Simple Investment Strategies

We have heard a lot of investment strategies been taught, advocate and preached by most of the investment gurus. Everyone claim that their strategies are the best and you should follow their lead. Articles, Interviews and Media has a lot to play in generating interest both in economic and investment news. We are bombarded with all kind of news, opinions and holy grail in investment. How can we decide which is important for us and our needs when we do not have the slightest idea how to choose or guide us to make an informed decision. Let us take a simple kindergarten class and see how we can emulate the atmosphere of learning investment to these kids learning environment. You remember Arnold in "Kindergarten Cop". The first day is a daunting experience both for the kids and Arnold. You know that the whistle was the one that instil discipline and order to the class. We need that whistle in this investment world and what is the whistle. It is call for discipline and order. I would say that would be your monitoring system. You need to know what you are buying and understand how to look after what you are buying. How many of you have questioned your adviser or consultants to show you whether they are monitoring your investment or not. 

So what you need to know is that how much you have save and invest your money. How is your investment performing now. What is your asset allocation. What is your asset annual return and how much did you pay in annual expenses. Lastly how much you pay in taxes. Who is monitoring all these facts and figures for you. Are they in your finger tips. 

It thus a fundamental fact that money can grow and in investment you can either earn interest, or investment that pays dividend and lastly investment that you sell for a profit or capital gains. Therefore investing is about choices and monitoring your choices.

EXAMPLE OF AN INVESTMENT STRATEGY FOR SINGAPORE INVESTORS

The example below is a one year period from 14^th September 2007 to 14^th September 2008 where the market is experiencing a very volatile period.

Example one:

If we were to invest $10,000 using our CPF in just one fund

Aberdeen China on 14.9.07 you would have purchased it at $1.48790 excluding 5% sales charge. You will get about 3193.17 units.

Presently the price of the investment is $2.3316 and thus your investment is valued at $7445.19 which is suffering a loss of 25.54%

Example two:

 If you were to invest $10,000 using Strategic Asset Allocation System your investment would look like this:-

Aberdeen China: $5000 you would purchased it at $1.48790 including 5% sales charge would be 1596.58 units.

First State Dividend Fund: $3000 would give you 1915.45 units

DBS Enhanced Income Fund: $2000 including 1.5% sales charge would give you 1650.37 units

Present value of investment:-

Aberdeen China: $3722.58

First State Dividend Fund:  1992.06units inclusive dividend 4% total value 2336.50

DBS Enhanced Income Fund:$1997.48

Total Value of Investment: $8056.56 which is suffering a loss of 19.43%

Example Three:

 If you were to invest $10,000 using Dynamic Asset Allocation System which you constantly adjust the mix of assets as markets rise and fall and the economy strengthens and weakens, then your investment will look like this:  Target return: 15% plus purchasing 25% below market value

No fund should be purchased at that valued because all of them are overvalued on 14^th September 2007 except to invest the investment into DBS enhanced income fund: $10000 valued at $1.19367 to get 8251.86 units.

Total investment valued at $9987.39 which is a loss of only 0.12%

Our investment strategy uses both fundamentals and technical analysis to give an objective decision on our client investment. Furthermore, our main focus will be the reduction of costs and fees for the client. We will direct our effort to give a better than average return to the client and promise that before you invest with us, we will teach you our investment methodology so that you truly understand why you are investing your money and you will take charge of the decision. We are merely guiding you towards making a more responsible decision for your life.

Call me at 91811147 or 63362001 ( Abdul Razak, Manager IFA Representative) at no absolute obligation even though you have invested your monies somewhere else.

Simple Life and Simple Investment for Malays

Life is actually simple. Investment is also that simple. If life is complex and complicated then a normal man could not survive and live a simple life over and over again. Financial investment has become part and parcel of life in this 2oth century.

So what is so simple about financial investment. I always believe that before you invest in anything you must understand what you are investing. You must know what you are buying, what is the purpose of your buying, whether you are paying the right price, and whether the purchase make sense. Financial investment has become our way of life and ought to be simple too. If you do not know what you are doing, don't do. Before you do anything, make sure you know what you are doing, what are your intention and whether it make sense. Therefore step two is To know what you are doing with your life in anything, including financial investment.

Everybody know that you must not lose money in investment. Even a seven year old child will know the simple truth about buying. If I pay $1.00 for an ice cream, I will choose the flavor, type of ice cream, and what kind of ice cream can I get for $1.00. I want satisfaction from the purchase. It seem so logical but this simple logic does not apply to financial investment. We always think that financial investment is some form of complicated, complex and unexplained ideas which we need to master before we become successful. Sometimes we let others so called professional people to invest for us in this complicated, complex and unexplained venture. If it is so complicated and you do not understand financial investment then why did you buy it in the first place . I can guarantee that you will lose your money if you do not know what you are doing.

Another thing, no one will take care of your money except yourself. You are actually the best custodian of your money. Only you can decide what you want to do with the money. All the advice in this world are just advice and where they bound much fruits of wisdom is seldom found. Do you really need my advice, maybe not. Do not let any professional like myself tell you what to do. I can merely teach you how to do. I will try to make it as simple as possible so that even a primary school student could understand the investment language. If you do not understand, again I repeat, do not do it.

What do I get from you, Nothing. Why should I teach you to invest if there is nothing to gain from you. I must be crazy. No one work for free. Not everything is money. I just want to share some simple strategy which I have make money for my clients . If there is someone out there who wants to know to be simplealways in investment, please let me know. I will try to write this advice in a simple and uncomplicated form so that everyone of us can benefit from this investment. It is meant for common people like you and me without any special degree or training.

How to be a Simple and Successful Malay

Continuing to my previous writing about simple always, I would like to share with you my hard knock university life stages. I just want to tell you that I do not have any university degree or someone who is going to educate you because the best education is in us.

I have gone through some of life ugliest moment to become what I am today. It was never a bed of roses but learning what you have gone through life would definitely make you more experience but not always wiser. You will definitely look at things differently from others. So one of the most simple thing in life should begin with always trust yourself and you are the best teacher and student in this earth. There is no one and I repeat no one as special and unique like you. You are created or born unique and there is no resemblance whatsoever in this universe like you. Step One: Always trust yourself.

How to trust yourself when everything you do or experienced look bleaks. No help seem to be forthcoming. This is the end. Let me tell you this truth about yourself. When you are feeling depressed, sick or even like ending your life, the only person who will feel what you feel is you. Others around you can console, empathize or even understand you but the ultimate feeling is you. Therefore you decide whether your life is good or bad. There is no one as unique as you.

You and I are no expert in the journey of life. We want to pursue happiness, success and even contentment in life. Maybe we are looking in the wrong places. You see that you are alone in this world. When you go to sleep, your dreams are your very own. No one else will share or experience your dream. So what is the right path. All path end with a destination. As many people would have learned that if you do not have any destination, any path will do. As long as there is a path you will continue walking aimlessly in life. You choose the path and sometimes we have friends, relatives or loved ones walking that same path but in the end only you will be left taking that only path you understand.

Another important aspect of life is education. Everyone said that you need education to be successful in life. Some will go the distant to obtain tertiary education needed to be successful in life. How many of us really end up with tertiary education or university degree. I think about 80% of us will join the work force and contented with what life has to offer. Is this what life in the 21st century is all about. You must be educated in order for you to walk the path of life successfully.

I will share with you how I choose my path without any tertiary education because life is always about choices. You choose what you want to be and whether you are happy or not is entirely your decision.

Malays believe in being simple always

Being simple in everything.

I am a financial adviser with MAA Financial Planners Pte Ltd. I have been a financial adviser since 2004. Being 4 years in the business has taught me one important character in life. You must be simple and honest in everything you do. So I make it my goal to teach everyone including those without any form of tertiary education that you can succeed in life and the way to do it is to be simple in everything you do.

My main forte is investment. I have help many clients to achieve their financial goals by simply understanding that investment is not rocket science. You have to be taught properly before you do anything that make sense. In everything you do, if you do not understand it please do not do it. It will definitely lead to blunder.

Since this is my first time writing a blog. I want to keep it as simple as possible. That is why I chose my blog to be simplealways.