10 Money Principles I have as a 90s kid

Author

Jeraldine Phneah
July 02, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Hi

I recently changed newsletter providers and would like to give special thanks to Dexter from Money Abroad for introducing Beehiiv to me. 🙂 

1. 10 Money Principles I have as a 90s kid

I have been reflecting on my past few years as a working adult and my approach to finances - both good and bad.

I decided to distill some of my learnings into principles. This will help me maximize success in my 30s while minimizing the number of mistakes I make.

  1. The most reliable consistent way to grow wealth in one’s youth is through valuable skills i.e. career progression in an in-demand field or/and your own business. There are no shortcuts. Most of my time, energy, and emotional bandwidth will be dedicated to these.

  2. I will never be able to time the market. Therefore, I will invest consistently at the start of every quarter.

  3. I will not invest any money I need in the next 3 years in the stock market or in property.

  4. I will write a thesis for every investment I make. This is to ensure my thinking is clear and I do not make decisions in haste. If fundamentals deteriorate, I will sell.

  5. Do not leverage: This is one of Warren Buffet’s 3Ls of going broke. Rather than trying to get rich faster and magnify the effect of a portfolio’s outcomes, we will all sleep better at night if we focus on building our wealth with the money we actually have. (Leverage that doesn’t require borrowing money is ok. For example, leverage for time spent; leverage by joining high growth company)

  6. Saving is not everything. Some things are worth spending on including mental and physical health; relationships with people I care about; learning new things; saving time (which is more valuable than money) and giving back.

  7. Track my finances monthly and reflect on the month. What gets measured, gets managed. Download my free template here.

  8. Private markets returns have outperformed public markets for the past decade. will make time and effort to study the various asset classes; improve my knowledge as much as I can and gradually deploy capital. I invested in my first fund at the start of this year.

  9. Before taking advice when it comes to my career and finances; ask myself “Is this someone worth learning from? Is he/she better than me in wealth and knowledge?”

  10. I will actively seek out; build genuine relationships and spend time with people who are ahead of me in knowledge, finances, and career. This will push me to up my game.

2. H2 2023: Defining goals in health, wealth, and relationships

I recently chanced upon a great video “I spent $50,000 on a business coach so you don’t have to” by Ali Abdaal. This was a good recap of the goal-setting frameworks which I have picked up over time.

☀️ Set Identity-based goals.

We need to define our identity and how exactly we want to show up in our health, work, and relationships

  • Health: Who are we aspiring to be and do with our bodies?

  • Work/Wealth: What impact are we looking to have with our work?

  • Relationships: What kind of romantic partner; daughter; mother or friend do we want to be?

☀️ Set Quarterly Goals.

One of the biggest reasons we should focus on 90-day goals is that they are short enough that you can accomplish something meaningful within that time frame.

When it comes to achieving your goals, you want to make progress and see results quickly. That way, you’ll be motivated to follow through.

I wrote about this at the start of 2023 here

☀️ Pencil weekly time in your calendar.

To ensure you’re consistent, it is good to schedule time for specific activities. For example, I decided to get fit and therefore I will put exercises in my calendar

  • Sunday: Gym

  • Mon: Swim

  • Tuesday: Cardio and HIIT

I made a free template for setting goals. I use a similar one myself. Click on the button below to download it:

3. Reducing decision fatigue by keeping my wardrobe simple

I made a conscious decision in recent months to wear the same few clothes on work days to avoid decision fatigue.

My job is to sell software. Also, I have been able to exceed quota consistently without dressing up much.

Here is what I wear and I optimize for these values: Timeless, durable, sustainable, presentable, easy to move around in, and comfortable in Singapore weather

  • When I go to CBD: Shirt / polo shirt and pants

  • Workings from home: Linen shirt and shorts, Fitness wear

  • Days I need to go to the temple: Batik sarong because I want to make 妈祖 happy

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I create content for growth-minded individuals on accelerating our growth while staying balanced. I cover topics close to our hearts including work; health and relationships. You can also follow me on Instagram.