Bill Gates's parents talked abt micro-computers to him when he was young and made that shed for him to fiddle around with computers. Like I said earlier, IF you count that shed that he worked in as a big family advantage, then so be it ! Which you do.

Please read my posting again. So,.. what is not true about what I wrote ??

I'm talking abt how DT started and how far and how hard he had to climb to reach what he has today. Not the future values of his fortune.

Wrong.

He may have learnt varied aspects of the micro-computer at a young age, but his big break came when IBM considered him to write the software to control the IBM PC back in the 70's. He had nothing to do with anything related to the IBM Mainframe, back then known as the System 370. Sure, he may have fiddled with the software and hardware side, BUT his notable achievement that propelled him into when he is today was the DOS - Disk Operating System.

He was never much am entrepreneur nor a businessman. He was more technical. He had the other fella, whose name I couldn't recall as the one who did the business tactics after he secured the DOS rights to run the IBM PC.

Children are indeed young. Started later in life but always felt I could not afford them anytime before that.

I invested in Hobart in 2006, bought 2 houses and bought shares in a salmon factory. Was supposed to take over the management of the factory but in the end decided Australia and more specifically Hobart wasn't for me. Did a shares for assets swap which saw me taking over the 2 pieces of land and several buildings that was owned by the company.

Are PRs eligible for the state pension or the super fund is it? Never planned on being an Aussie citizen?

I haven't quite decided if I would continue being a citizen of Malaysia. Ultimately it would depend on whether my future wife would like to continue living here or return to America but currently no signs of her wanting to return as life is pretty good for her.
She was a qualified accountant. I doubt it was an impossibility for her to raise us on her own. My sister refuses to talk to the mother as well for the simple reason that she felt all through her life she was never the favorite one and the mother always favored the children she had with her 2nd husband.
I have long since decided that I will send my children to America for their tertiary education because I graduated from a university in Texas and ultimately it was that experience that opened up the opportunities I had in life. I won't make them go to the same university but hope one of them follows my foot steps.

As for how I intend to fund them, I bought real estate for that purpose. Basically I bought several old buildings in Seattle and Bay Area. Remodelled and sub-divided them into smaller apartments, then I rent it out. When it is their time for college am hoping I could support them purely on the rental alone but looking at how much tuition fees cost these days and how much it is going up by every year I may have to remortgage and find more money for their living expenses.
Only Hobart is doing well, mainly as a result of restrictive planning laws.

In the overseas, compared to property, I would rather invest in equities and exchange-related instruments which I could liquidate at a moment's notice. The changing dynamics of the legislation also poses a risk to property investors.

But that's just me,...

Generally, it is wise to invest in the same country,... but I have experienced a new thing here. I discovered it is better to invest and earn the SGD, compared to earning the AUD to finance my family in AU. The AUD has weakened against the SGD, and is continuing to do so.

Not only with wealth,... but with wealth that can be accounted for, and that financial insts are willing to accept for savings and investing today. Wealth that your filling-in of the FATCA and CRS Forms can support the authenticity of,... and wealth that, when you're filling-in the forms when opening accts, you can answer all questions favourably-in.

Otherwise, the FI may not accept your acct-opening.

When you have overseas property then you will know what to do to manage it.

I like to know can I stop work/retire early now, cause I like to spend more time with my son.

I am a single mum 40yo, son is 7 yo.

What I have at the moment is a single story house in cheras(all load paid) value at around RM400k. Am the rental income from the house is RM1800/month
I am living in a condo with my son,this condo still owe the bank RM550k, mortgage at RM3300/month

I have around 1mil in FD and recently I have inherited RM2mil (think of going to pur in FD)
Also around RM200k in stocks and Stashaway My

If my condo is fully settled, my expenses will be around 5k /month
My expenses would be 3k (condo mortgage) +5k expenses
At the moment holding some Maybank shares, i dont have to courage to increase amount to 500k leh, especially the financial world now.
I went to CIMB, they special rate FD not really good also. They did offered me some bonds in foreign currency and structured investment and I'm not familiar with them

Hi Iceman,

Mind to share the news where you get the 3.5% of adults in this country have over us$100k net worth.

TIA

U guys sure want to retire early....

I'm just 1 month into semi retirement month and I got bloody culture shock by being dumbfounded on nothing to do....I worried if this prolongs I may lose my mind...gotta fast find a hobby

HM yeah will consider that. But will start with gaming. I already order Nintendo switch...kinda a geek, not really an extrovert traveller....

I still work. But in a capacity as the GM of the company. But so far I seen my manager and underlings quite capable...they can handle 95% of day to day operation without needing my help....

So I clock in and out as I like....sometimes I don't event go to work....any issues the manager would just msg or give me a call....

So I have a lot of free time....

But I don't want u guys to misunderstood as if I have saved millions to retire upon....

Honestly don’t say as early retirement....say semi retirement....

For someone still below 50-60 years old..able body and mind.....trust me you will be damn bored on nothing to do....

Today I was wandering around with no aim and waste my time in cyber cafes....

Also Early Financial Independence is depend on your personal life expectation....I used to have a share partner and also part of the BOD...ex GM of very big public listed company...very gangster notorious style...used to earn rm25-35k a month....but at 60 once contract ended he say still have to work and find project...can’t afford to really retire....

Bcoz he have a very big appetite for luxury....he got like half to a dozen of those expensive Harley’s, BMW’s, etc big2 bikes...he drive an expensive cars ....I can feel even if he’s earning 20-30k a month still won’t be enough due to his kind of lifestyle....also a lot of expensive property that monthly still need to top up as the rental can’t cover the monthly cost.... but he resign and sold his shares already due to some fight with other BOD....

If u lead a simple life and don’t overcommit u can go semi - retirement/FI much earlier.

I’ll try to limit having only 1 child for now....

RM30k isn’t enough for that kinda lifestyle, even RM100k/month is a bit tight.

Thank you to everyone who have shared your stories and journeys. I have learnt quite a fair bit reading through all 61 pages here.

My family and I are fairly aggressive pursuers of FI.

I have multiple financial objectives throughout my life. As I achieve each objective, I reevaluate whether I want to push to the next objective aggressively or take an easier, more laid back approach.

Please allow me to share my journey so far. Dual income household, working in Hong Kong, one toddler and another on the way. I am 38 this year, better half is 37.

Our current jobs are quite stressful (though rewarding). I may just call it quits for both of us between Stages 3 and 4 and just move into lower paying, but less stressful jobs, or, if we wanted to contribute more to the world, into charity or social work.

We are lucky that our earnings are in USD / HKD and we are in good jobs. We save approximately 50% of our income and control our expenditure carefully. Children will take a big chunk of our future earnings though, so let's see how things go.

Thank you. Yes, my family's "expat" status does put us in a better position to achieve FI, but it must come with strong controls and responsible fiscal management.

I have noticed, in several of my friends and my better half's friends and colleagues, a commensurate increase in spending and consumption as they advance up their career ladder.

I have observed folks moving into bigger, more expensive, "landmark" homes. I have observed folks migrating to more expensive brands and fashion styles. I have observed folks buying bigger, more expensive, more high maintenance cars and toys every 2 or 3 years. I have observed folks taking impulse holidays and applying no control to their spending (imagine an impromptu five day trip to Japan for two on business class tickets, staying in a five star hotel, and going everywhere in a taxi, all just for the sake of impressive a girl. RM50K gone just like that.... very irresponsible spending).

My other half has stood in line at the taxi stand with ladies decked from head to toe in extremely expensive, branded stuff complaining that "they could ONLY save HKD10,000 per year in Hong Kong", which is ridiculous.

I also allocate a decent amount of time to read up on personal financial management and investment, because I want to try to find as many avenues and opportunities for my money to continue earning more money for me. That takes several hours / week of my time.

I also have to prepare for the possibility that we "may" lose this expat position in the future. The job market and the future is never stable or set in stone.

It has been and is an interesting journey, and will continue to be an interesting journey in the long long future (assuming my health holds up )

Yes good  lelong props are there waiting for you to pick up.
You don't need much money, start with RM200k you can try it.
Imagine you buy  lelong LMC DS hse at RM48+k
rental RM450  already >9% pa.
best part is  in just 4 yrs can sell RM190k now
market price is RM210k.
often is the owner could not or did not pay his bank loan,
especially those LMC houses

I got one LC Flat at RM75k where the previous owner just keep collecting  rental RM450
never  pay his loan, just want cash did not want  the property
cheap or not you decide.....

In my portfolio- properties give the best returns
just on rentals alone 8-12%pa/buy cost.
imagine if add in price appreciation.

icemanfx found you a target to spend your time

Isnt it better to buy few medium-cost houses then many lowcost one as you need to deal with less tenants?

On the other hand if one were to try  those cheap lelong props, just how much losses can one suffer ?

How u find it’s scam ? Ppl been invested for more than 20 years ...

registered in bvi and correspondence address in auckland? do you realize where the office is allocated? this fb give you a clue; https://www.facebook.com/Syradhadlibeauty


Are u serious ? How is this fund related to

Syra beauty ? My relatives been invested since inception, most of them hv opted for early retirement

This is offshore fund registered n licensed in big , fund manager office registered n governed in Singapore

maybe not a scam. i'm not buying in, as I rather earn less than having to do validate some people who claim they're good.

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/busines...lus-ai-approach

https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments...ing_fund_is_it/

normally people lose principal because trying to beat the market