Updates for Dec 2018

Finally it is time to hand in the result for 2018.  Total dividend for the year is 14,709.91. Still $300 short of the $15K target set. Let's try hard in 2019.

As for overall comparison with last year figures: 
- 54K increase in cash component (i.e. cash in balance and the value of stock held)
- 27K increase in non-cash component (i.e CPF OA, SA and MA balance plus SRS investment and balance)
- 9.5K increase in the joint investment account with hubby

Overall, 笨mummy is happy with the amount of money she has managed accumulated this year with her employment income. Of course, she hopes that she could have better control over her spending, especially the portion on foods and coffee. 

Dividend / interest for month of Dec 18:  
Ascendas H Trust - S$ 224.80
SPH - $ 140.00

Dividend received in Year 2014	S$ 8,241.99
Dividend received in Year 2015	S$ 8,978.59
Dividend received in Year 2016	S$ 12,145.15
Dividend received in Year 2017	S$ 12,964.44
Dividend received in Dec 2018	S$ 364.80
Dividend received in Yr 2018 to date	S$ 14,709.91

High interest rates - a pro and a con

Interest rate is a double edged sword except when you have cash earning bank interest and outstanding mortgage with the bank.

笨mummy just received a letter from the bank that her interest rate is going to increase from 1.6% by another 0.6% to 2.2%. She was surprised to receive the letter from the bank announcing this considering that the rate was increased from 1.3% to 1.6% around Aug/Sep 2018 and in less than 6 months another increase announcement.

Although the terms and conditions allow her to re-price her mortgage, the current housing loan rate offered by the same bank is of a relatively higher rate. She is seriously considering whether to start to pay off the outstanding loan using cash Nov 2019 when her lock-in period end as it seems the trend of higher interest rate is here to stay. 

Negative and discouraging remarks

Dealing with negative and discouraging remarks are often what make the FIRE journey harder than what it may seem. The casual remark of “what is so great about getting that extra $100 or $200 from a high interest yield saving account. If you are so great, you should be earn few hundred thousand from trading in properties or stocks like those reported in the papers”, “that extra dividend or interest of that few hundreds cannot even pay for that xxx”, or “not buying that ‘good-to-have’ item does not make you rich”. It is especially hard when it comes from your significant others or your family members.

It is so hard to make someone see the “light” at the end of the tunnel. Maybe this article is in a way right. Sometimes a person may want something like financial freedom and able to have time to do his own stuff,  travel around, etc. But the question is how much pain / suffering you are willing to take to achieve that. 笨mummy is a person who can live without the latest gadgets, the fancy new clothes ranges from some fashion house, latest branded bags, etc. and if this is what it would take to reach Finance freedom, it does not bother her very much since she can live without them.

But looking at her hubby, she knows that he is not willing to “suffer” by depriving himself of these things. He always said that he spent some much time at work and being so stressful, he needs to buy stuffs to help reduce the stress otherwise he does not know why he is working so hard for. However, after getting these stuffs, it does not make the stress from work to go away and the worst is after he got these stuffs, most of the times he does not bear to use them. These stuffs would be kept in the drawers, cupboards or anywhere he can find space to store them. After a while, these stuffs would be spoilt due to long storage and cannot be used.

It is very tiring to deal with someone who keep complaining about having to suffer at work, yet unwilling to bear some pains to get yourself out of the suffering forever. The little bit of extra income counts toward the end, it is a journey and not a shortcut and you would not see the result immediately.

笨mummy has gave up on trying to convince her hubby to join her in her pursue of financial freedom and passive income as it is very tiring to deal with negative comments when your intention is to help and you ended up being attacked for what you are doing. 

Updates for Nov 2018

One more month to go before the end of 2018. Time really flies especially when 笨mummy is back at work compared to her SAHM time. It is a joy to see the bank account figures moving up due to input from monthly salary, dividends from shares and also interests from the high yield savning accounts. 

With the new year approaching, 笨mummy is picking up speed on projects that she has put on hold due to lack of time. She spent her weekend on tidying and cleaning the cupboards, wardrobes and also the windows. She also kicked start her mini re-model of the spare room to an official playroom for the two kids. Hopefully everything can be completed by the end of the year. 

She is looking forward to the Christmas holiday when she has more time to spend on these tasks. 

Dividend / interest for month of Nov 18:  
Ascendas India Trust - S$ 358.00  
Mapletress GCC - $ 192.60 
Ascendas REIT - $ 146.97 
Suntec REIT - $ 249.10 
DBS Pref Share - $ 473.86 
FCL Treasury Bond- $ 184 

Dividend received in Year 2014	S$ 8,241.99
Dividend received in Year 2015	S$ 8,978.59
Dividend received in Year 2016	S$ 12,145.15
Dividend received in Year 2017	S$ 12,964.44
Dividend received in Nov 2018	S$ 1,604.53
Dividend received in Yr 2018 to date	S$ 14,345.11