Monthly update: June 2021

This update is way too late, but I am posting it to keep my streak of monthly updates since 2014 going. How was my progress to financial independence in June?

Spending and saving rate

In June I saved an ok 67% of my income and spent SGD 4,172. Quite an expensive month, including quite high costs for my car (SGD 822). I have a cheap car, but taxes, inspections, parking… etc add up. Lifestyle redesign would definitely go hand-in-hand with a carfree lifestyle.

Portfolio development

In June my portfolio increased from SGD 771,514 to SGD 790,044 (~USD 580,000). Fresh investments of SGD 9,947 were supported by gains of SGD 8,583.

Market is unreal, I sold my DBS shares to reduce individual shares in my portfolio. Holding quite a lot of bonds and cash to reduce risk in this frothy market. March 2021 I gambled nearly all my bonds into stock, now I have built my bond allocation back up with fresh investments. Market timing, but it worked.

Asset allocation

Dividends received

My holdings paid out SGD 956 of tax free dividends.

When can I retire?

In the end it all boils down to this chart.

Hypothetical passive income at 4% WR is SGD 2,633 – it is getting to a point where I could potentially survive off the passive income if needed.

Outlook

I have been in the office three days in the last 17 months. The thought of putting on a suit, shining shoes, sitting in traffic for half an hour only to do video calls with my international team from the office seems even more absurd than before.

8 more months of Europe assignment to go… These days I often wonder if I should really go back to Singapore afterwards. I miss Singapore so much, but the job waiting for me there is not that exciting. My portfolio is quite large and I could supplement the passive income quite easily… I am leaning towards some lifestyle redesign with more freedom.