2018 In 10 Mins

The year of 2018… was interesting. 

Thinking back, this is the year where I got myself a position in a field, where at that point of time I had great interest for before I got myself conscripted towards the end of 2018. This job has indirectly changed several viewpoints of mine and got the entire direction for the coming years, changed drastically. 

The knowledge and insights acquired during this 10 months journey, did take a significant toll which impacted me mentally and financially. 

This has also changed my style of writing, a sense of being as well as a regret that I did not manage to pull. 

The initial thoughts was very cluttered, back when I was contemplating to join the workforce or be a part of the gig economy. The thinking process back then was simple, with 2 main objectives. One to build a more significant buffer so that I will be able to continue my journey as a student, in 2 years time, financially, hopefully with the ability to not take on any student loans and secondly, to acquire enough fun points or wisdom points along the way.

Well, it seems pretty obvious at this juncture that I’ve chosen the former option with a greater consideration to continuing my student life with lesser financial burden and to accumulate more knowledge/wisdom points instead of fun points. Ha.

The journey has been insightful, being exposed to a field that I’ve always wanted to take on (fortunately, with certain prior experience and a wonderful internship, the exposure does create a path for me to enter this interesting field) 

During this 10 good months, I’ve experienced a very complete “working-life” which indirectly has deterred my thoughts a little further onto working forever till my death bed. 

I also learnt first handedly, that a regular dose of injection to our CPF accounts, is a big encouragement financially, especially when the employer is paying 17% extra! This tour has allowed me to pay even more attention to my CPF accounts, and of course, with a little more readings, comes a little more thinking, and a little more learnings, which inspired me to a post somewhere in August 2018.

Read: Peep into the 20 year old boy CPF Account - Transfer from OA to SA

Being in the workforce at that point, also prompted me to do a little bit more homework about tax planning (although, with the meagre paycheck, it shouldn’t do a big damage to my profile in IRAS), which inspired a post regarding SRS account back then. 

Read: My Newly Created SRS Account

After some sorting out and self-realization, the isolation and differences between Cash and Cashflow is drawn further apart, which inspired another post! And, this sentence, when carried to 2019, turns out to be a laughing factor for some, and eye opener to some in my army days. 

Read: Cash is Not King, Cashflow is

Since, I chose the former route as mentioned earlier, with a main priority to continue my student life after the mandatory conscription, a simple behind-the-envelope calculations brings me to a figure somewhere around SGD 32,000 that I’ve to prepare myself for, before 2020 where I commenced my full time university. Or at least, I must be able to segregate a good SGD 10,000 for my 1st academic year to be safe. 

So true enough, that’s a target, that I worked tirelessly for during the 10 months that I was employed. To spice it up a little, at the point of calculating, I come to figure that, unless I have an extremely high saving rate, else definitely it would not come true. 

To ensure that I’m a little safer, I’ve utilised the bike license I’ve gotten in 2017 and the bike I’ve gotten for myself when I’m back from Japan to take on the latter option as well in the evenings after work and on weekends to draw a higher income.

I also come to realise that if I’m hard-working enough to get myself as a commissioned officer in the force during my 2 years of National Service, I will be able to come out, beautifully on route to what was planned! 

Shortly after, I’m conscripted for service. I could still recall how I enter Tekong with a neat tidy hair, and come out, with what was called a “Number 1 Haircut”.

As much as planning are flawless, the reality is filled with flaws. 

With a lofty ambition to enter the OCS, I worked hard. But, in one of the booking outs, I encounter with a mishap that prematurely terminated all my “plans” I had. And I guess it is not that foreign to one, especially a rider. 

The day will come, for you to fall. From your bike, or with your bike. This episode has given me a 60 days hospitalisation leave and a fracture to my arm. Oh yes, and another punishing 3 alphabet! OOC!

Demoralised as I always am. I have since stopped writing and isolated myself for awhile to re-organize my path ahead.

Oh, and I guess the most fortunate part of this episode is, every visit to the hospital for appointments and follow-up, there is always a loud chop of “PAID” at the counter. Perks of being a NSF, I must say.

This injury carries it selves over to 2019, which I believe I should continue in another post, soon.

As a financial blog to begin with I guess there has to somewhat be a rounding of 2018.

A simple round up financially for 2018:

1. My portfolio at closing was doubled of what I had in 2017. 
2. I’ve achieved a nett savings of 20k 
3. I’ve managed to set aside about 1.5 Year of my university school fee (This amount is not inclusive in my portfolio/warchest)
4. 2018 ended with a figure somewhere above SGD 35,000 (The figure here consist of purely war chest + invested capital into the market) 

On the investment front:

• I manage to close the year with a performance of -3.97% vs STI of -6.63%
• A pathetic XIRR rate at -5.44%
• Collected a dividend of SGD 566.58 which translates to roughly SGD 47.22 monthly
• Realised P/L of SGD 813.77 for the year

Side note, at this juncture (2018), I actually have not enrolled myself into university as I’m afraid that I would not have enough to go for it. Hence, I actually enrolled myself only in 2020, the same year I commence study. I was even preparing to take a leap year to save more money so that I will have sufficient monies to settle my academic fees.

I guess, that’s all for now. Stay safe, till the next episode of 2019 In 10 Mins.