Advice needed on how 30 yo female can become self-made millionaire

that term has lost it's value for more than a couple of years liao... i think i'm just abv average. i only project a stronger demeanor when it comes to sharing on career-advice cos i have decent strength in this area.

for me most of it is thru pure hard work, and keeping my hunger strong, finding logic, using common sense, and basically not following paths that are unsuited for me...

sadly, many pple follow paths that are not suited for them. pple with poor academics - walking paths that require good academics... it's like if u have an O or A, and u die die wanna pursure careers where u need strong academics... u should not be wondering Why your pay is low... You chose it.

for now i'm just keeping a lookout for property... staying out of stocks, so i haven't really got anything golden to share... my best investment will always be myself.
 


albee, my (limited) experience is whatever price you see being transacted on the screen now, quote a couple of cents more ... see S$11.90 never place sell order at 11.90, at least couple of cents more, for me i would quote 11.93? then wait at the sideline patiently and watch ... sometimes i get the price i want, sometimes i dont. either way, im fine because i dont need the proceeds for my next meal ...
 
albee, I no longer speculate in the stock market.. I do buy blue-chips for long term.. like local banks, stock-broking companies (there were once the darlings).. and varied.. Mostly to keep for 3 to 5 years.

take a hint from MM Lee about local banks. There may be further consolidation.. so just put some money in the local bank.. especially the smallest one..

The last time I did.. for Keppel Bank, I had a minor windfall. I bought it at like 1.60 and force sold at 3.60 when it was acquired.

I picked up some OCBC last year.. good price.. around 7 dollars.. Now it is hitting 9. I always think OCBC is under-valued.. if there is chance of take-over by bigger brother, its share price will rocket..

I still do property.. but I don't like to buy multi-million big ones.. maybe I don't have big appetite.. but there is no regret.. If I have been more greedy and aggressive, I would have made a couple of millions.. Had an opportunity to co-invest (pool funds) in Sentosa-cove.. at around $12 million.. did not join.. the unit was bought and eventually sold for $21 million this year.

almost 3 years ago, I bought a small walk-up apartment in St Michael.. 900 sq feet.. for only 450k. Last month I sold it for 720K.

I have been investing in India and China funds since 2005. Up till date, it has grown by at least 400%.
 
Don't blame me hor.. blame MM Lee if ocbc price did not rocket.

You may need to hold it for a few years.. anyway, it pays dividends so is ok..
 
Now that's someone we can tap on for good advice... Dun follow me, I cheongster, I am Not risk adverse at all.
 
It is important to trust yourself and not follow blindly. Don't listen to people when they say they have good lobangs.. most likely you are the last person to know the lobangs.

Couple of years back, my friend introduced me to "land bank" and said it was very profitable. fortunately for me, I prefer direct investment in buy my own.. Last heard, there was some trouble with the investment..

For property, I like small apartments (old is OK) and rentable kind.. Cheap and rental yield is among the best.. The 450K apartment I bought was rental out at 2.5K a month.. Basically it pays for the loan .. and after less than 3 years, I pocketed the 270K or around 250K after less stamp duties and legal fees.

I still have another apartment rented out.. this is my first condo that I bought 20+ years ago at 290K. Rented it out at 3.5K a month. Today it is valued at 700+K. I should be selling it soon.
 
land banking has been said to be extremely fishy

i never believed in land banking

the very premise of it is fishy. package up the land, then market it to people living thousands upon thousands of miles away? if the land were so valuable and the price-point so accessible, wouldn't it have been snapped up by the people living in the locality of the land bank

just sound like a lot of nonsense to me
 
SM,

I may need to have coffee with u soon... I dun have an eye for certain segments and tend to neglect them.. I would like to know more... Coffee when u free, I buy.
 
2 cny ago if not wrong... I actually have a lot of things to learn and ask... But not just finances, I'm at a Father's crossroads now... Versus personal actualization.
 
ha ha.. I like to talk about parenting as well.

I think I should sign up and give talks about being a father..

Actually it is a very tough choice of personal actualization vs our responsibility as a father.

Many years ago, I made a decision to stay-put and refuse and overseas posting because of the children. Yes, I lost out on the opportunity but I have no regrets.

And recently there is an opportunity of overseas posting.. and now I can discussed with my children as well.. and even to bring them there with me.. It is very exciting.. but of course not very easy decision to make..
 
Ya think u've come a long way... Now it's whether when Time comes to sorta let go of life as I know it, and seek a new career that gives me more time as a father... If I'll perhaps lose some of the very edges that makes me successful in the applications I know how... And this is perhaps one of the setbacks of not having those papers that let's me take a backseat as management collecting decent salary...
 
Can I join?
Powder, you sound so convincing and powerful in your comments! They speak right to my heart and mind. Ever thought of holding a motivational talk? Haha.
 
powder,

"Now it's whether when Time comes to sorta let go of life as I know it, and seek a new career that lives me more time as a father."

I am glad to hear this as you come across as very driven in your work. But as you watch your children growing up.. you won't want to miss too much..

Your daughter is not in school yet.. but I can tell you the joy, when I woke up at 6am and send my little girl to school every moring.. hold her and right up to the gate and when we kiss good-bye - this is not something you can trade with.

Time with children is not only about quality. quantity plays a part. Every minute of their growing up is very precious... Yes, we need to work for the bacon.. but I always believe in giving them my time..
 
Well u can read the papers, u might find a company looking for trainees...

Talks i've given actually... some time back on career choices to students in an auditorium. that's the funny thing... 13yrs ago I was sorta laughed at doing sales jobs at metro etc whilst my classmates all begun their career liao...

Like what sm said, "It is important to trust yourself and not follow blindly." I honed the skills that would make the most impact at the point where I'd be out working... Of cos, u just need to figure out what skills are important in perhaps the next 5-10yrs and get yourself ready...
 
Sm, it's what I always believe I'm working for... Yes, it's as much a fantasy n dream to be able to send the kids to school when time comes, then not have to rush to work... Perhaps have Tim sum with frens, then head to mechanic to hang around talk cars... Then lunch around with ex-colleagues, then drop by to pick up the kids.... Yeah that would be the daddy I wanna be... And Yes, quantity Is impt, that's a pretty recent realization.. That's where my thoughts need to be explored...
 
Hey sm tks again... The rain is just nice, gonna head out for a drive and just enjoy the night and music... I miss the days of driving for hours and returning home at 3-4am... But I guess I wouldn't miss the simple sincere happiness in the kids when they laugh and chuckle... I'll still need some of my Alone time...
 
Hi sm and powder,

Thanks a lot for sharing your wisdom. I definitely learn a lot from your posts.

Hi sm,

You are definitely different from the crowd.
I remember coming across MM Lee talk but being simple-minded, I didn't get the hint and brush it off as unimportant.

Thanks for enlightening me.
And thanks for being selfless and sharing with us newbies your wisdom.
 
I'm thinking of quitting my job. There's no advancement here and not much increment, due to job industry. I joined this company because I needed a change in environment quite desperately about 6 mths ago, and just hopped onto the first job that came (was thinking to myself to just have a job first as I needed the regular income).

My worry is that if I change jobs now, my resume will look bad with a 6-mth stint. Am I worrying too much?
 
because you are not a mother yet , May. Ironic right?
===============================================

because i want to have more fun on my own and achieve some personal accomplishments first.

children are such chores and i do not think that i am up to it.
 
There's no advancement here and not much increment, due to job industry.

==========================================

are these your solo thoughts or have you spoken to a superior who can share with you things on a higher level.

you may think this way because of lack of information. why are you so sure about the lack of advancement and increment?

short stint in itself could mean that you change jobs flippantly, indicating someone who gives no serious thought about her environment, or someone who has not been given a chance to be groomed. are you or are you not the former or the latter.

just some questions to ask yourself
 
ariel, there are lots of job hoppers ard in this market and I dun see them having any issues finding new jobs. some of them are my friends...I think most importantly is how u sell yourself during the interview.

may, u may be one of those who dislikes children...not that u're abnormal though. I have friends who are like u also, they do not want any liabilities (what they claim).
 
@May,

"because i want to have more fun on my own and achieve some personal accomplishments first.

children are such chores and i do not think that i am up to it."

That was what I thought too. I could not relate to little kids. It wasn't only until after I crossed over to the other side that I began to appreciate the joy they bring - and for myself, suddenly grow up.
 
well ariel,

i dun think u would wanna join any company that looks at your 6mth stint and makes an assumption about u...

the concerns u share are common, and perhaps has been given a negative light by pple who dun really know how to scan a resume, but just do the low-level assessments.
 
I just felt a lot of Singaporeans these days are not focus and consistent enough. Some of them doesnt know what they want and some knows what they want but do not know how to get there. And quite a few knows what they want, knows how to get there but are just not focus enough.
I could see a lot of people here quits for the sake of quitting. Quit because the boss is nasty, no career advancement, no increment...etc. But a lot of these are just what they are.... if you do not value add to your current job scope, you should well be stagnant both in pay and promotion. If you could value add to your job, even if your company closes their eyes to it, you be well sought after in the industry.
As in another thread, someone work for 10 years and have changed 5 jobs. I am not surprise. But if every jump there is added value, I dun see why not.
SM, i know it is a tough decision to make but I am sure if you are interested in that posting, you know there is something to be gained from. It is not easy to take on an overseas appointment and especially with the children tagging along but it sure beats being separated.
Powder, it is not too late to slow down a bit, look at your children and see them grow. And I can tell you, they grow so fast you sometimes just didnt know what you have missed. I am a fallacy of that... I didnt realise that my daughter has grown so much... I couldnt even remember growing with her.... All that I have was the memories of her being a toddler, in kindergarden, going to P1 and that's it.....
In pursuit of our career, we sometimes walk a tad too fast and forgot what we actually want... so no harm slow down a bit, enjoy what you actually wanted to do.....
Both of you seems to have gone much further than most here, no harm slow down a bit... breathe a little, see a bit more, feel a bit more..... I think that should be the reward you should give yourself.....
 
you know ... when i see mothers bend over backwards trying to make their children happy, 'sacrificing' their lives and their happiness for the children ... then along the way, inadvertently doing something to scar the children's psyche, or not being able to provide them the best in life ... it makes me realise what a colossal role being a parent is.

how can anyone ever be up to this role? especially myself, who is full of weaknesses and imperfections?

why do they have driving lessons for people to learn how to drive, but something as sacred as parenting is often so taken for granted ... could be that the child is an accident, or that careless word or hurtful gesture from the parent to the child ...

being a parent is hard, maybe too hard for me
 
then ... if the mum bends over backwards to 'sacrifice' for her child, then the daughter grows up to become a mother then repeat the cycle ....

Sacrifice here, sacrifice there? are we meant to be here to sacrifice? why must it always be a sacrifice? then often, when the mum 'sacrifices' for the kid, she comes back to haunt the kid later on in his life, claiming all the things she did for him when he did not ask for them or even realised it ....

it is just a whole lot of vicious cycle, many times, of stupidity ...

like that how? just stop having children lah!
 
may, u haven't even tried and u claim its hard...maybe next time after u become a mama u will have a different view.
 
May, I can't say it was either. For 5 years in the marriage, we were happy with our lives without kids. We were very happy. By then, we were ready to have kids, but not actively planning for one. When we discovered we were pregnant, we were happy too. But it was also when, we realised the immense responsibility entrusted upon us. There are tons of sacrifices sure, but from the perspective of person who enjoyed a decade of adulthood without kids, this whole new ballgame brings happiness to a different level.
 
who knows... people do become nuns, you know. or swear a vow of celibacy ... my thinking is not that uncommon, that is why monks and nuns of many religions are celibate
 
May,..

" ..how come i dont want to be a mother if being a parent is so beautiful? "

The joy derived from being a parent cannot be seen or explained. Need to be one to truly experience it. No cost/benefit analysis can ever support being a parent, as the benefit is unquantifiable.

... Just do it!
 
she needs to 1st find that someone that she wants so much to be with 1st and then perhaps they would want more together as couple.

Or...

take the drastic measure like the movie "the Backup Plan".
 
may,

Parenting is never about sacrifices. I don't see myself as sacrificing for my children - even if it means that I have to forgo some jobs.

I always let them have the feeling that I am doing what I am doing because I want to do them. I expect nothing from them. It is not a sacrifice.
 
May,

Bringing up children is not really that hard lah. Ok. Of course I cannot experience the difficult of pregnancy.. but once they came into this worldh - I was with my children all the way.. I saw them came into this world and I will be with them for as long as I can.
 
may,

What you mean by easy childhood?

I guess I have a very happy childhood as I have absolute freedom.. too many siblings for my parents to control.

My guess is that you may not be that happy in your childhood?
 


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