As I prepared for this post, I've just tried to contribute to my Medisave account on the CPF website, and I've been hitting a wall thanks to the dumbass Paylah limit DBS has put on me. Somehow, I can't figure out why I can't contribute to CPF via NETs.
Anyway, I wanted to say a few words to my readers and well-wishers as I hit my 50th birthday today.
The past 3 years have been peaceful but not precisely as prosperous as I wanted as interest rates began to rise and yield plays
took a hit in the markets; nevertheless, I made some gains, mainly in the value of my real estate. As I've spent a lot of ink looking at the past, it is time to look at the future.
a) Options are now open for me to make as many changes to my career as possible.
As I've now balanced two part-time sources of earned income, I'm reaching a state of balance in my finances to accumulate enough to have a track record of income and a reasonable flow into CPF - which I lacked after FIRE. This is a humble amount, but it balances the risk if I ever need to refresh a home mortgage, and I can still put more money in my CPF to offset taxes and draw the 4% from my SA before it disappears at age 55.
I can do more as I've gotten used to one rough day a week where I slog 13 hours and get myself used to the morning commute and dysfunctional work encounters.
Like many Singaporeans, I'm looking at how I can monetise a full-time course to pick up some new skills and max out incentives to learn based on Skill Futures. At the top of my list are data analytics, AI, and even ACLP. However, I will be selective about these programs as I have time, money, and cognitive bandwidth. The skills I gain must be helpful in all work areas and make me more valuable to my business allies.
b) Investing in 2025 - All about high dividend SDRs
Many bloggers don't appreciate the hard work done by SGX this year for many local investors, as locals have been glued to the AI stocks in the US and enjoying the dizzying capital gains of 2024.
I'm a contrarian, not too keen to push more funds into a market with PE ratios above 30. However, I have a successful momentum trading algorithm running, making some spare changes every month.
So, in 2025, I will ramp up some funds into the Thai and Hong Kong SDRs trading in SGX, with a significant position made to Ban of China. I'll be looking for high yields that feed directly to my bank account from CDP, with PTTEP being my next purchase candidate.
I hope SGX will try to get more high-yielding SDRs into the exchanges, except for Malaysia, because I still remember CLOB.
Of course, as I pick a new focus, material in the ERM programme will also be refined in the same direction. I'm figuring out how to calculate the payout date for SDRs, as it will arrive later than for foreign investors.
Do note that I've become more and more sleepy about my capital. Interest rates will likely stop ratcheting down in 2025, so perhaps things might be tad boring in 2025 for us yields investors.
c) Social Life
It's good to pick up some gaming groups for a change, and I've become a casual player for one group who can play any game they want. Otherwise, being invited to an occasional meetup with readers and fellow gamers on this blog is excellent. If I sell more time in 2025, I may lose a few meetup opportunities, but it's okay to make my weekends valuable again.
But my most tremendous pride is starting my son to paint Warhammer miniatures with me and play a few rounds of introductory skirmishes.
d) Hobbies and games I will be playing
I'm slowly turning games agnostic. I will be focusing on Legend of the Five Rings as I've only managed to find someone to play the LCG with me after long years of collecting the game. I'm also hacking a Kill Team squad of Intercessor Marines just to fit in, which means more work to paint all those miniature games I have accumulated on my shelf.
The policy is I'll play anything if there are slots available. With this in mind, I'm still collecting D&D books to read and will still find a way to play a game or two using the new ruleset.
Entertainment-wise, I don't need to binge-watch anymore; I've started watching Dandadan and Secret Level and might ditch my Disney subscription soon. It's infinitely better to read. Also, this holiday, I reacquainted myself with fantasy and hope to finish Brandon Sanderson's Stormligght Archives and the Warhammer Eisenhorn Trilogy.
There are many ways to achieve flow, such as strategizing a deck for play or painting a miniature, but there are better ways to engage in the real world. I plan to build a new trend-following algorithm for the crypto markets before the New Year.
There will still be plenty of time to think about the future. I've got one more round next week in 2025, and there's also Chinese New Year.
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