Singaporean Talks Money: August 2021

Sunday, 29 August 2021

How I got 378.98 € worth of Bitcoins through affiliate marketing | Other affiliate marketing/platforms

*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which I will earn a small commission from if you do sign up for any of the programs. I share affiliate links for products that I use and am comfortable with. There are many different ways to earn money and I just wanted to share on affiliate marketing and also provide you an overview on how I managed to earn some Bitcoin through it. I am not a financial consultant and neither am I a millionaire so please don't take financial advice from me. Sharing mostly my experiences and findings. Hope you enjoy the video.

Today I am covering a really interesting topic and you can also do the same affiliate marketing with different platforms. So, I will be going through how I did it, which platforms will allow you to do affiliate marketing. As I mentioned in my previous post, I purchased a ledger Nano S to store a portion of my cryptocurrencies and I bought it awhile back in January 2021 but only got to know of the affiliate program in July 2021. They do also have a referral program that is ongoing. So let's dive right into both the referral program and affiliate program.

Referral Program (You will need to make a purchase from ledger to be in it)

For the referral program, you will immediately be eligible for it after purchasing from Ledger. For me, just a few days after your purchase, you will receive an email from Ledger informing you on your invite link/discount code that you can provide to your friends who will get a 20% off on their purchase. I have successfully referred some people and in turn, you will get a US$25 discount code for every 4 friends you referred to use your invite link/code.

If you are planning to buy the Ledger Nano X or S to safely store your cryptocurrencies in cold storage, you can (self-plug) use my discount code in my affiliate links tab. The referral program works well and you can get yourself some US$25 discount code if you need. You can maximise the rewards by promoting your discount code together with your affiliate link which I will talk more next.

Affiliate Program (You don't have to buy from ledger to join)

The affiliate program, it seems like you don't have to make a purchase to join it. As per the link, you just have to sign up for an account and you are ready to go. This affiliate program allows you to earn 10% commission depending on what the individual checks out. So far, the commission I have received ranges btw 3 € to 56 €, yes, you heard that right, there was someone who cart out Ledger Nano X (x3) and Ledger Nano S (x5) giving me 56.84 € in commission.

Though the commissions are shown in Euros, they will be paid to you in Bitcoin. My commission rate in July was amazing although I did do some extra effort by informing people on the ledgerwallet that I had a discount code and it would be great if they can use it with my affiliate link. My commission now have really dropped or practically stopped for August 2021 because my 20% discount code has expired and I guess that really affects the usage of my affiliate link.

Also, Reddit is now really saturated with people sharing their codes and affiliate link as the commission is pretty attractive. So if you are planning to get a Ledger Nano X or S, do remember to use a discount code because it is easily obtainable. If you are planning to get a Ledger product, you can use my affiliate link 😉

Criteria for payout

There are definitely some criteria to fulfill before you can be paid. Firstly being that you need to be validated and for that, you have to reach 50€ in commission which is the quota to be eligible for a payout. Next, will be to provide some details of yourself including your Bitcoin wallet and some ID verification. It does take some time for validation (a few weeks for me) and after that you can cashed out your commission in terms of Bitcoin.

It was quite an amazing feeling for me as it is not a small amount for July and was pretty incredible. Although my commission rate has dropped to zero since, I am thankful and really saw the power of affiliate marketing. For those with a strong following or substantial followers, they are able to benefit from it. You can join the affiliate program and generate your own link to start earning commissions when people purchase it: https://www.ledgerwallet.com/affiliate.

Other affiliate programs

There are definitely many other affiliate programs out there in Singapore that you might have seen and maybe even heard other bloggers talk about. You might earn rewards not in the form of money but also in the form of free stocks or cryptocurrencies just to name a few. I do only share affiliate links or want my users to sign up for products that I have used and am comfortable with it so let's move right into it.

Trading platforms (Tiger Brokers)

I am sure you must have heard Tiger Brokers as with many other bloggers who have also talked about it. I have to say that I was attracted to it's low commission when I first signed up, what more, getting stock vouchers was also one of the attractive portion of it. Besides being able to invest and earn points with it, you can also be rewarded if you share your referral link. The rewards might change so I wouldn't write more but you can find out more from here.

If you do not have a Tiger Brokers account, you can also use my affiliate link and get free share coupled with low commission fees once you deposit SGD2000 and also complete 10 trades.

Hodlnaut (Cryptocurrencies)

If you hold a substantial amount of cryptocurrencies namely BTC, ETH or hold stable coins, why not put a portion into Hodlnaut to earn interest on it. I would say that the rates are pretty competitive although not many cryptocurrencies are accepted by them yet. To see the cryptocurrencies/stable coins that you can earn interest on and fees involved, you can refer here. As more people get involved in cryptocurrencies, they will definitely want to have a place to park them and better if you can earn some interest with it.

Besides that, they have most recently brought back token swap to Singapore users. This means you can swap stable coins for ETH or BTC or any of the assets in Hodlnaut, what's even more great is that all token swaps are free. One way is to have a substantial amount of stable coins for example $10,000 of USDC then with the interest (currently 12% APR) earned, you can swap it for BTC or ETH whenever you feel the price is right. I am planning to do that but first, will need to build up the funds.

If you do not have an account, you can set up an account with my referral link to get a USD20 sign-up bonus if you deposit US$1000 in a single transaction. They are also extending their referral program till 11 September 2021 where you can earn USDC 300.

This post/video basically sounds like I am selling something but I find it really rewarding to earn commissions whether in the form of stocks or cryptocurrencies and I believe everyone can easily do so especially if you have a wide network. All you have to do is generate or create your own account and you can start earning as well. Do let me know which are your favourite form of affiliate marketing for example to receive free stocks or in the form of cash or cryptocurrency? Hope you guys enjoy today's video and do subscribe and hit the like button to support and help me reach more people.

Affiliate links/Codes:

► How I Protect My Bitcoin using Ledger (20% discount code): Get your ledger from HERE and you can use this 20% discount code: FRIEND-J2KN82T (Using my affiliate link will help me where Ledger will pay a small incentive that's not from you but from them) - USD$25 discount coupon: THANKS-SHLRTVJ or THANKS-V35SSK5
► How I earn interest on my Crypto (Hodlnaut): https://app.hodlnaut.com/signup?r=_JF037Nb0 Get USD20 equivalent for your initial deposit of at least USD1000 on any of the supported asset by using my referral link
► Where I Buy my Cryptocurrencies (Binance.sg): Referral ID = 350349
► Where I Buy my Cryptocurrencies : Coinhako
► Where I buy my stocks
FSMone Referral: P0364886
Tiger Brokers (Free stock and commission free trades, check out more here)
Interactive Brokers (Open an account today and start earning up to $1000 of IBKR Stock for free!*Terms and Conditions apply)
► Google Pay: v89ph61

Sunday, 22 August 2021

Should you get in on an IPO?

We have been seeing a number of IPOs in recent times and I mean very notably companies that everyone is interested in. There was a period of IPO fever where whatever that IPO-ed seems to only go up but it seems that has died down currently. From Coinbase to DiDi Chuxing to Robinhood and coming up next will be Grab. Have you taken part in any IPO before?

Do share with me in the comments below. I have actually never participated in an IPO but if I ever get the chance to, it is interesting to see the stock start trading and where it is headed towards. Today I will be talking about whether should you get onto an IPO exercise.

IPOs can be overrated or underrated: You have to do your research first

Companies usually IPO for the main purpose of raising capital for the business where the capital can be used for expanding the business or various other uses. It is a really quick way to raise a huge amount of capital and I am sure you have seen news of how IPOs have made the founders billionaires.

You have to find out and research on the company, of course, if the company is a very 'famous' company before it even IPO, like Coinbase or Airbnb and Robinhood, you will be able to find information much easier than if it is a company that is not as heavily talked about. For those not heavily discussed, getting information on the company is not easy.

Some times brokers might recommend certain IPOs to you but beware and watch out. You should always know the basis of buying and what business model the company has.

Wait for the lock-up period

I found out about this lock-up period after I bought Palantir. It was some time after their IPO on 23rd Jan 2019 and there were articles on how the lock-up period would affect the prices as sell-offs could happen.

An initial public offering (IPO) lock-up period is a caveat outlining a period of time after a company has gone public when major shareholders are prohibited from selling their shares. During the IPO lock-up company insiders and early investors cannot sell their shares, helping to ensure an orderly IPO and not flood the market with additional shares for sale. - Investopedia

Usually after a lock-up period, people tend to anticipate a drop in prices due to the additional shares being released but of course, it doesn't apply every single time that prices will fall after the lock-up period.

You might not be eligible to buy an IPO

Getting access to buy an IPO is not easy because firstly, you will need to follow up on what companies are going to IPO and when. To participate in buying, you will need a brokerage firm that provides the service, this is because when companies issue IPOs, they will inform the brokerage firms, who will then inform the investors. Of course, participating might require some criteria/qualifications set by the brokerages for example having a certain amount of money in your brokerage account or have a certain number of transactions done.

All in all, there are many good companies that choose to IPO to raise funds for growth but the difficulty is to know which companies. As mentioned earlier, I have no experience in buying IPOs, if you do have experiences whether good or bad, do share them in the comments below. I am sure there are a lot of information, just wanted to do a video on IPO considering the IPO fever that we had awhile back and many successful companies have went on to IPO as well. Thank you for staying till the end, do remember to subscribe and give a thumbs up!

You can also find me on

Affiliate links/Codes:

► How I Protect My Bitcoin using Ledger (20% discount code): Get your ledger from HERE and you can use this 20% discount code: FRIEND-4X2BBJ5 or FRIEND-3GDBJ85 or FRIEND-KC8G2KQ (Using my affiliate link will help me where Ledger will pay a small incentive that's not from you but from them) - USD$25 discount coupon: THANKS-SHLRTVJ or THANKS-V35SSK5
► How I earn interest on my Crypto (Hodlnaut): https://app.hodlnaut.com/signup?r=_JF037Nb0 Get USD20 equivalent for your initial deposit of at least USD1000 on any of the supported asset by using my referral link
► Where I Buy my Cryptocurrencies (Binance.sg): Referral ID = 350349
► Where I Buy my Cryptocurrencies : Coinhako
► Where I buy my stocks
FSMone Referral: P0364886
Tiger Brokers (Free stock and commission free trades, check out more here)
Interactive Brokers (Open an account today and start earning up to $1000 of IBKR Stock for free!*Terms and Conditions apply)
► Google Pay: v89ph61

References:

https://www.investopedia.com/investing/tips-for-investing-in-ipos/
https://investorjunkie.com/investing/invest-ipo/#historical-returns-of-ipos
https://www.thebalance.com/should-you-invest-in-an-ipo-357844

Wednesday, 18 August 2021

Pandemic Anger | How are your emotions evolving?

Came across this article by a writer in TODAY and I find it relatable. Do you find yourself experiencing some form of emotions confusion or like have a more fluctuating moods during this period of the pandemic. I do feel some form of pent up emotions, having to wear masks when out, following extra rules and regulations that are ever-changing and just making our live seem so different from our perceived normal.

I also read another article which talked about having more vivid dreams during this period of pandemic where our lives normally consist of stating at home doing the routine stuff and in the night, our dreams become the exciting one.

Pandemic Rage

Let's move back to the article, the writer mentions that she is normally a cheerful person and does not have an image of being violent or angry but when she was faced with the situation of someone cutting her queue, she reacted a little different than how she normally would. She went on to deep dive on why we feel rage in this period. Besides this article, there are others that also talked about 'pandemic anger' which some people call 'pangey'. Everyone has anger when being threatened, injured, deprived, robbed of rewards and we show it when we have to stand up for ourselves or for those we love. The pandemic has caused extreme disruption of normal daily life and also uncertainty as things change from how it used to be. We find ourselves more enclosed and having more negative emotions or feelings as crisis around the world seems to be compunded and bad news seems to come one after another. We can work to manage our emotions but definitely there are times when we need to release them as it motivates us to fix what is broken and also face what emotions we are facing. I also came across some methods on managing anger and I am also finding ways to manage my emotions (particularly negative) during this period.

How to manage your emotions

Acknowledge your emotions/feelings

The first thing is to know that you are angry and be mindful of your feeling, it is all right to be angry. How you respond after acknowledging that you are angry is the crucial part. You can choose to leave the environment that is evoking that anger or face the situation head on but not with anger.

I've learned to do the opposite of the urgency my body seems to be demanding. Instead of rushing headfirst into conflict, I consciously slow down, stop, and return to my emotions. Experts say that acknowledging and experiencing our emotions may prevent them from spiraling out of control. To be sure, in my experience, simply noticing my physical response and identifying the feeling can diffuse the situation enough - Business Insider

Talk about it with someone

Sharing your emotions like talking to your friends or family can also help with managing of your emotions. Normally, if you feel upset or have something to share, previously being in the office daily means that you have an outlet to share or maybe at least talk about it when you meet your friends for dinner but with the pandemic, many of us are stuck at home and the number of people we meet every week reduces by a huge proportion. Weekends used to be a huge gathering of family members but now the limit is 5 pax per household and that really reduces a lot of updates and interactions with my extended family.

Of course, you want to share your feelings or emotions with someone comfortable and who is a good listener. No one wants to be dismissed during the conversation. So choosing someone who you are comfortable with is also equally important.

Put yourself in the shoes of others

Lastly, besides feeling the anger and sharing it, you can also put yourself into the shoes of others to recognise or acknowledge the opinions of the other party and why they reacted that way. Having empathy is to put yourself into someone's shoes and setting aside your preconceived notions and being open to learning from the experiences of others. Even if you are right, there might be ways you could have been better in reacting.

Conclusion

Negative emotions are not always bad and especially in this difficult period, all if not most of us definitely have felt more isolated or down due to the restrictions or difficulties faced. Having someone to talk to or rely on is important and don't feel shy to seek help if needed. We are tuning in to more frequently to social media and news, if you find that it affects you, have time to shut off and put them away for the time being. Hoping that the world will get over this soon.

You can also find me on

References: https://med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/about/covid19/anger.html
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-im-letting-go-of-anger-getting-back-to-work-2021-3
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-coping-pandemic-anger

Sunday, 15 August 2021

My investing journey so far | How having a plan & goals improved my investing returns

I started my investing journey in 2017 and at that time when I started, I honestly had no plans and no goals for it. I just knew I wanted to grow my money, coupled with the free flow of never ending information on investing types, methods and even get rich schemes, it was difficult to sieve out crucial information that now forms the basis of how I am investing my money.

I am considered a risk-averse person and I don't want to worry every night about the value of my investments although my portfolio now takes on lots of risk e.g. Tesla as my biggest stock holding which is very volatile and having a substantial amount in cryptocurrencies. I guess over the years, I have grown to take on more risks because I know that age is a huge factor that allows me to take on more risk and because I gradually earned more compared to the time in 2017 when I just started.

Beginning of investing journey

I really liked the idea of dollar cost averaging since I started but I started on the "wrong" product or rather, an ETF that did not give me the returns I wanted. I started using POSB Invest Saver when I started because there was no need for CDP account which the set up was kinda confusing for me. After I started that, I wanted to also have exposure to individual SG stocks especially REITs, so I researched and decided to open the DBS Vickers Account which also helped me opened my CDP account through the linkage.

From that moment on, it was like a shopping spree, I would spend small amount about $1000 to buy a stock and begin buying different stocks based on their business or dividend yield. Some of the counters that I bought in small amount that didn't give me returns and instead made a loss for me were Design Studio and Amara. I would continue to do this until I realise.......exactly what am I aiming for?

Of course, this all might sound like I was doing the wrong thing from the start but I learned a lot from it and it shaped how I would invest in the future. I was very much not looking into the business model when I started investing but instead focus on dividend yield and this was something that was so wrong.

Decided to just buy the index as I was not beating it and also to focus more on growth stocks

So after about about 2 years, yes in 2019, I took pretty long to find out the wrong direction I was going, I decided to divert my funds towards a World Index ETF that invests in both foreign and U.S. stocks including covering both well-established and still-developing markets. This was through Vanguard Total World Stock ETF using FSMone and most recently, switched to Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF (Accumulating) using Interactive Brokers. I also started setting goals for myself both short and long term. Of course, goals can change or adjust but having a goal really makes the difference and if you exceed it, you know that you are definitely on the right track.

I think after I started earning a monthly salary, working full-time and knew how hard money is earned, haha, I wanted to make sure my investment is profitable as I am trading time for money. And besides allocating my funds mainly to Index ETF, I focused more on growth stocks like Tesla, Palantir and most recently AMD. After the ETF funds, I don't have a lot left so of course, my main allocation is towards index ETF.

Stocks portfolio steadily increased and able to take on more risk e.g. venture into cryptocurrencies

I like allocating a fixed amount aside every month as it forms a routine and really just takes out the deliberating whether it is a good time to buy, also I am able to see the increase of my portfolio overall, although of course, markets have been on an uptrend so numbers definitely looks good. As I build up my ETF holdings, I also can venture into riskier investments like cryptocurrencies. My age is also part of the factor why I am venturing into it as I am relatively young, not saying that age is a factor in the products that you can invest but being young means that I am in the process of building up my capital and not preserving my capital so I like to put a small portion of my money into cryptocurrencies although I am still rather risk-averse in terms that I only invest in Ether, Bitcoin and Cardano. I am still exploring cryptocurrencies as the information is too much at times. But I like putting a portion of my money in it as I love the idea it brings a solution/alternative to so many things and allows the world to be more interconnected.

Having a plan really makes a difference although I wished I had a plan earlier on, I learned a lot from my mistakes and as long as I am able to keep to what I am currently doing, I believe in the long term, I WILL BE RICH HAHAHAHAHA! Kidding, but here's just some advice and reflections of mine, hope you guys enjoy today's video and don't forget to subscribe and give a thumbs up!

You can also find me on

Wednesday, 11 August 2021

Crypto Portfolio Update | Hodlnaut iOS app, BTC giveaway + Affiliate Program

Cryptocurrency has been on an uptrend for the past few weeks and my portfolio has grown from a 4 figure to 5 figure and it has been exciting seeing the gains over such a short period of time. I have been adding just a few hundreds into cryptocurrency and have stopped for now although the uptrend now looks pretty strong.

I wanted to do an update on it as everyone knows how volatile it is and I want to keep a record of this before it changes (no one knows) whether it will continue to go up or down but looks so far as a strong rally towards the top as even the US government is talking about it giving it much more exposure.

Scams are now also getting larger as the latest involves the blockchain site, Poly Network which is a decentralised finance which allows users to transfer tokens tied to one blockchain to a different network. So do remember to exercise caution on where you put your cryptocurrencies. For me, majority is in cold storage with a portion on exchanges for easy access or to build up before transferring. I also have a small portion in Hodlnaut earning me interest on it.

"Hodlnaut is a certified Fintech by the Singapore Fintech Association, an accreditation recognized by the MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore). Hodlnaut is also currently undergoing license application under the Payment Services Act 2019 (by the MAS) and is looking to become the first regulated entity in Singapore within the Crypto Borrowing and Lending Space." - Taken from Hodlnaut's website.

For my cryptocurrencies, after ETH broke USD$3000 and BTC hit USD$46,000 my portion now stands at about SGD$11,000. Below is a screenshot of my crypto portfolio (in SGD) as of 8.18pm on 11 August 2021.

Value is based in SGD, prices fluctuate at a rapid pace

Today, I would also like to talk about Hodlnaut, which I have written before (do note that interest rate differs now depending on your holdings).

They recently released their iOS app and they are giving away $2000 in BTC! What you have to do is go to their twitter or any social media page where they have a link that brings you to the giveaway page where you can get points and increase your chances by doing the different things e.g. downloading the iOS app and following their twitter account. I have also signed up for the giveaway. Do note that this giveaway is from 11 August 2021 till 20 August 2021. So act fast, the more points you get, the better chances to win 1st, 2nd or 3rd place!

Taken from Hodlnaut's Twitter

They also have a new affiliate referral partner program in conjunction with their iOS app release. You will really benefit a lot from this referral program and this is it:

Taken from Hodlnaut's Instagram

They have an affiliate program (with bigger bonuses) and are giving out up to USDC $300*(Terms and Conditions apply) for users you have referred using your affiliate link, and completed KYC!

NOTE: New affiliates have to sign up via the iOS app launching on 11 August 2021.

If you are interested in setting up an account, you can use my referral link (to receive a US$20 sign-up bonus after you have made an initial deposit equivalent to USD$1000 on any of the supported assets) and after you have created an account, you can share your referral link to your other friends to be part of the affiliate program and sign up for the BTC giveaway!

You can also find me on

Saturday, 7 August 2021

News Update on Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies have went/shot up in value and with Ether hitting USD$3000 and Bitcoin at USD$43,000 the gains have been pretty substantial. Looking at my cryptocurrency portfolio has been crazy and although I did DCA a few hundred into it the past few months, I feel that I should have put in more. Well, in hindsight, I will always think that way. There have been a few news that might have spurred this. Although there might be other news as well which you can share in the comments below.

US Infrastructure bill

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework is the largest long-term investment supported by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris which is about USD$1.2 trillion. It primarily aims to improve sustainable transportation networks, repair roads and build a national network of electric vehicle chargers in the country. This infrastructure bill will also involved cryptocurrency as new tax-reporting requirements on various parts of the blockchain system will also be discussed. This might be seen as the government accepting cryptocurrencies although it also means that taxes will have to be paid accordingly but it is a huge step of wider acceptance from the government. But of course, to lay down rules on how the taxes should be paid is not easy and there different opinions surrounding it.

For example, an amendment from Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Pat Toomey (R-PA) explicitly exempt miners from any reporting requirements where this would free them from the obligation of providing 1099 tax forms, which in many cases would be impossible to comply with given the pseudonymous nature of blockchain transactions., but Senator Portman (R-OH) unexpectedly proposed his own competing amendment which excludes only proof-of-work mining and some wallet project.

This is indeed disappointing to the crypto industry as this could mean that proof-of-stake work would have no tax exemptions. The amendment has yet to pass and the US citizens have to let their senators know which side they are supporting. And even so, it would not go into effect till 2023 hence there could be changes or improvements made to it. Although it is not finalised yet, it will be interesting to see how cryptocurrencies will be further regulated by the government. It was also noted that taxes from the crypto will help to partly pay for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework. This is a developing story hence do correct me if there are any mistakes.

JPMorgan rolls out Bitcoin Fund to wealthy clients

JPMorgan is offering the clients of JPMorgan Private Fund a passively managed fund where they are working with NYDIG, a cryptocurrency firm. JPMorgan is the biggest US Bank by assets and this sends a very clear message as traditional financial institutions begin to provide crypto as part of an asset to their clients. Late last month, JPMorgan also provided access to four funds from Grayscale Investments and one from Osprey Funds: Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, Grayscale Bitcoin Cash Trust, Grayscale Ethereum Trust, Grayscale Ethereum Classic Trust and Osprey Bitcoin Trust.

Ethereum Hard Fork ("London Hard Fork")

I have been seeing this on Reddit but haven't really read up on it except I know that it is an improvement being done. So from what I have gathered, it is an update of Ethereum and the greatest benefit is that it will enable the network to handle more transactions per second and hopes to also tackle the high gas fees.

Another change essentially sets the stage for a major transformation of Ethereum that will make it harder for miners to earn money and could eventually make mining irrelevant

The London Hard Fork are a set of five Ethereum improvement proposals (EIPs). EIP-1559, included in the London Hard Fork, aims to change speed and incentivisation of Ethereum mining. - Taken from economictimes

Overall, I am not very much keeping up with news on cryptocurrency, I understand the premise and usage of it. I really believe that it opens up so many avenue for different things. I have seen articles on cryptocurrencies providing avenues for people to earn income through NFTs, games, staking and many other ways. Of course, the only thing I have done is to keep some of my cryptocurrencies at Hodlnaut, with the rest in cold storage using Ledger and some small amount on exchanges. There is definitely huge potential and with the acceptance of it from the US government coming soon, although we are not sure if it's for the better or worse, we know that it is now being made known to a wider audience. All the best to everyone and for me, HODL-ing on!

In other news, dining out will resume on 10 Aug 2021. Really can't wait for that, I am now fully vaccinated since I brought forward my second dose. Happy that we are moving towards opening up as more new measures are implemented for dining out. Hmm, where should I eat on 10 August 2021? 🤔

You can also find me on

Affiliate links/Codes:

► How I Protect My Bitcoin (20% discount code): Get your ledger from HERE and you can use this 20% discount code: FRIEND-4X2BBJ5 (Using my affiliate link will help me where Ledger will pay a small incentive that's not from you but from them) - USD$25 discount coupon: THANKS-SHLRTVJ or THANKS-V35SSK5
► Get USD20 equivalent for your initial deposit of at least USD1000 on any of the supported asset: https://app.hodlnaut.com/signup?r=_JF037Nb0
► Where I Buy my Cryptocurrencies (Binance.sg): Referral ID = 350349
► Where I Buy my Cryptocurrencies : Coinhako
► Where I buy my stocks
FSMone: P0364886
Tiger Brokers
Interactive Brokers (Open an account today and start earning up to $1000 of IBKR Stock for free!*Terms and Conditions apply)
► Google Pay: v89ph61

References:
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/05/ethereum-just-activated-its-london-hard-fork-and-its-a-big-deal.html
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/cryptocurrency/what-is-ethereums-london-hard-fork-and-how-will-it-impact-investors/articleshow/85072054.cms
https://www.theblockcrypto.com/linked/112877/white-house-says-crypto-tax-enforcement-will-help-pay-for-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/28/fact-sheet-historic-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal/
https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/6/22612663/infrastructure-bitcoin-tax-blockchain-proof-of-work-stake-ethereum

Wednesday, 4 August 2021

I Quit my Job! | The Great Resignation

There have been many videos on people quitting their jobs especially the younger generation. There are many who share that they are going to chase their dreams while others say that they need a break or others just quitting for a better opportunity. To be honest, most of them seems to have a side income that can provide some form of buffer before they quit. But let's dive more into this "Great Resignation" as how BBC terms it.

What value are you bringing? Since you can now work from anywhere.

A BBC article took results from a Microsoft survey involving more than 30,000 global workers showed that 41% of workers were considering quitting or changing professions this year, and a study from HR software company Personio of workers in the UK and Ireland showed 38% of those surveyed planned to quit in the next six months to a year.

Many of the people who left came as a result of the way their employers treated them during the pandemic. As companies face the tough restrictions and conditions of the pandemic, many had to lay off staff and cut costs, this in turn created stress and workload spike when workers are juggling both in-person and remote work concurrently. Many also experienced blurred lines between work and personal life as working from home became the default. And more so for those who have been working for awhile, with the savings they have amassed, they would rather quit and start over in a totally new industry than remain in a job where they feel under-valued and unheard.

Start chasing after your dreams

Many who quit their job during this period realised that their jobs could be easily replaced with remote working and why not chase after their dreams and if all else fails, they can still look for another job. Many content creators have emerged from this pandemic as people log on more often than ever to media and social platforms. There has been a surge in food channels and also channels that just stream their lifestyle or show them studying.

Annette who was from SGAG mentioned in her video," The deal breaker was when Covid-19 hit and staying home more often means I was out of her normal office routine and had more time to think about life, kinda like I had a chance to free trial all the different factors that she has been considering." She quit SGAG to have more time to pursue her dreams as a musician as previously being a full-time employee means she only had her lunch time and after work hours to side gig which was really tiring and limited the opportunities she had.

Life is short and nothing is guaranteed

Many companies were not able to provide proper measures or protection for their employees and the way the companies treated the employees during the pandemic really determined if they were staying or leaving. Many workers have started to reevaluate their lives after working from home and realising that their jobs can be done remotely without the frequent travelling. Working from home allows flexibility and the main thing is that you are able to spend more time with your loved ones as time spent travelling can be used more efficiently. Companies can just let you go or cut your salary if they are facing tough circumstances or maybe just because the outlook is not good, there is not increment or bonus even if you had work more and harder while at home as the headcount reduced.

Differing opinions and views of employers and employees

As vaccination programs roll out in many countries, companies are also considering bringing their employees back to the office.

In a survey of more than 350 CEOs and human resources and finance leaders, 70% said they plan to have employees back in the office by the fall of this year — if not sooner — according to a report by staffing firm LaSalle Network.

Most companies are also planning to combine both remote and on-site working although most do not have a concrete plan on how they will implement it. Human resources and C-suite leaders expect only 8% of their employees will choose to quit once Covid restrictions are fully lifted while a quarter believe no one will quit (mostly US companies) however on the employees end, career website Monster found 95% of workers are currently considering changing jobs. Separately, Microsoft research found that 41% of the global workforce is weighing leaving their current employer this year. There is a huge divide between the data that the companies are gathering and the real, true reflections/feedback of the employees.

Situation in Singapore

An article from Mothership.sg mentions that the workforce in Singapore is the unhappiest one among five countries polled namely, UK, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Total sample size of 5714 was used of which 1014 were employees and employers from SG. 48% of employees in SG are unhappy in their workplace as compared to other countries similarly a high percentage (71%) of Singapore employees mentioned that they felt stressed in the past 6 months amid the pandemic. It's been a tough period with restrictions on masking, travelling and even just being able to go out seems so tough at times. Coupled with job stress or job security, it is definitely not easy to feel relaxed or happy. Overall, mental health and well-being has been of utmost importance during this period as we stay home more and reduce physical communication with our loved ones who were once easily reachable. Our job takes up a huge part of our lives and we need to find a way to derive joy from it. I am still early on in my career and wishing that everyone can find that spark of joy!

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References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N88OE2ZCHBM
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/25/will-quitting-your-job-make-you-happy-what-the-experts-say.html?
https://mothership.sg/2021/06/singapore-workforce-unhappiest/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1QGrFKT9v4
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/29/more-people-plan-to-quit-as-return-to-work-plans-go-into-effect-.html?
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210629-the-great-resignation-how-employers-drove-workers-to-quit
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/13/employers-dont-think-many-workers-will-quit-great-resignation.html?

Sunday, 1 August 2021

Why I want to achieve financial independence | Short update on portfolio

Hi, welcome back to another episode of SingaporeanTalksMoney, before we get into the topic today, let's talk about cryptocurrencies and the stock market. So Bitcoin has been recovering slowly from the low $30,000 but still far from it's high of $60,000, my DCA every month has proved to be a good move so far. I will be lowering my DCA amount and focusing it more on Ether instead. In terms of my stocks portfolio, I sold off Nikko AM STI ETF and added to the funds into Tesla and AMD. So far, both looks ok. All right, just a rough overview, will get more in-depth in end of Q3 review, the market is very volatile so we really don't know how it will be looking like in a few months time. Let's move on to today's topic.

Everyday, I wake up, get ready and wash up. Then move into another room, sit down and on my work laptop to start my day. I sit there for the rest of the day until lunch where I walk to my living room for lunch and then back to the room to work again. At about 6pm plus, my day ends and then I start doing whatever I want. The whole routine repeats again the next day.

It is a privilege to be able to still work amid the pandemic and with the added on changes from the pandemic, it has reinforce my thinking to achieve financial independence as soon as I am able to. This is why I started investing and aim to achieve financial independence further on in my life. From our parent's time, working in a job for your whole 30 to even 40 years is considered normal but with innovation and automation in our generation, jobs are no longer as secure as they are and the companies are trying to cut cost yet raise efficiency and this means that robots and artificial intelligence is the way to go as they can operate 24/7 with minimal mistakes. Of course, there are roles that will stay on especially those that involves communication and troubleshooting. So then, who can guarantee that I would still have a job 20 or 30 years down the road.

The pandemic has made many people think much deeper on what they want to have in life. Is it really all about career success, a job title or the amount of salary you are getting? I think we all know that through this pandemic, most of us want to have good health and also more time with our family. I am lucky to be able to work from home and also think about my life during this period as we stay at home longer than usual.

What is financial independence and why I hope to achieve it?

I am sure many of my readers/audience are very familiar with the acronym FIRE which stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. So financial independence is the first part of FIRE and is a state of being in which you don't have to work to pay your living expenses. There are definitely many different strategies and having a substantial investment amount that you can draw down on or have dividends from it is one way.

I have all along been conscious about money and my spending habits and I like the idea of financial independence where you are able to sustain your lifestyle and free up your time by not having to work to survive on that pay-check. Golden handcuffs is what they call it when you have to be in your job because you already have mortgages or bills and spending that needs to be covered by your pay-check and your job ties you down. So I am sure financial independence is what everyone wants to achieve as well whether or not you will retire early, is another thing.

Just not being tied down and having to worry about financial is the thing that moves me towards obtaining FI. I also realise that the younger generation is very savvy with investing and more or less have dabbled in some form of investments so my generation, I am sure many will schieve financial independence earlier or faster than they expect especially if they are high income earners.

Is achieving financial independence the end point? Will it make me happier?

My current goal is to achieve financial independence but what about after I have achieved it. To be honest, I don't know because I know the journey will be long and not in the short term so I haven't got to the planning for after achieving FI. I have not achieved FI in that I do not have a substantial investment amount that I can live off but I would think that after reaching FI, I would still work on a part-time basis. I mean it is difficult to gauge because I am not even near that level yet, so for now, I will continue to have this perfect dream of it and aim towards it. Whether or not it will make me happier, I think it's also important to live in the present, cherish your time and those around you. See you guys soon in the next video!

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Pages

Sunday, 29 August 2021

Referral Program (You will need to make a purchase from ledger to be in it)

Affiliate Program (You don't have to buy from ledger to join)

Criteria for payout

Other affiliate programs

Sunday, 22 August 2021

IPOs can be overrated or underrated: You have to do your research first

Wait for the lock-up period

You might not be eligible to buy an IPO

Wednesday, 18 August 2021

Pandemic Rage

How to manage your emotions

Conclusion

Sunday, 15 August 2021

Beginning of investing journey

Decided to just buy the index as I was not beating it and also to focus more on growth stocks

Stocks portfolio steadily increased and able to take on more risk e.g. venture into cryptocurrencies

Wednesday, 11 August 2021

Saturday, 7 August 2021

US Infrastructure bill

JPMorgan rolls out Bitcoin Fund to wealthy clients

Ethereum Hard Fork ("London Hard Fork")

Wednesday, 4 August 2021

What value are you bringing? Since you can now work from anywhere.

Start chasing after your dreams

Life is short and nothing is guaranteed

Differing opinions and views of employers and employees

Situation in Singapore

Sunday, 1 August 2021

What is financial independence and why I hope to achieve it?

Is achieving financial independence the end point? Will it make me happier?