Month of October 2024

Updated finance page.

https://drinkingspot.blogspot.com/p/finance-sharing.html

It was the youngest son's birthday and he chose to have dinner at Haidilao. Throughout the 1.5 hours, just about every surrounding table had a celebration as well. The vibrant atmosphere was kept high as the birthday song got repeated every ten minutes. Meanwhile, a Face Mask Changing performer made his rounds and when the last mask came off, he joined other staff as they danced to the tune of Ke Mu San. There was a funny moment as I saw the noodle guy flipping his dough in the air and trying hard to avoid the dancers. It was nice to see many happy young and old faces. My son, however, declined to have the cake as he's rather shy and didn't want the loud music blasting towards him.

But that wasn't the end of the celebration. Two days later, the wife planned a surprise outing. It was to be a mini golf activity near Boat Quay. We arrived at noon and there was an element of puzzle as the game area was decorated like an escape room. There were 18 holes with various degrees of difficulty and as we passed through, clues were scattered around. In the end, the kids had much fun and didn't focus on solving the mystery. After a late lunch at Publico, everyone got home full and contented.

Once in a while, things happen. The car battery died while the wife was at a mall. It's my fault as I wanted it to last another two months before replacing, so the delay cost me an additional $80 for onsite assistance. My helper needed a loan as her son's agriculture business collapsed due to persistent unfavorable weather. We agreed to advance her salary by six months. To end on a positive note, I finally convinced myself to purchase a putter and set of second hand golf irons to hopefully play better. With proper maintenance, they should last a lifetime so I take it as a long term investment. 

Tip: Domini Veneti Amarone 2020, fresh blackberries, inviting nose, good value

Finance Investment Movement 50

The pieces are starting to fall in place. A groundswell of goodwill has gradually built up among the people, featuring messages of inclusivity, resilience and aspirations. Soon, the electoral boundary committee would be convened. That's my guess. What's giving the vibes? In short, the government has begun to implement some feel good measures.

Giving out cost of living vouchers and framing it as a long term action will no doubt stick in the minds of recipients. Highlighting that Singapore lives in a dangerous world amid geopolitical conflicts reinforces the need for social stability that goes hand in hand with political continuity. Getting closure from the cases of Shanmugam-Balakrishnan and more importantly, of Iswaran (swift conclusion without contest and some more against a formidable sharp-tongued lawyer) is a major confidence boost to showcase the government's integrity. PM Wong had met a fair number of leaders in a short period and by going around Asean recently, underscored his good rapport and acceptance into the big league. Add in some sprinkles of attention towards climate change, family friendly policies and long term urban planning. Put together, these reputation building moves basically underline the message of safe stewardship under the current team. It's impressive and my opinion is there are more happy citizens than unhappy ones. Small incidents like cyclist road behaviour, MRT breakdown, debate over the purpose of district mayors or NTUC's political affiliation are not acute enough to score big points for the opposition. So, as the school holidays approach, it would be a good time to hold an election, especially after the US one. A Trump victory can accelerate the cause. Better hurry lest the COE spikes even more or wait for Pritam's fate to be decided? 

The declining yield scenario has started. Fixed deposits or Tbills are generally around 3%, with room for further drop. By the end of the year, I reckoned the risk free rate to be at 2.5% and fair premium to be the same amount. Therefore, anything above 5% is worth looking at. Many Reits are still available for that return but I chose to go with Pimco bond fund this month as my observation over months showed that it could retain value and get dividends of about 6.2% pa. At the moment, it's still a small portion and I hope to accumulate more. Also, I'm building up ammunition for higher value option trades.

Tip: Sterling’s Vintner Collection 2021 Cab Sav, regular and predictable, for a night sip

It's All In The Mind

Close your eyes and try to imagine what a good life is. Is it lying on the beach, playing with your dog or going on holiday etc? These are things that most people wish to do on a regular basis but yet can't seem to achieve. The typical reasons are lack of time and money. For those who are earning an income, why even with each passing year or increment, you still feel like it's a never ending catch up?

The author's intent is simple; strengthen the mind with positive and practical thoughts. Avoid the bad and the good will arrive. Accept that luck plays a part in life and go through tough times with a stoic attitude. Adjust to the environment by making small changes of improvement. Gradually, the mental wall becomes stronger and mature. Experience counts. The book consists of 3-4 pages per chapter. Each brings a story or example on how to view situations so as to spot fallacies and change the perspective. Therefore, success is not what the society defines but by what you perceive. Every individual has his struggles so it's down to a person to chart his own life path. If you can resist comparisons and be content, that in itself is a successful outcome. It's fascinating that through thousands of years of evolution, technology has advanced so much yet the brain remains stuck in its primitive instincts. Having a bad day? Close your eyes and recall a happy moment. You would instantly feel better. See, a little distraction and the brain can be manipulated to uplift the mood.

This book was given by my wife as a birthday gift. I gladly recommend it to anyone.

Tip: Brown Brothers Moscato 2022, like a fruit soda, goes well with Chinese food