We'll Drive Safer With A Big Spike On The Steering Wheel

 

I sometimes drop little nuggets while "talking male-chicken" in the comments section.

I know its a bit far-fetched, but this putting a big spike on the steering wheel is not made up! I stole it with pride from an article I've read in the past... (Yah, surprise! I read!)

I couldn't remember the source, but here's one link I found that's close enough. And the spike got an actual name!

Tullock Spike

You know why I use my real name at this watering hole? 

Its precisely I'm driving with a big spike on the steering wheel! (行不更名，坐不改姓) 

This way, I write as if I'm speaking in public. No, you not talking to a man with brown paper over his head. 

Unless you are an IT hacker who knows how to cover your digital trails, even if you use anonymous or made up nicks, if people want to get you, they can easily CSI you out!

We know what happens to those who stir shit in the internet, thinking there are airbags in front of them just by being anonymous or have fake nicks... 

Why do some Singaporeans obey the law in Singapore, but when overseas, have no problem littering or spitting? 

And this one most shepherds know. Why is it so difficult for get feedback from Singaporean employees at a company meeting, but at the water cooler, the same church mice Singaporean employees have no shortage of opinions about management? 

Now look at your own investing/trading/saving paths. 

Yes, even the so called "safer" Save More route is included!

 

Is it possible those who are on the Earn More path, who assumes there's a spike on the steering wheel, are more cautious than those on the Save More path who assumes nothing can go wrong with the supposed "safety" of airbags? 

Just ask those UK savers who had savings/fixed deposit accounts with Icelandic banks just because of a few percentages more in interest rates during 2008....

Of course we had our own Lehman minibond saga in 2008. I mean they were sold and distributed by reputable banks in Singapore, no? Not from some clickbaity internet scammy ads right?

And yes, don't make statements like if this company goes down, the whole of Singapore will go down too...

You are just putting an "exclamation mark" over your head to alert all the snake-oil wolves in the vicinity,

"Hello everyone! I'm a bei-kambing!"

  

 

Money is Money lah!

 

Sell flower of course say flower fragrant!

I find it quite hilarious that when I find people in our community like to do the Joan of Arc thing, 

"If you believe me, follow me!"

I hope these people don't come to power... When they can really dictate what others can or cannot do!

We have seen this movie in religion and politics before. And its not pretty...

You don't laugh. 

As a left-handed person, I'll be hesitant to join in with the majority to "discriminate" or "demonise" some minority just because they are "different" from us.

You never know when these zealots, once they have run out of "labels" to persecute, will start picking on left-handed people like me!

OK, after going on a big tangent (that's how you express your social, religious, and political views without getting into trouble), let's get back to this funny phenomenon in this money chasing  financial freedom community of ours.

Its optional, but for those who enjoy foreplay, you can take a peek at this ancient post of mine:

Is Snow Water?

Let's take 3 scenarios:

1)  Person A stays in HDB, maxed out all his CPF accounts early, prioritises paying in cash for his housing loan, voluntarily contributes to CPF up the the limit possible, and becomes a CPF multi-millionaire at age 65. Debt free.

2)  Person B stays in HDB, maxed out his CPFIS to invest in equities or equities funds. Never voluntarily contributes to CPF because cash is opportunity fund to invest in equities. At age 65, he is an Equities multi-millionaire. Debt free.

3)  Person C never invests nor is he a prolific saver. He just likes to upgrade his home of abode ever so often; no 2nd rental or investment properties. Took 2 bites of the cherry from HDB 3 room to 5 room. then when day job got better, upgrades to private condo or landed terrace/townhouse. CPF withdrew to max allowed for housing property loans. At age 65, he is a Property multi-millionaire. Debt free.

Multi-millionaire is so vague! 

$2 million is multi-millionaire, $100 million is also multi-millionaire.  

Tip: When someone uses the label "multi-millionaire" instead of saying $2 million, he is doing the snake-oil mind manipulation trick like for "pre-owned", or "high yield". Wink. 

Let's just use $5 million as the multi-millionaire definition for all 3 persons above. 

Tell me, is one person "better" than the other?

Its like arguing till our faces are blue that Green is "better" than Red!? 

LOL!

But for vested interests, it matter a lot!

If you are in the banking and property sectors, which path would you promote?

If you working for SGX, distributor for equity funds/ETFs, or in the equities brokerage industry, which flower would you say is the most fragrant of them all? 

If you big daddy, and you can't bring yourself to chastise your fanbase,

"Eh! If you idiot don't invest can or not?

Buy that time never write to me for permission...

Make money you genius! 

Lost money now its all my fault!?"

Then again, big daddy can't expressly "discourage" don't invest either... The wealth management industry you attracted here with dangling carrots are watching...

So you do the next best thing. 

Shh...

I'm tickled pink that our 5,000 years of Chinese wisdom has it covered:

八仙过海各显神通 - 8 immortals cross the Eastern Sea, each in their own way.

I mean, money is money right?

Who cares how we got that $5 million at age 65 just as long its not illegal!!!

P.S.  For youths who want to be FIRE at age 35. one path is definitely out of the question.  

Unless you don't mind saving sex till old age.

 

STI ETF can be good for those who can't Cut-Loss

 

I'm not a fan of passive investing.

It just intellectually "weird" to me, to savour the pleasure of  getting rich, by not doing anything at all???

The analogue is like winning an Olympic gold medal by sipping pina colada while chilling in the shade on the beach...

But I must say there's one good thing about passive investing using the STI ETF - its great for those who can't bring themselves to cut-loss on losers.

STI will do it for you!

FTSE Russel and SPH do quarterly reviews on the STI component stocks. Any lemons/dead anchors that are dragging the STI down will be kicked out!

They will in turn add "hot" stocks of the season into the index. 

That's the secret sauce why stock indexes always go up!

How not to go up if we only include stocks that go up, and weed out stocks that go down?

Its never passive.

Can you imagine how bad it must be for SPH to ownself kick ownself out of STI?

The current STI ETF is still 3 banks and 1 telco (plus REITS & property if you pedantic). 

ZERO exposure to tech unicorns...

What about SEA Ltd? 

Oh! That's included into the MSCI Singapore Index.

Those who trade the SIMSCI futures will know. Wink.

I know what you thinking.

Is there an ETF for MSCI Singapore?

Yes, you can goggle iShares MSCI Singapore ETF. 

Its listed in the US.

But, but I already torn deciding which is better - SPDR or Nikko STI ETF?

Now I sharing another extra choice is not helping!

Don't worry. 

Just go back to the person who sold you on "passive" investing. He/she will tell you what to do.

Problem solved!

Snake oils love customers like you!