Get the most out of ASSI as we embrace financial security.

These days, very often, when readers ask me questions, I would direct them to my blog's "Search" function found at the top of the blog. 

What? You didn't know there is one?

Alamak, you must be reading my blog using your mobile phone all the time. 

The mobile friendly version of my blog shows the latest 5 blog posts and that's about it.





Apart from the "Search" function, the full web version of my blog also has plenty of useful links in the left and right side bars. 

There are links to recommended blog posts, the latest news and comments, for examples.

Having said this, I would like to share an inspirational email from a new reader who made good use of the full web version of my blog over a short period of two months:

Questions? Use the "Search" function in my blog.

Dear AK,

I was researching on insurance as I only have H&S and HPS plans even after working for 5 years. I moved in to my new HDB flat in January and I began to manage the household finances. 

Suddenly, at the age of 30, I thought that life is vulnerable especially when my husband and I had mortgage loans to pay off. 

I was on sabbatical leave for 2 months as I was pretty burnt out from the previous job. 

Fortunately, our flat was $368k (3-room HDB, 60sqm). We could afford a 4-room flat but decided that we do not want to fork out extra cash top-ups after deducting from our CPFs. 

It was a wonderful 2 months and a good friend of mine recommended your blog. 






It was such an eye-opener! 

First, I started by reading the suggested posts, then by labels. But still, I don't think I have finished reading all the 2000 posts. Some posts, I read it many times over. 







Every day, I'll share an article you have written with my husband. 

I have also read a few other bloggers and think of something which will work for us. 

I'm proud of myself that I learnt something new and not eroding away my husband's money =p

Then we started to think things over, like we should set aside some funds before trying for a baby. 

Both of us agreed on the part where children are wealth destruction *ouch*. If we were to have children, we have to make sure that our war chests are solid.

Because of your blog, I have also helped my parents to review their rubbish insurance policies and streamline it so they don't have to pay so much. 

I even got my mum to contribute to her CPF-RA account on a monthly basis. It's a small amount of $300 per month but better than nothing. 

She's only 55 and have 10 years for the magic of compounding to happen. I also have plans to do cash top-ups for her. 

I drafted our monthly fixed and miscellaneous expenses (eg. $4000). 

We don't own a car. We credit our salary into a joint account. The surplus (eg. $3000) will be transferred to another joint account which we defined as "Savings/Invest/Travel". 

Once we think that this account is solid, we will open another joint account for Emergency Funds. 

Every year, we will do a yearly $7000 top up to our CPF-SA each so that we could also get tax relief. We have not started investing for dividends yet as that's another whole new topic. 

As for insurance, I'm taking my time to review and shortlist the ones that cater to our needs. And yes, my husband and I are now a strong advocates of "Buy Term Invest the Rest" :) 

Whenever when we "eavesdrop" on conversations of insurance agents pushing ILPs to clueless clients at fast food restaurants, painting beautiful picture of the 8% non-guaranteed return, we always roll our eyes and shake our head in disbelief. LOL! 

You mentioned that you have a job which pays slightly less than $10k monthly, which means you are probably in the senior management. I suppose you are a busy man.

First, how do you manage to squeeze out time to write your blog?

Second, may I have your opinion on our strategy to save money? Any way that I can improve on? 

Thank you AK and I look forward to every one of your posts. 

Regards,

A

Taken on my recent vacation.

Hi A,

A warm welcome to my blog. :)

These days, I have many more emails from readers and to read one like yours always brightens up my day.

I am happy that talking to myself has helped anyone who would care to eavesdrop. LOL. ;p

As for what you plan to do, I feel that having adequate insurance and, then, having an adequate emergency fund should come first. These are the safety nets.

Even if we were to pluck low hanging fruits, having some kind of cushion in case we should trip and fall is a good idea. ;)






I am really glad that you are helping the elders in your family plan for a more secure retirement and to have healthier cash flow in the present as well, all without sacrificing any necessary insurance coverage. :)

How do I find the time to blog and engage readers? The honest truth? I don't really have a social life, I guess. A close friend told me this quite bluntly before.

As I retire from active employment, I have more time on my hands and I am making an effort to spend more time with friends and family. Of course, I appreciate having more "me" time. ;)








Your story will inspire many more to take affirmative action. :)

Good job!

Best wishes,
AK

Some related posts (yes, only some):
1. Do the right things and transform our lives.
2. Do you know if your parents have H&S coverage?
3. AK is buying a 12 year tenor AAA rated bond.

AK is a panelist at InvestX Congress 2015.

Although I have said that I would try to organise another "Evening with AK and friends" before the year ends, I might not be able to.

From now till end of the year, most of my Saturdays are booked by family and friends. I will also have a few official engagements. So, if there should be another session, it would probably be the last session for the year. No promises though.

However, something is certainly happening in the near future and AK will be a part of it. This is one of the few official engagements I mentioned in the last paragraph. The event is InvestX Congress.

Remember, last year, AK made his first public appearance (in disguise, of course) as a speaker at InvestX Congress in Suntec City? This year, AK has been invited by the organiser again but, this time, he is going to be part of a panel of investors who will be taking questions from the audience.

I hope it is more cushy a job. Oops. Shhh. You didn't hear me say that.

InvestX Congress is organised by The Fifth Person, of course. Many of us know that they are the same guys who brought us "Dividend Machines".

For those who don't know, InvestX Congress is about sharing, sharing and more sharing without any hidden agenda. The speakers are there to share their knowledge and answer questions on stage. They are not there to sell any financial or investment products. The event is not a preview. Those who have been to last year's event would know this.

So, if you do decide to go to this year's event, bring a pen and some paper. OK, for those who are IT savvy, bring a laptop, notebook or tablet. (You happy can already.) Be prepared because there will be lots of notes for you to take that day, I am quite sure.

For more information on the event, follow this link: here.

Date: 
17 October 2015, Saturday.

Time: 
9am to 6pm (Registration starts at 8.30am).

Venue: 
Suntec Convention Centre, Level 3, Summit 1.

Price of ticket: 
S$129.00 each.

Early birds pay less at S$99.00 each. 

You hear AK talking about investing for income all the time but that is not the only type of investing available out there, of course.

At InvestX Congress, you would also learn about stocks of growth companies and hear the speakers share case studies from their own portfolios. Invest for growth and income? Why not? I like the idea.

I definitely feel that this is another value for money activity by The Fifth Person.

So, if you don't have anything planned for 17 October 2015, Saturday, you might want to consider spending a day in Suntec City with some brilliant investors at InvestX Congress and, quite possibly, level up.

Remember, don't pay the full price, get your tickets early: here.

Related posts:
InvestX Congress 2014: Closing thoughts.