Henry says “I did it”
I am Henry. When I was 4 years old, my parents divorced and that ended my childhood. I was sent to live with relatives who struggled to earn a living. I marked cards in the gambling house and sold cigarettes on the streets.
Tag: 4 INVEST
Start early
Everything you learn, every cent you earn and save, and every dollar invested has the greatest value when you start early. Those who become financially independent early are the ones who start earning when still in school, save hard in the first few years of full-time working, and invest early. Those who do well academically are often the ones who have covered the syllabus one … Continue reading Start early
Be prepared
This scout’s motto works just as well for learning, earning, saving, investing, and retiring. Do your homework and get things ready before you need them. Retrenched employees who survive the best are those who monitor whether their employers would need them in the next few months, and who constantly check the market for new opportunities. Shoppers who get the best deals know what they need … Continue reading Be prepared
Network effectively
Writers and speakers emphasize the role of networking in earning an income, but it is also important in other areas of financial independence. See every person you meet as someone who can help you now or in the future. The mistake that many people make is to pass judgment on others, killing off potential sources of contact or information. In real life, all sorts of … Continue reading Network effectively
Own your home
Many people have become financially independent just by owning their own home although usually they achieve this over an extended period. Owning your home makes a lot of sense. You are managing the investment as you live in it. It has a good record of capital appreciation in the long term (i.e. a decade or longer). You are your own tenant, so risk of non-payment … Continue reading Own your home
Choose STOCKS or PROPERTY
Besides their own home, investors can put their money into a whole range of assets such as stocks and bonds, real estate or businesses beyond investing in their own homes. Within each category, there are further choices. Choose the type that suits your needs and pyschology. How much money do you plan to invest? When you have a little capital, your choice is limited to … Continue reading Choose STOCKS or PROPERTY
Own investment properties
From owning one’s home, it is a small step to owning investment properties. Decide whether you are going to invest in residential, small retail, small office, or small industrial properties. Specialize. Non-residential offers higher yields but vacancy rates and bad debts are also higher on average – so your skill in finding tenants is important. Industrial and commercial attract professional investors, but small industrial and … Continue reading Own investment properties
Buy under-priced properties
Properties are different from other asset classes. Each property is to some degree unique, each owner is property is different. The property market does not fully obey the one price rule that is the norm in near-efficient markets. Thus it is possible to buy property at a lower price than its worth. it does not automatically mean buying low priced properties. However, buying below value … Continue reading Buy under-priced properties
Change the property’s use
One of the most important ways to improve the value of a property is to change its usage. Change building use with minor renovation. One tactic is to change from residential to retail or office, which typically get higher yields and sale price. Another way is to turn unwanted industrial into residential with a little renovation. Example: A property was rented out as a house … Continue reading Change the property’s use
Own stocks directly
Own stocks directly instead of mutual funds, also known as unit trusts. There are two reasons why you should try to own stocks directly. First data show that funds generally do not out-perform the overall market over the long run. Secondly funds charge management fees which can take up a large chunk of your returns. The fee might seem little, say 2% of funds managed, … Continue reading Own stocks directly
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