The SG Hustle

I currently work a standard day job from 8:30am to 5:30pm. I arrive on time and leave on the dot. I don’t entertain colleagues or clients outside of working hours, and I don’t make an effort to socialize at work because we’re simply on different wavelengths. To me, this is just a job. I dislike the work culture, though not the job itself. In fact, my role allows me to move around and meet clients instead of being deskbound, which gives me flexibility and time to think. Financially, the job pays well, but to me, it still feels insufficient. My Motivation: Financial Freedom for My Family My goal is simple: I want to earn enough so that my wife no longer needs to work. I want her to be a stay-at-home mother, not one burdened by household chores, since we already have a helper, but someone who can enjoy her life. I want her to be able to attend yoga or Pilates during the day, take naps if she needs to, and have the energy to be present for the kids in the evenings. I want this because ...

Balancing Portfolio Gains, Job Dissatisfaction, and Scaling a Side Business Portfolio Performance So Far My Singapore stock portfolio has been reaching new all-time highs week after week. My strategy has always been straightforward: buy a small number of fundamentally strong stocks and hold them long term. Recently, the gains have become meaningful. My REIT holdings are up nearly 30%, while my non-REIT stocks have increased by close to 80%. Overall, my portfolio is up about 40%. This wasn’t the result of exceptional timing or aggressive trading, but steady accumulation over time. Growing Unease About the Market What has prompted me to consider selling is not FOMO, but concern. Given the current global economic conditions and geopolitical uncertainties, it feels like something may be brewing beneath the surface. This could simply be noise, but it has made me question whether continuing to build a dividend-focused portfolio is still the right move for me at this stage. The Side Bus...

FIRE Was Never the Enemy After my recent posts about mental health, contentment, and the dangers of chasing endless wealth, some people might wonder if I’ve given up on FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early). The answer is no, I haven’t. What I gave up was not FIRE. What I gave up was greed disguised as ambition . My biggest struggle with FIRE in the past wasn’t discipline or income, it was the constantly shifting goalpost. Every time I got closer, the target moved. I told myself I needed more, then more again. That made FIRE feel impossible, no matter how much progress I made. Not because FIRE was unrealistic, but because my expectations were. When “More” Becomes the Trap Inflation is real. Costs go up. Life gets more expensive. But lifestyle inflation is optional. We often confuse the two. Many people raise their income, then immediately raise their lifestyle. A bigger home. A nicer car. More expensive holidays. More entertainment. And slowly, more stress. Eventually, the...

The Illusion That Money Will Fix Everything I once wrote about how I lost myself while chasing FIRE (financial independence, retire early). Today, I want to talk about something even more important, mental health while chasing wealth. Many people say, “You’re unhappy because you’re not rich enough.” To a certain extent, that’s true. Money removes many forms of stress. If you had unlimited resources, life would be easier. Imagine a simple family like mine, a wife and two children, but with unlimited money. The day might look like this: Wake up and send the kids to school Go to the gym Enjoy a slow coffee Spend the afternoon on hobbies, or personal interests Pick up the kids and give them your full attention Still have energy and time for your wife That sounds like a peaceful, happy family. And it could be, if money were just a tool. But in reality, it rarely works that way. When Wealth Becomes a Trap What I’ve seen instead is this: When a man becomes wealthy...

A Pause That Triggered Reflection Since December 2025, I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on my life ever since that massage session that I had during work hour. Living Life on Autopilot Looking back, I’ve realised that I’m not really living for myself. Instead, I’ve been living the life that society expects a “normal” person to live. At some point along the way, I decided that I should aim for FIRE. But now I’m questioning whether that’s truly what I want, or whether it was just another socially acceptable goal I latched onto. The Honest Answer to the Money Question People often ask: If money were no longer a concern, what would you do? If I’m being honest, my answer isn’t very exciting. I would probably spend my time taking care of my kids, and when they’re not around, I wouldn’t really do much else. Somewhere between work, family, and responsibilities, I’ve lost my hobbies and interests. Why FIRE Isn’t the Solution This seems to be a common issue among Singaporean dads....

December 2025, Going MIA I went completely MIA for most of December 2025. Not because I quit my job, but because life happened, side hustles, holidays, and a quiet phase of self-exploration. My boss was overseas, and since my main job requires me to move around, I took advantage of the in-between time. I played hooky in the most harmless way possible, using those pockets of time to roam around Singapore, do my own things, and breathe. I went for massages, slowed down, and even acted like a tourist in my own country, all without taking leave. It struck me hard how much of a luxury this has become. When Leave Becomes a Luxury I have two kids now. Leave is no longer “me time.” Whenever I take leave, it’s either because something happens to them or because we’re going on a family holiday. Leave has become precious, not something I can freely spend on myself anymore. During one massage session, the masseuse asked if I was on leave. When I told her I was working, she looked genuinely s...

Previously, I shared monthly portfolio updates to document my passive income journey. Since shifting to quarterly updates in Q3, my focus has moved toward long-term progress and strategic refinement. This cadence better aligns with my current investment approach, which prioritizes consistent income and disciplined growth. In this 2025 update, I will cover: Year-to-date passive income performance Portfolio changes made during the quarter Market observations and strategy refinements Challenges and lessons learned Next steps and goals for 2026 Year-to-Date Passive Income Breakdown Passive income continues to be my primary focus, with steady contributions from key sources: SG Dividends: SGD 5,720  My dividend stocks remain a reliable foundation of passive income.  Covered Call Premiums: USD 3,618 Covered call premiums from my options positions have provided consistent additional income. I remain selective in this strategy, focusing on quality holdings where I can generate extra ca...