The dinner that changed me
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Growing up, I knew deep-down I never wanted to exchange time for money. But it was over one dinner conversation that turned that quiet thought into a burning desire. I come from a middle income family with two lovely younger sisters. I was the eldest. One day over dinner, my mom said we had to spend less. The thing is, the company my dad had worked for wasn’t doing very well. The economic crisis had just hit. And I could sense the worry on my parents’ face. That moment shook me. Especially, when I knew my parents still had to pay for my sisters’ university education. I knew I had to do something. During university, I gave tuition to students, including my younger cousin. But that meant my entire Saturday afternoons got burnt. I worked during my school holidays as an admin assistant. But I got bored at the desk. In a way, I wanted to work without exchanging my time for it. Later on, that planted a seed in my head: how to make passive income. It was only when my university hallmate passed me a book called the Intelligent Investor -- I got that “aha” moment. I realised investing was a money-making, life skill. If I could master it, I could make money without exchanging my time. And I would also enjoy the intellectual challenge. I was hooked. I didn’t become interested in the financial markets. I became obsessed. That kicked off my journey in financial markets. Eventually, it led me to achieve my financial goals. It also fulfilled my personal mission to build a retirement portfolio for my mom. I share this story in an interview with DollarsAndSense few years ago. It's very special for me, because it changed me perspective toward money and savings. Click HERE to read my From Quitting the Rat Race to Investment Blogger Sometimes, investing can be simple. Willie Keng, CFA Founder, dividendtitan.com P.S. Like this issue? Click HERE to join 5k+ investors reading my DT Compound Letter. I send my letters to your inbox every Sunday. |
Dividend Titan
Not all cheap stocks are a bargain. I know, with the recent tariff sell-off, there's an abundance of investment opportunities. Diligence members know I've been accumulating too. However, as the trade war continues to evolve, I'd be careful of catching falling knives, or what I call "value traps". I spoke with CNA Money Mind on TV, shared some of my thoughts on a value trap: Cheap valuations but weak fundamentals: stocks may look like a bargain, but underlying business has weak earnings power,...
One big concern I regularly get from readers is the falling USD: “Hi Willie, what do you think about the de-dollarization of the US dollar and its impact on earnings of global US companies?” “Is there a cause of concern in US stocks due to currency risk?” “What’s your take on the US dollar against the Singapore dollar? Do you hedge against currency risks?” Fair questions – especially since I invest for dividends. And US stocks too form a chunk of my portfolio. So… let’s dive in. Click HERE to...
I first heard of Warren Buffett when I was 19 years old. I was in the army. One day in the bunk, a fellow army mate said: Warren Buffett is perhaps the only person on the Forbes top ten to have built his wealth without creating any physical products or services. That planted a seed in me – about investing and the idea of passive income. It wasn’t until 21 or 22 years old that my obsession with investing started. My older cousin handed me a book called The Essential Buffett by Robert Hagstrom....