You don’t have to be an investment expert to start investing and building your wealth for a brighter financial future for you and your family.
While starting to invest can seem daunting at the start, the truth is that every financially savvy person had to start somewhere – very likely without a lot of finance knowledge.
With the right investment approach, given the type of investor that you are, anyone can start investing and growing their wealth over time.
If you’re still not convinced, we’ve been running the #TheEverydayInvestor column on DollarsAndSense – featuring investors from varied backgrounds. And you can read about their journeys to make investing an everyday habit.
That’s not all! We’re also launching the first ever #TheEverydayInvestor event in collaboration with SGX and Tiger Brokers. Hear from some of the everyday investors at the SGX Auditorium on 13 Nov 2024 (Wed) from 7 to 8.30 p.m – and learn how you can make investing an everyday habit too.
#1 The Optimiser Who Didn’t Have A Lot Of Money To Invest
One of the #EverydayInvestors we spoke to wanted to start investing, but didn’t have a lot of money. Brent took up a part-time job while he was a full-time engineering student at NTU – so he could have a meaningful sum to start investing.
Besides studying full-time, working part-time and investing, he was also spending a lot of time in the gym, and even started selling supplements.
He admitted that he had to cut through a lot of “noise”, including resisting the urge to spend his hard-earned money on things he always wanted to buy.
He encountered conflicting approaches to investment strategies that he didn’t quite understand himself. He grounded himself by reading books such as the Intelligent Investor and Security Analysis, both by Benjamin Graham and One Up on Wall Street by Peter Lynch.
He is an optimiser who is constantly trying to do new things, and he wants his money to work for him while he does that.
#2 The Cautious Collector Who Wants To Build Financial Stability
Singaporean mum of three, personal trainer and influencer, Vanny Tang recognised that building financial stability complements her other priorities. Early in her journey, she admitted to feeling overwhelmed by the options and hesitant about where to start.
With her financial priorities being her children and long-term financial stability, she started by taking a cautious approach to investing – taking low-risk steps to build her portfolio.
During our conversation with Vanny, she spoke of her hopes to inspire other mothers to begin their own investment journeys, having demonstrated that anyone can start, regardless of knowledge or experience.
As a cautious collector, she adopts the mentality of “slow and steady wins the race” – typically being risk-averse in her investment choice and prioritising long-term gains.
#3 The Explorer Who Wanted To Grow A Portfolio To Fund Her Holidays
From YOLO to regular investor, Yasmine Khater’s journey into investing started reluctantly, driven by a carefree approach to finances in her 20s. Initially, she prioritised travel and personal growth.
She realised the importance of a financial safety net after a series of events, including a bad investment, incurring a health scare (and the medical bills that came along) and helping family members through crises. This led her to spend her earnings more intentionally and recognised the importance of solid financial planning and self-directed investing.
Similar to her globe-trotting interests, she is an explorer when it comes to investing. She starting with REITs and then expanding into ETFs and equities.
#4 The Passive Practitioner Who Wants To Build Multiple Income Streams
Lau Jun Wen’s investment journey highlights the power of diversifying income streams and pursuing creative passions to achieve financial security.
Working as a project delivery manager in cryptocurrency by day, Jun Wen launched a side business creating Keluar Baris, an army-inspired card game sold through his website. After the initial work to create the product, he sees the sales coming in without having to actively work on it anymore.
Jun Wen also launched army-themed merchandise, such as t-shirts. He views each product as a learning experience regardless of its commercial success – and doubles down on the ones that work.
Jun Wen is a passive practitioner who enjoys seeing passive income come in after doing the initial hardwork. He invests in a dividend portfolio, diversifying income opportunities with dividend-yielding ETFs.
#5 The High Achiever Who Longed For Financial Freedom
Thomas Chua’s journey from a tax officer at IRAS to full-time investing educator showcases how investing can be accessible to anyone – as long as you put your mind to it.
Thomas was initially motivated by challenging financial circumstances growing up, which led him to devour books on wealth-building and discover the power of investing.
Through experience, he shifted from a focus on Singapore stocks to a more global perspective, recognising that international companies offer growth beyond the constraints of smaller domestic markets.
Thomas also emphasises non-financial investments in health – keeping his body in peak condition through personal training and competing in basketball leagues.
As a high achiever, Thomas recognised the importance of investing from a young age, and values continual learning regardless of how much knowledge you have. Even today, he is constantly learning more about investing.
If you want to hear directly from Thomas Chua, be sure to register for the event: The Everyday Investor – How To Make Investing A Daily Habit. He will be on the panel, sharing his investment journey and your answering questions.
Bonus: The Treasure Hunters Who Want To Build A $1 Million Portfolio
While we’ve not interviewed the Weeblings on our #TheEverydayInvestor column, they will also be at The Everyday Investor event – and likely one of the upcoming features on the column.
Starting their TikTok channel, The Weeblings, in 2021, they quickly gained a following by sharing approachable finance content and documenting their journey toward building a $1 million portfolio.
As treasure hunters, the Weeblings see opportunities (treasure) in building their income streams. The Weeblings earn revenue from sponsorships and affiliate marketing on their social channels. They have also ventured into e-commerce sales – selling accessories for mobile devices. They then use their earnings to plough into long-term investments, as well as venture into trading.
If you are interested to hear from Sarah and Aaron Wee at The Everyday Investor event, be sure to register here.
The post Anyone Can Be An Investor: What Type Of Everyday Investor Are You? appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
