By Alvin Chow (guest contributor) How do casinos, insurance companies, lottery operators, and market makers consistently make a lot of money?  The answer is simple: Edge. Many Singaporeans love to buy 4D and go to the casinos. They are lured by the big profits that could be made by risking a small amount of money. [... …

By Sean Seah (guest contributor) Beginners (and even veterans) who are looking at investing can be easily bewildered by the large number of strategies and assets out there, and unsure about how to proceed. In this article we interview Sean Seah, a Value Investing trainer, bestselling author of Winning the Money Game and …

By Cayden Chang (guest contributor) Beginners (and even veterans) who are looking at investing can be easily bewildered by the large number of strategies and assets out there, and unsure about how to proceed. In this article we interview Cayden Chang, a Value Investing trainer, cancer survivor and speaker at the National …

By Gerry Robert (guest contributor) Many people dream of getting rich but never manage to overcome the mental barriers that prevent them from building wealth. In this article we interview Gerry Robert, a bestselling author, columnist, speaker and consultant operating throughout North America and Asia, on how he managed …

By Ewen Chia (guest contributor) Many people who are interested in building a side income or of transitioning out of their day job look to the internet as a way to achieve this. In this article we interview Ewen Chia, an internet marketing expert and speaker at the National Achievers Congress 2013, on his journey [...]

By Alvin Chow (guest contributor) In recent years, there has been a proliferation of Contracts For Difference (CFDs) brokers in Singapore. This financial instrument started in the UK many years ago before it caught on in other countries. The main advantage of trading CFD is that it allows the trader to short sell a counter …

By Eileen Tan and Ui Wei Teck (guest contributors) The strategy of the Value Investor lies in the capability to uncover great businesses before it gets widespread attention. You can then buy low, sell high and not react to news. You have to spend time analyzing a company’s financial position in detail and compare it [. …

By Alvin Chow (guest contributor) Law I: Every body persists in its state of being at rest or of moving uniformly straight forward, except insofar as it is compelled to change its state by force impressed. ~ Sir Isaac Newton I have always adhered to the trading mantra – follow the trend and do not [...]

By Eileen Tan and Ui Wei Teck (guest contributors) If you can get your teenage children interested in investment at a young age, you deserve a big round of applause! By starting young, not only will they benefit from a longer investment duration, they will also gain from the power of compounding when they re-invest [.. …

By AK (guest contributor) I met someone recently who told me he is swearing off the stock market for good. I asked him why. He told me that he lost a lot of money in the global financial crisis but he managed to recover all his losses in the ensuing recovery. That is good news, [...]

By Eileen Tan and Ui Wei Teck (guest contributors) Leverage can multiply your investment results and accelerate your journey towards your wealth goal. Similar to the leveraging benefit in properties from taking a mortgage (which is a good debt), we can leverage in the Equity Market too. What are CFDs? Contract For Difference …

By Seth Wee (guest contributor) Imagine having a doctor who purposefully does not treat you completely such that you would constantly remain sick, thus having to visit the doctor repeatedly, each time paying for his services and medication. I am not familiar with the medical fraternity in Singapore and I trust that most …

By Eileen Tan and Ui Wei Teck (guest contributors) Besides getting a salary and saving money for rainy days, have you thought about how you can have a financial plan for your retirement? What would happen if you were to lose your job? Real Estate and Value Investing are two of the ways you can [...]

By Brian Halim (guest contributor) Many believe there is a great secret to becoming wealthy. Few realize that the simple basics are all you need to build wealth. The “secret” to wealth is not much of a secret. A variety of simple concepts and actions can be applied to achieve prosperity. Follow the following six [...]

By Eileen Tan and Ui Wei Teck (guest contributors) When you were a student, you had nothing much to worry about other than focusing on your studies. If you are a student reading this, you may object: “Of course NOT, other than academic examinations, I have to learn many other things, participate in various activities,  …

By AK (guest contributor) People often complain about how they do not make enough money. If you come under this category, ask yourself: Are you being shortchanged? If others in similar positions are being paid more, then it may be the case that you got a raw deal. Negotiate with your employer. If you are [...]

By Gerald Tay (guest contributor) As an investor, I keep myself updated with the current economic and global news as much as possible. I am not an economist and neither do I profess to be an expert on global economics. However, as investors in a very turbulent financial world, it is highly important for us [...]

By Seth Wee (guest contributor) Singapore has a population of about five million while the number of practitioners in the financial advisory industry is estimated to be between 20,000 to 30,000. This includes tied insurance agents, financial adviser firm representatives, and banks’ financial services personnel. It is a …

By Alvin Chow (guest contributor) Be careful when agents try to sell you mutual funds (equivalent to unit trusts in Singapore). Since you do not have the expertise and time, you may feel it is better to leave your money with the professional fund managers. It seems like the easy way out, but there are [...]

By Alvin Chow (guest contributor) Does it make sense to invest in the Straits Times Index Exchange Traded Fund (STI ETF)? I believe so, and have listed four reasons below why I think it makes sense to do so. 1. Low cost – management fee and sales charge = less than 1% per year If [...]

By AK (guest contributor) Debt can come across as a necessary evil. Sometimes, you just need that extra help in order to buy something. But there is also the idea of good debt—debt that gives us more funds that can be used to generate higher returns than the interest paid on the borrowed funds. Can [...]

By Brian Halim (guest contributor) People are often drawn towards the adrenaline rush that entertainment, partying or investing provides. Once, I went to the casino with a friend at the Marina Bay Sands (MBS). What struck me was how the gamblers around the table—no matter how young or old—would whoop and yell in excitement …

By AK (guest contributor) How on earth can an average worker amass $500,000 in capital through work and frugality? The key is to stop being “average” and to make an effort to change for the better. For example, a full time private tutor I know managed to save $50,000 per annum! I find it incredibly [...]

By Alvin Chow (guest contributor) I learnt about the concept of mental models from my boss. He said that we use heuristics to form judgments or make decisions. Heuristics are rules of thumb used to shortcut the thinking process. He quoted the example of a kid learning about what a car looks like. Over time, [...]

By Lau (guest contributor) Insurance is the most common risk transfer technique in risk management. There are three layers of insurance protection you can have: Figure 1 – The 3 Layers of Insurance Protection Firstly, the social layer, provided by national schemes. For Singapore, it will be the insurance from CPF like DPS, …

By Ken Tan (guest contributor) During my informal chats with people, I realized different people approach savings differently. This may be due to individual circumstances, mentality, personal challenges or incomes. Some people save 10% of their income, some 15%, some 30%. For me, I save 40% of my net earned salary (minus …

By Lau (guest contributor) The main objective of investing is to grow wealth. To do so you can utilize many different forms of investments, from the plain vanilla deposits (savings accounts, fixed deposits, insurance, endowments, CPF, SRS) to stocks, bonds, T-bills, unit trusts, ETFs, real estate. For the more risk-tolerant, …

By Musicwhiz (guest contributor) I guess the question above would be particularly applicable to value investors, as they often know and understand their own companies best over a period of time and thus are often faced with the question of whether to purchase more shares in these same companies. An investor is often confronted …

By SGFinancialFreedom (guest contributor) Since man first discovered silver, it has been an object of desire for both its value and its use as a form of money. The market for silver is not as big as the gold market, but is still worth an estimated $15 billion annually. Traditionally, the price of silver tracks [...]

By Mr. Propwise Choosing a mortgage can be confusing. There are so many options to think about: fixed or floating interest rates, loan term, lock-in periods, subsidies, penalties and other special features. There isn’t one “best” mortgage out there – it all depends on your needs and preferences. Here are the main options …

By guest contributor Gary Tay Statistics regarding the financial well being of Singaporeans are depressing. In a recent survey published by HSBC in 2011 (“The Future Of Retirement”), it was found that many household financial plans contain significant gaps: About 1 in 3 of those in their fifties do not have retirement savings …

By Seth Wee (guest contributor) Disability Income Insurance (DII) is a very specific type of policy with the intended purpose of insuring one’s ability to work. Much like the Aesopian goose, most Singaporeans produce their own “golden eggs” in the form of monthly salaries they receive for working. DII steps in to replace …

By Kelvin Ng (guest contributor) I see many articles on retirement planning and I started to think about how can one really plan for retirement in today’s volatile business environment. A while back I read that Eastman Kodak had filed for bankruptcy. This was one of America’s most notable companies and had a long history. …

By Dennis Ng (guest contributor) What is our greatest asset? It is our ability to get up every day to earn an income. This greatest asset, or income earning ability, is covered by disability income insurances; not personal accident policies, not critical illness policies and also not medical policies. Unlike coverage for …

By Musicwhiz (guest contributor) In the quest for financial freedom, I wonder how many of us have stopped to ask ourselves the following question: What actually does money mean to us and what does it symbolize? What I mean is – how should one go about thinking about money and how it can enhance your [...]

By FNN (guest contributor) Most of us want to retire comfortably, rich and without having to worry about money anymore. For a meaningful retirement, we must have a substantial amount of money to tide us through our later years. You also need to save enough money for shorter term goals such as to finance a [...]

By Dennis Ng (guest contributor) In Singapore, there is no lack of investors who place their money in stocks. However, I observe that the majority of stock investors know very little about stock investing. To help clear the air on stock investing, let me share with you some common mistakes made by retail investors. Many …

By Seth Wee (guest contributor) ElderShield is a Long-Term Care insurance scheme that Singaporeans are enrolled in on an opt-out basis when they reach the age of 40 years old. It is designed to provide a monthly payout to the insured upon severe disability typically associated with old age (hence the name). Similar to MediShield, …

By Musicwhiz (guest contributor) In this article I will focus on the psychological, mental and emotional aspects of investing, which are arguably just as important (if not more) than the quantitative and qualitative aspects of analysis into a Company and its business model. This is because having the wrong psychology can …

By Lau (guest contributor) Retirement carries a different meaning for people at different ages. For the young adult starting work in their twenties, retirement is something that probably does not carry much meaning. It is something their parents are transiting into and has nothing to do with them. First and foremost on …

By Gary Tay (guest contributor) Gambling is deeply ingrained in Singapore culture. From the occasional Toto punter to seasoned gamblers, Singaporeans are active participants where gambling is concerned. A recent survey conducted by Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) suggested that 54% of Singapore …

By Dennis Ng (guest contributor) Successful Initial Public Offers (IPOs) such as Google might make investing in IPOs seem like a sure-fire way to make money. However, there are many IPOs that result in investors losing money as well. So what should you look out for to increase your chance of picking a winning IPO? Below …

By FFN (guest contributor) How do you find new companies that might be ten baggers in the future or the next Google or Apple? After several years of investing, I have discovered a few good avenues to get to know about new promising stocks. Read widely One way is to read lots of books and magazines. [...]

By Guru (guest contributor) The current starting median pay for polytechnic graduates is $2,000, while for University graduates it is about $2,700. The median salary per month for Singaporeans in 2011 is $2,710. I really wonder how Singaporeans can stay out of debt if they continue to spend. An example of a typical Singaporean …

The current starting median pay for polytechnic graduates is $2,000, while for University graduates it is about $2,700. The median salary per month for Singaporeans in 2011 is $2,710. I really wonder how Singaporeans can stay out of debt if they continue to spend. An example of a typical Singaporean couple Take for example …

By Ken Tan (guest contributor) If you take a walk through ION Orchard during the weekends, chances are that you will see long queues at high-end clothing boutiques such as Prada or Louis Vuitton. Take a closer look and you will be surprised – young female teenagers form part of the crowd, decked in short skirts, [...]