I blogged about this REIT was in June 2016.

Back then, I added to my investment in the REIT at 52.5 cents a piece.

After adding to my investment, still, it remained a smallish investment and I explained why in related post #1 at the end of this blog.








Well, I have decided to let go of my investment in the REIT.

Why?

Regular readers know that I have concerns about VIVA Industrial REIT. See related post #2 at the end of this blog.

I am uncomfortable that ESR-REIT and VIVA Industrial REIT are talking about merging.

I have enjoyed many years of income distributions and I will also enjoy a capital gain from the divestment.

So, everything taken into consideration, it is not a bad outcome.








This reminds me of the time when I let go of K-Green Trust (KGT) in 2014 when it was decided that they would merge with CitySpring Infrastructure Trust.

I didn't like CitySpring. 

What to do?

I cut KGT loose. See related post #3 at the end of this blog.






With this move, my total investment in REITs shrinks again and, everything else being equal, so will the income distributions I will be receiving from REITs this year.

Read:
ESR-REIT and VIVA in merger talks.

Related posts:
1. Cambridge Industrial Trust (June 2016).
2. VIVA Industrial REIT's short land leases.
3. KGT and CitySprings' unequal marriage.