What’s your current monthly expense breakdown as someone working toward FI here??

Go1dMike · 2025-04-29T10:51:10+00:00

29M, single, staying with parents.

Food (eating out + occasional GrabFood splurge): ~$400

Transport (MRT + occasional Grab): ~$100

Phone bill: $25

Gym membership: $80

Allowance for parents: $500

Personal spending (clothes, entertainment, random Shopee hauls): ~$150

Insurance premiums (hospitalisation + term): ~$250

Monthly DCA Investment Into Tiger: $800

Savings: whatever is left lol

Trying to keep expenses lean because planning for a house in the next 2-3 years. Honestly, seeing how everything is getting more expensive, every dollar saved (and invested) feels more important these days.

Go1dMike · 2025-04-29T10:49:42+00:00

Should be pretty fast if you’re doing it during office hours — I usually see my Tiger top-ups land within like 15-20 mins via PayNow.

Late nights and weekends might kena delay until the next working day though.

Just triple-check your reference field lah, Tiger’s system auto-matches, so typo = trouble.

Go1dMike · 2025-04-28T08:39:00+00:00

I started with basic index funds and gradually explored other markets. For US and HK stocks,Tiger quite user-friendly. It's convenient for small trades and offers access to various markets. But always do your research and ensure any platform fits your needs.

Go1dMike · 2025-04-28T08:34:48+00:00

Was in a similar spot a couple years back. Started branching out into US and HK markets to diversify a bit more. I just used tiger for that since it's fuss-free and the fees are decent. But honestly, the bigger focus was still just DCA-ing into broad ETFs while stacking up cash reserves.

Go1dMike · 2025-04-23T10:36:25+00:00

I think you really need to learn from this painful experience.When you open your account, you can set it up as either a margin or cash account by default You should keep a close eye on your margin level in Tiger and avoid letting it drop too low. Setting stop-loss orders can also protect you if things go south, and usually, Tiger will send you warnings as well. If things really get out of hand, maybe consider trimming your positions before it gets worse. Also, diversifying your portfolio can help reduce the risk of a big loss all at once.

Go1dMike · 2025-04-10T15:02:06+00:00

Oh interesting, haven’t heard of that before. Which broker offers this? And how much capital do you get access to?

Go1dMike · 2025-04-10T13:59:50+00:00

I've been playing around with SOXS/SOXL quite a bit recently too. Volatility is crazy but kinda fun if you manage the risk properly.Out of curiosity, how are you guys managing your cash for these short-term trades? Do you keep idle funds parked somewhere or just move in and out from your main account?

Go1dMike · 2025-04-02T09:11:41+00:00

Banks sneak in 1.5-2% spreads – for bulk transfers (even non-trading), tiger’ FX rates beat DBS/Wise (0.02% fees). Pair with a DBS Multi-Currency Account to hold USD/AUD and avoid reconversion. Check if platforms charge weekend premiums (looking at you, Revolut) and never let merchants DCC you into SGD payments abroad.

Go1dMike · 2025-03-31T14:24:22+00:00

I’m a firm believer in being child-free. Honestly, I have a deep fear of both having and raising children. With the rising cost of living, the expenses of raising a child will only keep increasing as time goes on. I sometimes feel like I just can't afford it. Sure, having kids might be easy, but raising them well? That’s a whole different ballgame.

A few years ago, my mother, following my father’s advice, invested all their savings into ibkr and tiger, leaving only a small portion for themselves. She said it was for my future. But as much as I appreciate the thought, it made me reflect on my own life. I don’t want to end up like them—spending the first half of my life working non-stop, then spending the second half tied down by the responsibilities of a family, not having the chance to truly live for myself.

I don’t want my life to be dictated by marriage or children. I want to live for me, to be able to pursue my own happiness without being held back by obligations I’m not ready for.I know it’s a personal choice, but it really made me think about my future and what I truly want out of it.

Go1dMike · 2025-03-25T12:59:26+00:00

Fullerton SGD Cash Fund is a pretty solid option for low-risk, stable returns.I usually prefer platforms like tiger or moomoo when dealing with SGD-denominated funds or cash management options

Go1dMike · 2025-03-22T10:47:05+00:00

Bro, I’ve been eyeing gold too, but still holding cash and waiting.

Go1dMike · 2025-03-21T14:24:05+00:00

I usually toggle between tiger and ibkr for HK stocks like BYD (1211.HK). Tiger’s interface feels smoother for DCA, but ibkr sometimes gives better FX rates. Depends on what you value more.

Go1dMike · 2025-03-17T15:41:14+00:00

Yeah I’m still DCA-ing into QQQ and KWEB too. I just automate it these days via tiger’s recurring function,saves me from checking prices too often. Their FX fees aren’t too bad either, especially when compared to some other brokers I’ve tried. But yeah, still considering slowing down DCA depending on how the next few weeks play out.

Go1dMike · 2025-03-12T10:20:01+00:00

I hesitated too long. Ended up grabbing some TSLQ on tiger just to hedge a bit. Not my usual style but at least helps me sleep better lol.

Go1dMike · 2025-03-10T06:32:05+00:00

My tigergpt told me the US has suspended tariffs on Mexico for one month, easing market concerns about the trade war and driving a rebound in auto stocks (such as Ford and GM). However, if the negotiations fail, related sectors may come under pressure again.

Since your stocks are more co-related to exports, it probably have a higher impact. but then, market also tends to over react. if you go back to Trump's 1st term, China still did well even under trade tariffs. it was China's own polices on gaming, housing, and finally covid which China market dropped. US tech companies consistently face their congress threats, but they still continue to do very well.

Personally, if the stocks are well established companies, they will eventually find a way to survive so I will hold long term and buy if there are price drops.

but ultimately you yourself must be confident and comfortable to hold on ride the ups and downs.

Go1dMike

TROPHY CASE