About Me
Dividend investing in Malaysia. Saving and investing towards Financial Independence in Malaysia. Analysis reports on the best dividend stocks, REITs and investment strategies in South East Asia.
For advertising and/or work opportunities, you can find me hERE.
I’m Leigh and I’m here to document my journey to Financial Independence in Malaysia. I believe in living frugally, saving up and investing. With this blog, I hope to inspire and help fellow Malaysians in achieving Financial Independence.
I am a certified financial planner with the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia. Currently working with a select few clients, helping them out with their finances as well as investments.
Below are some of my F.I. stats (2018):
- Passive Income (dividends): RM18,072.25 p.a.
- Portfolio Value: RM446,013.74 (as at March 2019)
- Passive Income (property): RM4,000 p.a. (estimated)
- Property Value: RM60,000 (after mortgage deduction)
My portfolio – the Freedom Fund can be found hERE.
My Goals
I aim to become financially independent by 35 years old, I enjoy living a frugal lifestyle (with the occasional lavish spending) while meticulously adding to my portfolio of dividend growth stocks.
To be able to maintain my current lifestyle, I’d need roughly RM36,000 per annum. I will formally pronounce my self financially independent when that RM36,000 p.a. in passive income is achieved. For now, all of my efforts will be to build towards this goal.
My Story
Reading books on investing and savings got me interested in Financial Independence. I started investing straight out of university. I didn’t have much then but I slowly built up my Freedom Fund as I started my first job. Progress was gradual in the beginning but with the help of my new found salary and compound interest, I managed to grow my portfolio from a mere RM10,000 to RM345,955.92 from 2013 to 2016. And then to RM453,205.61 in 2017.
It wasn’t easy keeping my savings rate above 50% per month. I still live with my parents, for the first few years I didn’t splurge on food and lived well within my means. With a healthy portfolio and time on my side, I can now afford to ease up and enjoy life a little more.
I’m here to show you what real investing is really like, and that anyone can invest. There will be losses, there will be gains, I aim to be 100% transparent in my investment journey, documenting all aspects of it.
The more Malaysians we can get on the road to financial freedom, the better off we all will be. I hope I’m able to start cultivating the Financial Independence mindset here at Dividend Magic.
Onwards and upwards!
Hi Leigh,
I really admire your post on achieving FI. I’m 24 this year and I started investing in January 2020. Did you start around this age too? To be honest, I’ve only invested a small amount as of now due to income constraint. (Approximately RM 4k). But i’m looking to invest more further once I have grow more on my emergency fund. Hope to achieve FI at 35 as well! Please do continue to keep inspiring people like me!
My only problem right now is I am struggling to get long-term job. I’m looking to go into the banking finance industry. But I do not have any background on that (I’m doing sales, and it’s not stable). Hopefully I’ll be able to land a job in the banking finance industry ASAP and work on my way to achieve FI!
Hey Fai,
Thank you for the kind words! Yes I started around that age too.
It doesn’t matter if the initial amount is small. RM4,000 is fine!
I sincerely wish you all the best in landing your dream job. Sales is perfectly fine too if you’re suited for it my friend.
Onwards and upwards! 😉
Happy new year Leigh thanks for sharing your knowledge, I’m on the FI bandwagon as well, sites like yours especially in M’sia is a true gem. Like to ask how would you change your financial plans if you get married and have kids (Say if your partner isn’t financially savvy)?
Hey TJ,
Glad to have u onboard the FI train! And thank you for the kind words.
The general plan would still be the same, it is important to get your partner onboard tho.
hi leigh,i think your story has inspired many ppl included me but im just curious how did you grow your portfolio from 10k to RM453,205.61 just within 5years (2013 – 2017) ??even compound interest also cant make it too fast,looking forward for your sharing and wish you good luck!!
Hey Zul,
Of course I’ve been pumping in money into the fund from my savings. Those aren’t all compound interest.
Hi Leigh,
Your blog really inspired me to start investing my own portfolio. Was wondering if any1 here could guide me step by step on how to trade using rakuten. I opened an account and Im abit lost. Such as the difference between odd lot/board lot and other issues.
Thanks so much
Hey Jasper,
Thanks for the kind words. You can try giving Rakuten a call. It’ll be much easier.
Very good blog you have here and thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am impressed with how you grow your portfolio from RM10,000 to RM400K over just in few years time. Wound you mind share or write a blog about it ? I hope one day I can be like you.
Hi Jason,
A whole post on it? It’s just grinding, savings, working and investing. It’ll be a heck of a boring post
Hi Leigh, just curious, how old are you now and are you on track to reaching financial independence by age 35?
Hi Jarrod,
I’m 29. I am on track. I’d say. =D
Awesome, well done! I’m 32 and have been building up my portfolio as well. I enjoy reading your blog posts :).
hello Leigh thanks for your blog, I started investing because of this blog.. ANyways I’m curious how old are you now ? You mentioned that yo’re gunning for financial independence by 35 , i thoughy you were much older wow.
Keep up the good work
Hey Brandon
I’m 29 this year. Thanks for taking the time to write this and I’m really glad you’ve started investing!
I’ll have to ramp up my savings and investing for the next few years to be able to FI realistically.
Hi Leigh,
I’ve just started working and I was lost on what should I do with my money. But your blog definitely benefits me a lot! You’ve enlighten me in a field that I’m not familiar with. Thank you so much! As for now, I’ll target to save 50% of my salary for a year before doing anything else.
Hi Joe,
Thanks for taking the time to write in! Hope to see more of you and updates in this space.
Hi Leigh, good day! Been to your blogs few times but this is the first read bout u. It superb seeing how u grow ur portfolio. Good job! TQ for the sharings.
Hey Joe,
Thanks for taking the time to read bout me XD
Hope to see u around more often in the comments
Hi, Leigh May is some question about rakuten trade, is that same buying real share like buying thought Bank? If i buy share from rakuten is that also will receive divined like you get ? If i buy share from rakuten, it can Reinvestment thought tricor? REIT also can be Reinvestment , and minimum amount to Reinvestment?
Hi Leigh!
I just stumbled upon your site few days ago and it is really informative and inspiring!
I am still very new in investing thus forgive me for asking this but when I purchase a share that gives out dividends, e.g airasia, how do they have the investor’s detail to issue out the dividends? Considering there’s a few platforms for us to purchase shares like rakuten or m securities..
What’s the procedure? Do we register ourselves somewhere so that the statement is mailed to us?
Thank you!
Hey Anne,
Welcome on board and thanks for taking the time to write in.
Everyone starts off somewhere. So please go ahead with any questions you may have. We have a few veterans here that are more than willing to share their knowledge on investing.
To answer your question, when you first open your brokerage account, you fill in your details. Including your bank account. That’s where they get it. =)
You’re most welcome. Hope to heear more from you in the future.
Hi there Leigh.
Been a fan of your blog for this past few months and now currently trying to learn about investing in stocks trading (with zero knowledge since i’m an engineer) but i do get some of those info from an old friends of mine who told me about your blog. And now i’ve been buying few stocks share in Malaysia ( mostly properties developers/reits) as recommended by him as good start.
Hey Gabriel,
Don’t sell yourself short, engineers make great investors. =)
Glad to hear you’ve started investing, what did you purchase specifically?
Thanks for taking the time to write in. I appreciate it very much. And as always, if you’ve got questions, fire away.
i’m currently focusing on Reits such as Alsreit, Sunreit and Pavreit , for Oil n Gas and others such Armada , and Airasia for starter. I’m focusing on common public listed company.
Hi Leigh
Your story is truly inspiring and admired your mindset towards MONEY!!! Definitely a lot to learn from a young guy like you.
If I want to start building that passive income via dividend stocks, and say want to allocate RM1K each month to start with and increase the monthly after 6 mths, what would u suggest me to start?
Many thanks in advance
Ray
Hi Ray,
Thanks for taking the time to write in. And for your kind words.
I’d say start by savings up that RM1K a month. And then invest every 6 months? That means you invest RM6K in one go, saving on transaction fees. I’d say start with a company u understand.
Hope this helped!
Really Really Inspired by your blog.. Became a big fan of you.. For 2 reasons – My goal of financially become independent by 42 so I can start my own company and venture into start up … Second, Your transparency .. Very few people are transparent into what they invest.
I want your ideology and thought process for not investing in Petronas related companies – PetDag, PetGas or PetChemical?
I am not looking for recommendation but brainstroming and if you has to invest on Petronas companies which one you will invest and why?
Hi Raghu,
Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate you taking the time to write them.
So yea, petronas companies. When I invest in a big company like that, I like to invest in the holding company. Of course I’d like a piece of the pie of Malaysia’s largest company. But I don’t want to just invest in its retail arm or gas arm etc. I view it as risky.
If I had to choose, I’d say PetDag I guess. But as mentioned, my money will be else where.
Hope this helped! And I’ll see you around in the comments section in the future I hope. I’ll remember that goal of yours. FI by 42.
Hi Leigh,
I have 1k per month saving just for investment.
Do you think if I lump sum my money into one banking share (Maybank or CIMB) would it be beneficial? Or diversify investment?
Cheers,
MJ
Hi,
You should use that RM1K to buy only one share. Splitting into a few will garner very high fees.
hi dividend magic, i would like to ask some for some advice.
for Example i bought IGB Reits at a high price @RM1.80 unit with almost 90% of my fund.
would it be advice to sell off and wait to buy back at a lower price?
hi leigh! i was wondering what minimum age would i need to be to start investing? and is everything in your portfolio ,companies that don’t deal with any negative products like alcohol etc.?
Hi Hanif,
Minimum age would be 18, if you’re below 18 you could have your parents or legal guardian assist.
What do you mean by negative? As in halal and Syariah compliant?
I think right now, my portfolio consists of halal products. But I don’t invest based on that. I invest in everything and anything as long as its profitable heh.
hi Leigh, i am a newbie in investment and would like to know more. thanks in advance.
Hi!
What would you like to know?
I’m inspired by you, I am amazed by how you grow into a huge amount of money in a short amount of time, but still I can’t figure it out how compounding interest works in stocks. Would love to get in touch!
Hey Isaac,
Thank you for the kind words! You can email me or message me on facebook.