For an average joe in his 40s, the only way to level up in life is through investing/trading

[Dividends Warrior]

I'm glad I started in my 20s.
Actually 40s should start to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

My Q3 2025 Portfolio Update

 

[kitsura]

I'm glad I started in my 20s.
Actually 40s should start to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

My 9M2025 Portfolio Update

The portfolio only 1M value what is the other 8M? Property?

 

[s-ghost]

ya right, not when you are investing with ah gui's kind of luck

 

[Dividends Warrior]

The portfolio only 1M value what is the other 8M? Property?

That '9M' means 9-month. Ok, now I changed to 'Q3'

 

[kitsura]

That '9M' means 9-month. Ok, now I changed to 'Q3'

The 12M in resident chiobu nick is also 12 months instead of $12M?!

 

[highsulphur]

It’s IBKR. The broker just liquidated and I lost more than 60k in total I don’t have money to topup! The IV expanded so much even I topup 10-20k also not enough. But also my fault being so over leveraged!

IBKR is great as long you don't leveraged

 

[standarture]

I'm glad I started in my 20s.
Actually 40s should start to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

My Q3 2025 Portfolio Update

Decent gains but imho could be better if you scrapped the dividend stocks. They pulled you down. So technically your overall average gain is only 100% over 15 years? What did you do with dividend payouts? Did you opt into dividend scrip scheme?

 

[HumJiBeng]

At this age, there is not much chance of any significant career progression already (can keep current job is already a challenge for some)

Career switch to a different industry also quite impossible since no companies will be willing to hire an old worker with no experience in the relevant field

Starting own business will involve significant financial risks and at this age, one don't really have the time horizon to start all over again if the business venture fails

The most probable way to achieve financial freedom will be through regular investing - pick good stocks and hold for the long term or if one is lucky, find a few meme stocks or crypto coins that can surge multi folds

Investing is also one of the things that has a pretty level playing field - You don't need to have connections or network, born in rich family etc

Just willingness to put in the effort and time to be familiar with the financial markets and there lots of information available online these days

Agree with everything except one should start investing at 18, not 40s. They reutrn compound every year. U should be able to retire by 40s.

 

[soulblader_89]

At this age, there is not much chance of any significant career progression already (can keep current job is already a challenge for some)

Career switch to a different industry also quite impossible since no companies will be willing to hire an old worker with no experience in the relevant field

Starting own business will involve significant financial risks and at this age, one don't really have the time horizon to start all over again if the business venture fails

The most probable way to achieve financial freedom will be through regular investing - pick good stocks and hold for the long term or if one is lucky, find a few meme stocks or crypto coins that can surge multi folds

Investing is also one of the things that has a pretty level playing field - You don't need to have connections or network, born in rich family etc

Just willingness to put in the effort and time to be familiar with the financial markets and there lots of information available online these days

Investing is also not fast track to success

it can supplement your income, if you want to make BIG BUCK, there are high risk involved

are u ready to take that kind of risk?

 

[matrix05]

Are those discount brokers safe to use? Or better stay with dinos like Poem/uobkh.

 

[Acetone]

Got any good stocks or crypto to recommend?

DBS and BTC.

 

[mcylo]

ya right, not when you are investing with ah gui's kind of luck

If u depends on luck, that means u are better off gambling.

its not investing, it’s punting.

 

[s-ghost]

If u depends on luck, that means u are better off gambling.

its not investing, it’s punting.

you surely have not witness ah gui's incredible luck

 

[VEF888]

It’s IBKR. The broker just liquidated and I lost more than 60k in total I don’t have money to topup! The IV expanded so much even I topup 10-20k also not enough. But also my fault being so over leveraged!

IBKR is among the strictest brokers when it comes to margin calls and requirements, with real-time monitoring and zero tolerance for breaches, which is also why it’s considered one of the safest.

 

[tsnd01]

I'm glad I started in my 20s.
Actually 40s should start to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

My Q3 2025 Portfolio Update

That's impressive

 

[VEF888]

Just DCA a low cost passive ETF and buy the major dips:

 

[kebinu]

At this age, there is not much chance of any significant career progression already (can keep current job is already a challenge for some)

Career switch to a different industry also quite impossible since no companies will be willing to hire an old worker with no experience in the relevant field

Starting own business will involve significant financial risks and at this age, one don't really have the time horizon to start all over again if the business venture fails

The most probable way to achieve financial freedom will be through regular investing - pick good stocks and hold for the long term or if one is lucky, find a few meme stocks or crypto coins that can surge multi folds

Investing is also one of the things that has a pretty level playing field - You don't need to have connections or network, born in rich family etc

Just willingness to put in the effort and time to be familiar with the financial markets and there lots of information available online these days

coming from a business owner, you're right. biz is too competitive nowadays, almost zero chance to making decent profit anymore.

equity sounds good, but don't all in cash also. all time high, still room to go up. a bit stuck tbh.

local property is still good, but you probably have max out your quota.

 

[kebinu]

Nah. Investing may lose money. You got to know what you are doing. My wife is a private banker. She has done this for >30 years. She tells me 9 out of 10 customers lose money. I know I am going to offend alot of people. Forget trading markets like stocks, derivatives, ETFs, commodities, bonds, forex etc. You are a layman and you set up to lose.

You as a layman are the last person to know of news, even if it just came out. The CEO may on a the ledge of a building waiting to jump because his company has gone so south while you are busy lapping up 3rd hand info ready to plonk your life savings into his company.

I don't do it and neither does my wife. I have lost an arm and leg before. The best investment is just propery. You own the key to your house. Everything is within your own control. Collect rent and watch your property appreciate. The ROI is better too. You are leveraging on a bank loan.

disagree. property rental has costs and meeting bad tenants is always a possibility. equity is really fuss free. if you are considering property, just buy some reits lor. all managed.

good thing about property is leverage, pretty much this only. lol.

 

[MoeLanYong]

disagree. property rental has costs and meeting bad tenants is always a possibility. equity is really fuss free. if you are considering property, just buy some reits lor. all managed.

good thing about property is leverage, pretty much this only. lol.

In my experience, I have never met one bad tenant. They all pay. Or you kick them out and confiscate their deposit. Either way you win. You want it fuss free, buy overseas and get it managed by a company. What cost? One is collecting rent, not paying rent. Reits is controlled by someone else. Property, you own the keys. You decide your own fate.

Yes property can leverage on a bank loan. This is why your ROI is so much better. Your $200k can borrow $800 to buy a $1m property. Your ROI is based on $1m. Not based on your $200k. Five times.

Appreciation + rent income will beat any equity investment. My property has gone from $550k to $1.6m in 10 years. Thats more than 200% appreciation. And I have not counted the rent income yet. Amount invested 20% of $550k = $110k. Meaning I made more than $1m with $110k. Hope your Tesla stock can do that now

 

[VEF888]

In my experience, I have never met one bad tenant. They all pay. Or you kick them out and confiscate their deposit. Either way you win. You want it fuss free, buy overseas and get it managed by a company. What cost? One is collecting rent, not paying rent. Reits is controlled by someone else. Property, you own the keys. You decide your own fate.

Yes property can leverage on a bank loan. This is why your ROI is so much better. Your $200k can borrow $800 to buy a $1m property. Your ROI is based on $1m. Not based on your $200k. Five times.

Appreciation + rent income will beat any equity investment. My property has gone from $550k to $1.6m in 10 years. Thats more than 200% appreciation. And I have not counted the rent income yet. Amount invested 20% of $550k = $110k. Meaning I made more than $1m with $110k. Hope your Tesla stock can do that now

that’s leverage, borrowing against your mortgage, no? as long as you have a stable job and steady income it’s fine but if you lose your job you risk losing not just the property but also the mortgage payments you’ve already made.

that’s why for many people dca into the s&p 500 is a safer long term approach you’re not borrowing to invest so there’s no risk of forced liquidation instead you’re steadily buying into the world’s 500 largest companies spreading your entry points over time this way you benefit from compounding returns lower volatility and long term market growth without the financial pressure that leverage brings.

be open minded bah, there are many ways to make money, the key is to stay disciplined, understand your risk to give yourself balance and peace of mind, some do well with property others grow wealth through consistent investing , or even better both.

30 years up, 1,423%.