Dividend Magic

Saving and Investing towards Financial Independence in Malaysia

Portfolio

Tiger Brokers Review

By
Filed Under: Dividends, FI/RE, Financial Independence, Investment, Investment Portfolio, Sponsored, US Stocks 2

I have had an account with Tiger Brokers since 2020 but have yet to utilise it apart from trying out their interface and depositing a small amount in there.

If you are looking to trade international stocks and have yet to open an account with Tiger Brokers, you will be glad to know that there are huge perks to opening an account now.

Tiger Brokers Account Opening Referral and Promotion

Account Opening Rewards

  • 1 unit of Grab share
  • Unlimited commission-free trades for HK, SG, and China A-Shares for 365 days.
  • Unlimited commission-free trades for US stocks for 180 days. 

Account Funding Reward (Initial Deposit of SGD1,000 or more + execute 5 BUY trades)

  • SGD88 cash

The full T&C can be viewed hERE. The promotion lasts till 12 October 2022.

Why Tiger Brokers?

Fees

First off, as always, fees. Tiger Brokers’ zero-commission trading is huge and beats many other international brokers.

Now, zero commissions do not mean that trading of US shares is totally free because there is, of course, a platform fee of USD0.005 per share or a minimum of USD1 per trade. It is a fee, but it is cheaper in comparison to many other brokers. So, keep that in mind.

As I’ve mentioned many times, fees are important because they eat their way into your investment and you’ll find yourself paying a lot more than 1% at the end of day, say, 20 years.

You may think a 0.1% or a 1% fee is of no significance but with the compounding nature of long-term investing, we, as average investors, are looking at hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in our investments at the end of the day.

Regulation and Protection

Tiger Brokers (Singapore) Pte Ltd is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Elsewhere, they’re also regulated by the SEC in the US, ASIC in Australia and HKSFC in Hong Kong. They’re compliant in all the countries they operate in so they’re safe. Apart from that, customer funds are held in a segregated trust account with DBS Bank Ltd. Custodian of investors’ shares is with the Central Depository (CDP) as well as overseas brokers.

Another important safety factor is that Tiger Brokers is listed on NASDAQ and under the ticker TIGR. This, in my book, adds credibility to Tiger Brokers as a brokerage platform. Their books and reports are easily accessible should you feel the need to refer to them as well.

Rewards

There’s a built-in rewards system for users of Tiger Brokers – Tiger Coins. By completing certain tasks (which aren’t all that hard) you’ll be credited with Tiger Coins which can be used to redeem rewards such as commission-free trades.

Account Opening and Registration

So, you’ve decided to open an account. Two types of accounts are available at Tiger Brokers – Margin and Cash Upfront. I’ll always recommend a cash upfront account to start with. If you’ve been trading and investing for a long time and are confident in your abilities, you can always move up and open a margin account.

Link to register hERE.

Funding Your Tiger Brokers Account

The are many ways to move your funds to Tiger brokers but the best I’ve found and that’ll save you fees in the future is this: You’ll have to open a bank account in Singapore. Basically, you transfer your monies to an SG bank account (you can use services like Transferwise etc to save on fees) and then from there into your Tiger Broker’s account.

Another transfer method to note is to use Wise which is integrated directly into the Tiger Trade APP, as part of a collaboration with Tiger Brokers. This method is fast and easy once it is set up. More info can be found here: https://www.tigerbrokers.com.sg/help/detail/87168024.

What I’ll be Using

Because of Tiger Broker’s low fee structure, I’ll be looking to add a ton of long-term international stocks here. Especially US shares.

Love the rewards I get from trading as well in the form of Tiger Coins.

End.

Account opening rewards are looking good and you get rewards as you trade and invest.

If you’ve yet to sign up and want to, use the registration link hERE. Check out the full details of the promotion hERE.

This post is sponsored by Tiger Brokers.

My Portfolio is Built on Frugality

By
Filed Under: Financial Independence, Frugal, Portfolio - Freedom Fund 23

The Freedom Fund – A Product of Good Offense and Defense

I’ve been asked often about how I managed to amass an RM400K (almost RM500K) portfolio at 30. This post isn’t about showing off and flaunting my portfolio, so I hope it doesn’t come off that way.

I can narrow it down to two basic parts – Offense and Defense.

The first and most obvious is your ability to generate income and returns – your offense. With a high income, be it from your day job, side hustles, a business, or from your investments, a good offense is directly proportional to your increase in wealth.

However, based on my experience, a good and solid defense is perhaps much more important than your income. A solid defense is equivalent to having a high savings rate and being frugal.

Let me start off by saying that playing good defense and being frugal isn’t for everyone. I am not telling you to follow and copy what I do to the letter, but this is how I was brought up and how I built my Freedom Fund.

My Childhood / Youth

I’d like to think that my childhood and good early parenting helped make me the person I am today.

I am from a middle-class family. We’ve had our fair share of ups and downs. We’ve never gone hungry or without a meal but food was never EVER wasted.

I got RM10 per week from my mum during primary school. Thus, the first lesson in budgeting was born. If I spent all RM10 on Monday on nasi lemak and french fries, I’d starve for the week during recess. Even at that young age, I managed to save some money every week. That money was then used to buy stuff like erasers for that eraser flipping game.

Fast forward a few years, high school was pretty much the same. I had a bump in allowance of course but I was still saving money every week. I recall looking on enviously at my friends who all had iPods. I had to save money for a year before getting my own. That feeling of achievement at the end though, was worth it.

University – One of the biggest regrets I have to this day is that I didn’t take the time to apply for scholarships after my SPM. I surprisingly got really good results but no one taught me about scholarships.

I had the opportunity to study abroad as well with my parents offering to fund my studies in Australia. Instead, I completed my education locally to save my family money.

Back then, I was fortunate enough that my parents were able to pay for my education. However, I took out a PTPTN loan anyway as the interests were lower than FD rates. It was a no brainer for me. I took my parent’s money for my education and placed them in FDs. And after 3 years of education, guess what? PTPTN was giving out a 20% discount for those who settled their loans early. At the age of 21, I had made a 20%+ return. This was to be my seed money.

Another thing that helped fund my portfolio initially was that I took a part time job when I was studying. The money was one thing but it helped built character and a sense of gratefulness when I eventually entered the workforce full time. So parents, even if your teenage child doesn’t need to get that part time job, I think you should make them work anyway.

Entering the Workforce

In the first week of entering the workforce, I followed my seniors and colleagues around. We mainly ate in the mall costing me RM15 – RM25 per meal. This was when I was on an RM2,800 salary. Thankfully, I smartened up pretty quickly and my staple food was economy rice – chap fan.

I had breakfast at a nearby kopitiam – eggs, toast and coffee for around RM5. Lunch was economy rice which cost me around RM10 or if I’m feeling rich, RM13. I had my dinners at home. This was my life for 4 years. Of course there were times when I splurged occasionally. Birthday meals, dates, the usual.

During this time, if memory serves, I had a savings rate of around 50%. This was when I started buying stocks. I spent the day at work and in my free time, I analyzed stocks. Sunway, Nestle and Scientex were my very first stocks and I still hold them to this day.

Being Frugal Today

A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned

Today, as you can tell from some of my posts on social media, I do splurge a little on food and travel. But let me assure you, every other day I am still in essence a frugal person.

I still play good defense and it is in my nature to be frugal. I still go for that economy rice (now RM15) when my friends and colleagues go for lunch at the nearby bistro.

I still turn off the lights and appliances when I leave the room. I even do it when I’m not in my own house / property.

I still do not turn on the tap to the maximum when washing the dishes.

I make sure to have a fan in my room and office so I don’t turn have to turn on the air conditioning. And at times when I am hot and I have to, I set it to 24°C. That’s the lowest I’ll ever go.

I practice most hacks on frugality like waiting a week before making a big purchase. I pay myself first when I get my salary. I buy in bulk whenever I can. And I love credit cards for their cashback and points.

All these might seem a little extreme to you, but this is how I live. It isn’t tiresome for me (it might be for the people around me), but I believe these are good habits to have. And all these, in a huge way has helped me immensely in wealth creation.

Because a penny saved is a penny earned, a penny earned is a penny invested and compounded.

A few of the stuff I use to save, earn points etc can be found hERE.

Despite everything I’ve laid out, remember to treat yourself to that occasional good meal, to travel and experience the world once you’ve built up your portfolio. Use your dividends and passive income for some leisure. Just remember to flip that light switch off before heading for that holiday.

End.

Both defense and offense are equally important on the road to financial independence. With my savings and frugality, I wouldn’t have much of a portfolio if I did not invest my money. So remember to always invest. And invest for the long term.

I apologize if you came here looking for tips on how to invest and how to pick stocks and build wealth. But the truth is, with me at least, it was discipline and good solid defense.

It’s a boring route and definitely not for everyone. So please do not feel bad about yourself if you are a big spender. Your huge income capabilities could very well outweigh your bad defense.

It is however my intention and wish that perhaps after reading this, you just might turn off that switch when you leave the room.

Do not confuse frugality with being cheap.

Onwards and upwards!

For the next article of the FI/RE and Savings Series, check out article 003 – Passive Income in Malaysia.

Dividend Income Update 2020

By
Filed Under: Dividends, Investment 19

A list of my past dividend income and updates can be found below:

December

Freedom Fund as of December 2020
Dividend Income (Dec) –  RM351.47
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM15,415.64
Dividend Yield – 3.54%

You’ll notice a drop in dividend yield compared to November as I added and sold stocks.

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now YouTube! Follow, keep up to date.

Acquisition and Disposals

Added more QL Resources, TGUAN. Sold BURSA and some DSONIC.

Axis REIT

December 2020 Dividends – RM211.47
December 2019 Dividends – RM221.82
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM726.01
Dividend Yield – 4.18%

Nestle (M) Berhad

December 2020 Dividends – RM140
December 2019 Dividends – RM140
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM560
Dividend Yield – 4.19%

November

Freedom Fund as of November 2020
Dividend Income (Nov) –  RM960.04
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM15,064.17
Dividend Yield – 3.53%

Received RM960.04 for November from a total of 2 companies.

Acquisition and Disposals

Bought 1,000 units of TENAGA, lowering my average buy price to RM11.7950 per share.

Also bought a little more TGUAN as it went way down during November.

Bought MYEG for RM1.54 per share.

Bought and sold BURSA for some quick gain as it went above my valuation.

Sold off some MAYBANK and PBBANK shares, taking a little profit along the way.

Thoughts

As can be seen from my buy and sell transactions above, I’m still actively purchasing shares as they fall below my valuations. I’m also freeing up some money as I am building up and maintaining my cash position of about 10-15% of my portfolio right now.

IGB REIT

November 2020 Dividends – RM701.47
November 2019 Dividends – RM622.82
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM2,144.76
Dividend Yield – 4.14%

Sunway REIT

November 2020 Dividends – RM258.57
November 2019 Dividends – RM312.26
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM1,081.05
Dividend Yield – 2.32%

October

Freedom Fund as of October 2020
Dividend Income (Oct) –  RM1,530.48
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM14,104.13
Dividend Yield – 3.30%

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now YouTube! Follow, keep up to date.

Received RM1,530.48 for October from a total of 7 companies!

Acquisition and Disposals

Bought both Thong Guan (TGUAN) and Tenaga in October. The price and amount will be updated when I do the year end review.

I sold some Scientex AGAIN in October to lock in profit. Hoping to buy back if and when prices dip in the future.

Also sold off Aeon Credit to free up some cash. Including dividends received, a small gain of 2.78% was recorded.

Thoughts

Just like current market conditions, my portfolio and dividends have taken a hit in 2020. Looking to at least get close to last year’s RM16,322.27 in dividends. We’re only at RM14,104.13 today.

That being said, I am still grateful to be able to continue getting dividends this year. And also thankful that the portfolio is still in the green as of this moment. It’s a race towards the end of 2020!

Nestle Malaysia Berhad

October 2020 Dividends – RM140
October 2019 Dividends – RM140
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM420
Dividend Yield – 3.14%

Axis REIT

October 2020 Dividends – RM203.28
October 2019 Dividends – RM221.82
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM514.54
Dividend Yield – 2.96%

Datasonic Group Berhad

October 2020 Dividends – RM78.50
October 2019 Dividends – RM –
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM78.50
Dividend Yield – 0.40%

QL Resources Berhad

October 2020 Dividends – RM67.50
October 2019 Dividends – RM –
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM67.50
Dividend Yield – 0.46%

Tenaga Nasional Berhad

October 2020 Dividends – RM660
October 2019 Dividends – RM600
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM2,060
Dividend Yield – 5.50%

CB Industrial Product Holding Berhad

October 2020 Dividends – RM280
October 2019 Dividends – RM280
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM560
Dividend Yield – 2.51%

Aeon Credit (M) Berhad (SOLD)

October 2020 Dividends – RM101.20

September

Freedom Fund as of September 2020
Dividend Income (Sept) –  RM459.50
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM12,573.65
Dividend Yield – 2.84%

As always, Facebook and Instagram. Follow, keep up to date.

Received a total of RM459.50 in dividend income for September. A drop compared to 2019’s RM1,336.98. We missed out on PBB, Homeriz and Scicom’s dividends.

Note: Amended dividends and yield a little as I forgot to take into account dividend from stocks I sold. Also amended the Freedom Fund’s latest update.

I know many of you have been asking for my list of purchases and disposals. I’ll try my best to list them all down here as well as the reasons for said transactions.

Disposals

Duopharma

I sold 7,000 units of Duopharma stocks, taking an estimated 200% profit. Will be looking closely at this company in the coming weeks/months to maybe purchase more or dispose of all my holdings.

Homeriz

I’ve also disposed of all my Homeriz stocks with a 37% gain. I’ve been holding this one since 2014 and its been a pretty good ride with decent dividends. Reason for the disposal is that I want to free up some cash and cut my portfolio down a little.

Scicom

This one hurts. Holding Scicom since 2016, sold all for a 43% loss. I though I understood the company well and the industry but lesson learnt. Will not be looking at them any time soon.

Scientex

Scientex has always been my diamond in the rough. A true gem and I’ve recently disposed of some 2,000 units. Took a profit of around 125%. I still hold 9,800 units of Scientex and will continue to hold for the long term. Will of course be on the look out for when the price drops to add more to my portfolio.

Purchases

Bursa

Purchased 1,500 units of our very own bourse. Looking to hold this one for the long term and I’m hoping that the participation of retail investors will continue long after the pandemic is over.

Dsonic

Bought this one in anticipation of some projects. Dipping my toe in this new industry and learning a lot from my peers and members from our FB group.

QL Resources

I’ve been looking at QL for the longest time, if I recall I did actually own some shares of QL previously but sold it off. Would’ve made a handsome profit if I continued to hold the shares. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

I like the management, they’re in a very steady industry and you know – Family Mart.

Thoughts

So those are my disposals and my purchases from March to September 2020. I’ll be looking to start discussions on individual stocks on my YouTube channel very soon. If you haven’t already, please do subscribe and I’ll see all of you there.

Now on to September’s dividend income!

Genting Malaysia Berhad

September 2020 Dividends – RM228
September 2019 Dividends – RM288
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM760
Dividend Yield – 4.40%

Sunway Construction Berhad

September 2020 Dividends – RM4.50
September 2019 Dividends – RM12.60
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM4.50
Dividend Yield – 0.77%

IGB Berhad

September 2020 Dividends – RM227
September 2019 Dividends – RM227
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM454
Dividend Yield – 4.30%

August

Freedom Fund as at August 2020
Dividend Income (Aug) –  RM872.67
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM12,114.15
Dividend Yield – 2.71%

As always, Facebook and Instagram. Follow, keep up to date.

Received a total of RM872.67 in dividend income for August. A slight increase compared to 2019’s RM832.21. A 5% increase.

Thoughts

With Q4 closing in fast, I’m keen to see my investment portfolio reach the 3% mark in dividend yield. Pretty sure we won’t be able to surpass 2019’s yield of 4.16%, but you never know!

I think markets will continue to be volatile and stock prices do not accurately reflect the Malaysian economy right now. This is the first time I’m seeing such market enthusiasm during a pandemic and when businesses all around us are closing down.

I’ll continue to hold on to more cash as I sell off some positions. I’m looking to purchase more Real Estate Investment Trust (REITs) stocks and a few good companies I’m currently holding right when the price is right.

As I’ve mentioned a few times, my Malaysian portfolio will be built and centered around dividends right now. While my US stock portfolio will be more focused on growth and capital gains.

Duopharma Biotech Berhad

August 2020 Dividends – RM500.00
August 2019 Dividends – N/A
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM500.00
Dividend Yield – 3.55%

I’ve been selling off this stock and taking profit over the past few weeks/months. All in all, I’ve probably made close to 200% profit on average from the aforementioned sell off.

IGB REIT

August 2020 Dividends – RM207.01
August 2019 Dividends – RM609.37
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM1,443.29
Dividend Yield – 2.78%

Sunway REIT

August 2020 Dividends – RM515.66
August 2019 Dividends – RM298.38
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM822.48
Dividend Yield – 1.77%

July

Freedom Fund as at July 2020
Dividend Income (July) –  RM1,722.67
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM11,241.48
Dividend Yield – 2.62%

As always, Facebook and Instagram. Follow, keep up to date.

Received a total of RM1,722.67 in dividends for July this year. Comparatively, in 2019, I received RM1,409.95. That’s a 22% increase.

To compare against last year’s performance, I’ve compiled and combined all 2019’s dividend income update hERE.

With the interest rates in Malaysia at an all-time low right now, conventional FD’s are no longer attractive. It is times like these that strong, stable companies with their consistent dividend payments shine. We are only in July and my yield is already above the board rate.

Aeon Credit Service (M) Berhad

July 2020 Dividends – RM154.00
July 2019 Dividends – RM379.95
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM154.00
Dividend Yield – 1.22%

Aeon Credit has been hit hard in Q2. Will be looking to maybe trim down a little to pounce on future buying opportunities.

Scientex Berhad

July 2020 Dividends – RM1,180
July 2019 Dividends – RM1,030
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM2,210
Dividend Yield – 4.05%

Dividends increased a little as I added more units of Scientex to my portfolio during the MCO period.

The company has managed to keep their dividend payments unchanged amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Axis REIT

July 2020 Dividends – RM198.67
July 2019 Dividends – RM221.71
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM311.26
Dividend Yield – 1.79%

Genting Malaysia Berhad

July 2020 Dividends – RM190.00
July 2019 Dividends – RM –
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM532
Dividend Yield – 4.73%

June

Freedom Fund as at June 2020
Dividend Income (June) –  RM112
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM9,518.81
Dividend Yield – 2.27%

Dividend for 2020 has also gone a little haywire I guess. May’s dividend income was exceptionally high and now in June, as expected, I’m experiencing an unprecedented low.

However, cumulatively, dividends for 2020 are still higher compared to 2019.

Scicom (MSC) Berhad

June 2020 Dividends – RM112
June 2019 Dividends – RM112
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM280
Dividend Yield – 1.25%

May

Freedom Fund as at May 2020
Dividend Income (May) –  RM5,155.98
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM9,406.81
Dividend Yield – 2.24%

As investing sentiment improves together with the gradual lifting of Malaysia’s MCO, my portfolio has seen some improvements as well.

I received a total of RM5,155.98 in dividend income for the month of May, a huge increase compared to last year. In fact, The Freedom Fund is at 2.24% in dividend yield right now. Companies that contributed were Maybank, TNB, Nestle and IGB REIT.

Malayan Banking Berhad

May 2020 Dividends – RM2,830.23
May 2019 Dividends – RM1,052.16
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM2,830.23
Dividend Yield – 4.77%

The increase in dividends was due to my additional purchase of Maybank shares. However, the amount and yield has definitely increased, the total yield for the whole of 2019 was 4.49%. We’ve already surpassed it with the first dividend of 2020.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad

May 2020 Dividends – RM1,400.00
May 2019 Dividends – RM230.00
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM1,400.00
Dividend Yield – 5.38%

TNB paid out more this time around as this round’s dividend includes a special dividend.

Nestle (M) Berhad

May 2020 Dividends – RM280.00
May 2019 Dividends – RM280.00
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM280.00
Dividend Yield – 2.09%

IGB REIT

May 2020 Dividends – RM645.75
May 2019 Dividends – RM647.04
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM1,236.28
Dividend Yield – 2.38%

April

Freedom Fund as at April 2020
Dividend Income (Apr) –  RM1,686.39
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM4,250.83
Dividend Yield – 0.97%

The Freedom Fund has taken a hit due to recent events. Capital wise, we’ve moved into the positive range as of 30 April and no longer in the red.

If you’ve been following my Facebook and Instagram, you would’ve been able to pick up on some buys I have made during the MCO.

The most recent being DPHARMA and additional units of MAYBANK and SUNREIT.

However, if you’ve missed it, I will be updating my portfolio in June as per usual. So fret not.

Scicom (Msc) Bhd

April 2020 Dividends – RM168
April 2019 Dividends – RM168
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM168
Dividend Yield – 0.75%

Same amount in dividends received as last year. Same amount of disappointment. Awaiting some good news from Scicom.

IGB Berhad

April 2020 Dividends – RM227
April 2019 Dividends – RM227
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM227
Dividend Yield – 2.15%

The same amount will be expected from IGB’s preference share every year. No surprises here.

Public Bank Berhad

April 2020 Dividends – RM560
April 2019 Dividends – RM222
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM560
Dividend Yield – 2.23%

The huge increase is due to my recent addition of 800 units of Public Bank shares.

Genting Malaysia Berhad

April 2020 Dividends – RM342
April 2019 Dividends – N/A
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM342
Dividend Yield – 3.04%

I bought the shares after April 2019 so there’s nothing to compare to.

Sunway Berhad

April 2020 Dividends – RM389.39
April 2019 Dividends – RM309.12
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM389.39
Dividend Yield – 3.34%

A 25% jump in dividends received . =D

March

Freedom Fund as at March 2020
Dividend Income (Mar) –  RM663.91
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM2,564.44
Dividend Yield – 0.61%

I received a total of RM663.91 in dividends for the month of March from the companies – Homeritz, Axis REIT and Sunway REIT.

The dividend schedule of companies are all messed up again thanks to the Covid-19 virus.

Homeritz Corporation Bhd

March 2020 Dividends – RM244.50
March 2019 Dividends – RM366.75
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM244.50
Dividend Yield – 1.73%

Axis REIT

March 2020 Dividends – RM112.59
March 2019 Dividends – RM243.74
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM112.59
Dividend Yield – 0.65%

Sunway REIT

March 2020 Dividends – RM306.82
March 2019 Dividends – RM281.52
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM306.82
Dividend Yield – 1.55%

All Aboard the Dividend Train

On a side note, our friends at Rakuten has been working on a page that provides information on companies and their dividend payment date. It can be found hERE. I’m also told the page will be updated monthly.

Please note that there is no merit to chasing dividends blindly. Especially yields. A company can show high yields because dividend yield is calculated based on their previous declared dividend.

Make sure you’ve done your research and the yields are backed by equally strong underlying assets.

Also, if you’re signing up for a new Rakuten Account, please do give the blog your support and use my referral link – hERE.

You’ll receive RT points signing up with my link and it’ll go a long way in helping keep Dividend Magic running.

February

Freedom Fund as at February 2020
Dividend Income (Feb) –  RM590.53
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM1,900.53
Dividend Yield – 0.46%

As always, Facebook and Instagram. Follow, keep up to date.

IGB REIT

February 2020 Dividends – RM590.53
February 2019 Dividends – RM487.48
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM590.53
Dividend Yield – 1.45%

January

Freedom Fund as at January 2020
Dividend Income (Jan) –  RM1,310.00
Dividend Income (2020) –  RM1,310.00
Dividend Yield – 0.33%

As always, Facebook and Instagram. Follow, keep up to date.

Scientex Berhad

January 2020 Dividends – RM1,030
January 2020 Dividends – RM1,030
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM1,030
Dividend Yield – 2.32%

Received the same amount from Scientex last year. Expecting a >4% yield again for 2020.

CB Industrial Product Holding Berhad

January 2020 Dividends – RM280
January 2020 Dividends – RM280
Total 2020 Dividends –  RM280
Dividend Yield – 1.26%

Same amount was paid out last year.

Luno Malaysia Review (with RM50 Promo Code) and Portfolio Update

By
Filed Under: Cryptocurrencies, Investment, Other Investments 29

This is a full-on review of Luno Malaysia. If you’re here looking for a referral and promo code to use for your sign-up, you can use my code LNDVDMAGIC50 , you will get RM50 worth of Bitcoin when you buy RM500 or more. That’s an instant 10% return on your investment. This is valid forever as of now so don’t worry. I will update this if and when it is no longer available. Sign up hERE.

Do remember to use my code LNDVDMAGIC50, you will get RM50 worth of Bitcoin when you buy RM500 or more.

New Cryptocurrencies on Luno

Luno Malaysia has just added Cardano (ADA) onto its platform! And Solano (SOL) will be available as well on 6 October 2022. The full list can be seen below:

Bonus point! As part of ADA and SOL launch on Luno Malaysia, investors will be able to enjoy 50% off Instant Buy and Sell, and reduced Luno Exchange fees
when you invest in:

  • Cardano from 21 September – 20 October 2022
  • Solana from 6 October – 7 November 2022

A little background on the two new cryptocurrencies that will be available:

  1. Cardano is a blockchain platform for changemakers, innovators, and visionaries, with the tools and technologies required to create possibilities for the many, as well as the few, and bring about positive global change.
  2. Solana is the fastest blockchain in the world and the fastest growing ecosystem in crypto, with thousands of projects spanning DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and more.

My Crypto Portfolio on Luno

My latest Luno portfolio, which makes up the bulk of my crypto assets will be updated here. Previous updates can be found at the end of this article.

Moving forward, I’ll be updating my crypto portfolio on a monthly basis here.

October 2022

October update 🚀
Gross investment: RM22,379
Market value: RM35,827
Capital gain: +60.1%

Alright! As you may or may not have noticed, added about 2k worth of BTC in October. Didn’t pan out so well as BTC dipped again. But I’ll be continuously adding in monthly or bi-monthly for now.

I do believe we are almost at the bottom already and that crypto has established itself as an asset class over the years.

Also, I’ll just be calculating the raw simple gains (or losses) for crypto.

You can find my previous portfolio updates at the bottom of the page.

My Take on Luno Malaysia

Who Is Luno Malaysia?

If you’re into cryptocurrencies and you live in Malaysia, chances are you’ve heard of Luno Malaysia. They’re the largest cryptocurrency exchange in Malaysia.

As of May 2021, Luno Malaysia offers the following cryptocurrencies:

  • Bitcoin (BTC)
  • Ethereum (ETH)
  • Ripple (XRP)
  • Litecoin (LTC)
  • Bitcoin Cash (BCH)

Is Luno Safe? Is Luno Legit?

Safety-wise, Luno is the first regulated cryptocurrency exchange in Malaysia. And that’s saying something.

They’re regulated by SC so there’s really nothing for us to worry about fraud from Luno as an exchange.

A cyber attack however is something entirely different. Attacks and hacks on an exchange can happen and has happened in the past. But then again, there’s really nothing we can do about it.

As of now, if you’re a Malaysian and looking for a crypto exchange, I’d say Luno is your safest bet. I have the majority of my coins stored with Luno.

Moving your Crypto to Luno

I have recently moved all my coins – Bitcoin, Ethereum and Bitcoin Cash to Luno’s platform.

The process was surprisingly simple and easy. Bear in mind that this is my first time sending / receiving coins.

It took around an hour for all my cryptocurrencies to arrive as they require confirmations on the blockchain.

As of today, my total crypto portfolio stands at RM3,808. For a roughly 1.5 year period, my return is about 200%.

I’ll be using Luno as a wallet to stash all my cryptocurrencies from this point on as well as an exchange to buy/sell.

The user interface is spot on and the support I’ve received from them with my inquiries has been outstanding.

Luno’s Wallet

Keeping your hard-earned bitcoins and other cryptos on Luno Malaysia itself is something all users can do. I myself do that but as my holdings grow in size, I will be thinking of moving them to a standalone wallet, maybe even an offline one.

Luno’s wallet is what is known as a custodial wallet. This means that your private keys are stored by a third party, in this case – Luno. Placing your coins in a custodial wallet is similar to the principles of placing your cash in a bank. The money remains yours, but you do not fully control your money when it is in their hands.

Advantages

  • Interest generating. Some exchanges/custodians are giving you money to store your coins with them. Think of your coins as being used as a sort of money market fund. Hoping to see this come to Luno in the near future.
  • Convenience. You’re able to manage all your funds in one place and at any time.
  • You won’t lose or forget your private key and access to your coins.

Disadvantages

  • The custodian has control over your money.
  • Your coins can be seized by a court decision.
  • If the wallet gets hacked, you may lose your coins.

Before you cry foul and move all your coins to your own private wallet, Luno actually has three layers of security for their wallets and your coins. The first layer is the industry standard where an external custodian secures the keys. This is for practical reasons otherwise moving funds would take too long.

The second and third layer is where the security intensifies and where the bulk of the coins are stored. Luno actually practices what they term ”deep freeze storage”. Essentially, the private key is broken up and stored in different places around the world.

For the reasons above, you may want to have a percentage of your coins with Luno and another in your own private wallet. If you plan to just hold for a very long time, keeping it on your own wallet would make more sense. Just don’t forget your keys.

However, if and when Luno announces the interest bearing feature, I think a lot of bitcoin holders will see value in keeping their coins with Luno.

As for security on your own side, please, please set up 2-Factor Authentication for your accounts. Better safe than sorry especially if you’ve got a significant percentage in cryptocurrencies.

Luno Malaysia’s Fees – Post Order Only

First off, sending and receiving your cryptocurrencies. When you receive, Luno doesn’t charge a fee. When you send, you’re charged a fee.

When actually buying and selling on Luno’s exchange, to save on fees, forget instant buy/sell and instead, do a post order. Tick the ”post-only order” and you’ll see the difference in your fees.

Right at the bottom, tick that. You won’t instantly get your coins if you’re buying, instead, set a price close to the market price. Creating a post-only order ensures that you won’t have to pay a taker fee. An order will only be added to the order book if it does not match with a pre-existing order. If it does, it will be canceled.

Besides that, to get a full picture of other fees, you can visit Luno’s page on it hERE.

Why Bitcoin?

As always, prior research and due diligence on your part is required before making investments. For any asset class.

I’ve been monitoring cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin on and off for a few years now and I have my reasons for investing in it.

My first venture into cryptocurrency was back in December 2018. I invested USD 288 (or approximately RM1,256) back then.

Back in August 2020, my portfolio stood at RM3,808.

Cryptocurrency investment has been one of my biggest regrets. I regret not having put more money here. Of course, hindsight is always 20-20 but nonetheless, it is one of many regrets for me.

BITCOIN AS A STORE OF VALUE

Firstly, I see bitcoin as digital gold. As we transition to a digital economy, bitcoin will eventually challenge gold as a global store of value.

Like gold, bitcoin is limited in its supply. Bitcoin is limited to only 21 million. Forever. Not only is bitcoin scarce and durable like gold, but bitcoin also improves upon many of physical gold’s characteristics. Bitcoin is divisible, verifiable, portable, and transferable.

If bitcoin were to take just a 10% share of the physical gold market, we could see its value increase 5X to $1 trillion.

With the continuous printing of money, bitcoin has been viewed as an asset similar to gold in the modern world as a hedge against inflation. A good article on this can be read hERE.

BITCOIN’S POTENTIAL

My next reason for investing in bitcoin is its sheer potential upside. There are many theories and thoughts on bitcoin’s adoption as a currency. Or even as a global settlement network for banks as businesses.

We’ve already seen PayPal recently move in that direction. Payment systems like Square Inc have bought into bitcoin. The potential is there. Unlike gold, gold has already plateaued whereas bitcoin’s potential is still vast.

I’ll be looking closely at Bitcoin and Ethereum especially moving forward. Although volatile in nature, with bigger upside potential, I’ll prefer buying Bitcoin to Gold when it comes to hedging.

Luno Malaysia Best Referral Code (RM50)

Luno Logo Dividend Magic

As part of a collaboration with Luno Malaysia, we’ve come up with the perfect promotion for new users wanting to invest in Bitcoin.

Using the following referral code – LNDVDMAGIC50 , you will get RM50 worth of Bitcoin when you buy RM500 or more. That’s an instant 10% return on your investment. Sign up hERE.

If you’ve been wanting to own some Bitcoins, now is really the time to start.

Unfortunately, this promo and referral code is for new users only. Also, make sure you use Luno’s instant buy (instead of a post-order) function to be eligible for this code.

After signing up, you enter the promo code as follows:

For mobile users, head to the Rewards tab at the bottom and enter the code: LNDVDMAGIC50

For desktop users, the Rewards tab is on the top right, enter the promo code: LNDVDMAGIC50

In short, to be eligible for the RM50 promo and referral code, you have to:
1. Register as a new Luno Malaysia customer;
2. Enter my Luno promo code: LNDVDMAGIC50 (BEFORE you make a deposit into your Luno account);
3. Make a purchase of at least RM500; and
4. Make sure the purchase is through Luno’s Instant Buy feature.

The full promo rules can be accessed hERE.
Please go through them carefully to meet the criteria for that RM50.

End.

I’ll be moving more of my cash into Luno and increasing the size of my crypto portfolio in the future when the price is right. At least that’s the plan right now.

Just as how I prefer to purchase a mother share over warrants and how I prefer to buy shares of the main company over its subsidiaries, I’ll be focusing more on Bitcoins compared to other coins.

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now YouTube! Follow, keep up to date.

Update 30 April 2020

As of 30 April 2020, my crypto portfolio worth RM3,808 consists of the following.

  1. Bitcoin – RM2,763
  2. Ethereum – RM1,039
  3. Bitcoin Cash – RM4

Update 30 April 2021

Damn a year has passed and looking at my 2020 numbers, I just cannot believe the run crypto is on. I’ve gone from RM3,808 to RM72,058.

December update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM72,058
Capital gain: +601.43%

Let’s see where the next wave will take us.
Onwards and upwards!

Previous Updates

September 2022

September update 🚀
Gross investment: RM20,273
Market value: RM36,732.01
Capital gain: +81.1%

Crypto prices dropped again last month and we’re sitting at an 81% gain only right now. =(
Many have been asking if it is the right time to buy and what to buy, of which I of course always say DYOR. But I’ll be throwing in some money into BTC and/or ETH starting this month or the next regularly.

August 2022

August update 🚀
Gross investment: RM20,273
Market value: RM39,501
Capital gain: +94.8%

Volatile volatile volatile.

July 2022

July update 🚀
Gross investment: RM20,273
Market value: RM43,015
Capital gain: +112%

I’ll be looking to DCA and add money monthly into BTC and ETH starting this month. Time to rebalance the portfolio a little and move crypto up in %.

June 2022

June update 🚀
Gross investment: RM20,273
Market value: RM36,053
Capital gain: +77.83%

Hang in there, guys. Crypto has been on a wild wild ride. Most of you would be in the red I’m sure so trust in your own judgement alright. I’ll be adding more ETH soon, still waiting to see if crypto drops further.

March 2022

March update 🚀
Gross investment: RM20,273
Market value: RM73,556
Capital gain: +262.83%

A roller coaster ride again! Looking really hard and waiting for an opportunity to buy ETH soon as I just freed up some funds.

February 2022

February update 🚀
Gross investment: RM20,273
Market value: RM81,053
Capital gain: +299.80%

January 2022

January update 🚀
Gross investment: RM20,273
Market value: RM65,895
Capital gain: +225.03%

December 2021

December update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM67,004
Capital gain: +552.23%

November 2021

November update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM96,303
Capital gain: +837.44%

October 2021

October update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM78,308
Capital gain: +662.27%

An increase in my crypto portfolio. Still a long way to go to that magical 10X.

September 2021

September update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM71,194
Capital gain: +593.02%

Looks like meat’s back on the menu boys! We’re almost back to our all-time portfolio high. This time, thanks to ETH.

I’ve said it time and time again to prepare for a roller coaster ride when it comes to cryptocurrencies. You can have a look at my monthly updates at the bottom of this article to get a feel of how big the price swings were this year alone.

Totally uncharted waters for me but I think holding Bitcoin and Ethereum long-term has been a good move. Do remember to keep up to date on your research and the industry as a whole.

August 2021

August update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM54,564
Capital gain: +431.14%

With regards to the recent announcement by the Securities Commission on Binance being restricted in Malaysia, I’ll be moving my money back to Luno. Specifically, converting my holdings in Binance to XRP > Transfer > Convert back to BTC or ETH.

If you guys have got a better way to transfer, let us know!

I’m moving my coins back to Luno as I don’t want to take on unnecessary risks.

July 2021

July update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM47,314
Capital gain: +360.57%

How are you guys loving the volatility? I hope you’re able to stomach it.
A big drop in ETH prices has sent my crypto portfolio’s gain down again this month.

As mentioned in my article a few days back, I’ve moved some of my coins to Binance to learn firsthand – Crypto savings and staking.

Luno will still be where my main crypto portfolio is held. If you’re a Malaysian looking to start investing, my suggestion is and always will be Luno. Safety and regulation.

June 2021

June update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM53,802
Capital gain: +423.72%

Another roller coaster month for cryptos. Those of you who have been holding onto coins will have experienced it first hand. Volatility and your coins come hand in hand right now. I’d love to see some stability, at least for Bitcoin as we hodl into the future.

Value has dropped by a lot since my April update. To those of you who bought at a high, trust your own research, keep a cool head, and react accordingly. Onwards and upwards!

May 2021

May update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM59,240
Capital gain: +476.65%

A dip! Cryptocurrencies took a huge dip and the volatility continues today. I’m sure all of you have been following up with the antics of Elon Musk. Coupled with the crackdown from China’s government, cryptos were left battered.

I’ll of course be HODL-ing my coins. Still sitting at a pretty safe place right now. I hope those of you that have just gotten into cryptocurrencies don’t get too discouraged. Remember that volatility and cryptos come hand in hand.

April 2021

April update 🚀
Gross investment: RM10,273
Market value: RM72,058
Capital gain: +601.43%

March 2021

March update 🚀
Gross investment: RM13,808
Market value: RM78,330
Capital gain: +467.28%

Oh what regret to have sold at the RM200,000 range earlier in February. I’ve got about RM20,000 just sitting in Luno right now. =(

February 2021

February update 🚀
Gross investment: RM13,808
Market value: RM63,492
Capital gain: +359.82%

Sold 0.1 Bitcoin when it was at the RM200K range. Will be looking for an opportunity to head back in the future.

January 2021

Gross Investment: RM13,808
Market Value: RM48,754
Capital Gain/Loss: +253.08%

December 2020

RM111,907 per Bitcoin. I actually made a short term trade, selling at RM79K and buying again at RM77K. A little profit there to add to my crypto portfolio.

Gross Investment: RM13,808
Market Value: RM34,424
Capital Gain/Loss: +149.30%

Of course, a little remorse and regret at not having put a little more money in. But, seeing as it is within my target of 1-10% of my investment portfolio, I’m grateful.

September 2020

I’ll calculate my gross investment as RM3,808. It’s a rough estimate as this includes mining and unfortunately, I did not keep track of those properly back when I started in 2019.

Gross Investment: RM3,808
Market Value: RM5,528
Capital Gain/Loss: 45%

Bitcoin’s price today is at RM44,876 per bitcoin.

My total crypto portfolio stands at RM5,528.

It comprises of:

  1. 0.083395 BTC – RM3,742
  2. 1.200000 ETH – RM1,781
  3. 0.003866 BCH – RM4

Mining in the Past

Older readers of mine may also remember my crypto mining days.

My most recent update of cryptocurrencies was back in December 2018 when had about USD 288 (or approximately RM1,256). I have not made any additional investments since then.

A Review of 2016

By
Filed Under: Dividends 26

The Year 2016

I achieved a huge milestone during the year 2016. For the first time ever, my annual dividends surpassed the RM10,000 mark.

As most already know, I received a total of RM11,429.55 in dividends last year giving me a yield of 3.84%. In 2015, I received RM7,544.14 in dividends. Guess what? That’s a whopping 51% increase in passive income for me!

That being said, I did increase my gross investments by RM43K.

No.StockQuantityGross Investment (RM)Dividends (RM)Div. Yield
1AXREIT1423624,313.661,049.064.31%
2BONIA3370026,990.33421.251.56%
3CBIP1400022,304.801,280.005.74%
4CYPARK820017,681.66410.002.32%
5ECOWLD900012,960.00--
6HOMERIZ2445014,127.211,100.757.79%
7IGB REIT2280029,986.561,673.075.58%
8MAYBANK316825,723.211,070.004.16%
9NESTLE20013,376.00540.004.04%
10PBBANK60011,100.00156.001.41%
11SCICOM840017,472.00168.000.96%
12SCIENTX380022,267.24950.004.27%
13SUNCON360586.8023.404.06%
14SUNREIT1360019,839.681,172.025.91%
15SUNWAY360011,264.04396.003.52%
16TAANN26009,282.00130.001.40%
17TUNEPRO1080018,503.64540.002.92%
18SOLD STOCKS (Air Asia & AFG)350.50
297,778.8311,429.553.84%

Capital Gains & Dividend Payout

Dividend Magic - Capital Gains

Gross Investment: RM297,777.83
Market Value: RM345,955.92
Dividends (2016): RM11,429.55
Total Gain: 14.69%

For 2016, the unrealized gain for my Freedom Fund was RM41,416.19 giving me a 10.85% yield. Couple that with my 3.84% dividend yield, total gains for 2016 totals up to 14.69%. Total market value of my portfolio now is RM345,955.92.

The year 2016 has been pretty awesome if I do say so myself. However, my main focus has and will always be on that 3.84% dividend yield. My main aim is to increase that yield every year.

REITs

Last year in terms of dividend payments, all the REITs did well for me. The top ones would still be Sunway REIT as well as IGB REIT for me. Somewhat of a disappointment would be Axis REIT but their refurbished properties should be bringing in higher income in 2017.

Banks

My purchase of Maybank as well as Public Bank has been fruitful. They’ve each given me a 4.16% and 1.41% yield respectively. (Public Bank’s is low here because I only received 1 dividend payment).

I also disposed of Alliance Bank’s shares in December as the shares have had a lackluster few years and I don’t see any changes being made. I took a painful 16% loss on that. The funds will be put to better use.

My Favourites

Homeriz and Scientax, the two golden eggs in my basket have been providing not only in the form of dividends but in capital gains as well. Scientax has continued to soar in 2016, as of today (8 Jan 2017), I have an unrealized gain of 130%.

Disappointments

Thankfully, last year the only major disappointment came from none other than Bonia Corp. I was previously up by more than 100% but currently making a loss of 22%. I’ll continue to maintain my position with Bonia because they do have sound management and I foresee a big increase in sales in the next few years. It might be time to top up early this year to average down.

Goals for 2017

Moving forward, 2017 will be the year I achieve RM12,000 in dividends. Even without adding to my portfolio, the magic of compounding will see me achieve that target. And I’m sure everyone knows what RM12K a year in dividends mean.

Yes! That’s an average of RM1,000 cash for me. It has always been a long term goal of mine and finally it is within grasp.

With additional funds being reinvested, I hope to achieve RM15,000 in dividends next year while at least maintaining my 3.84% yield. Hopefully increasing it to 4%? A long shot I know.

4% Dividend Yield

That coveted 4% yield. I’ll be focusing more on REITs this year whose high yields will help me achieve this target.

For the readers

For you guys and girls, I’d like those of you that hasn’t started investing to make it a point to do so this year. The first step is always the hardest but let me assure you it will be rewarding. Let 2017 be the year you get your finances in order.

I’m here to assist you. If you have any questions, no matter how trivial you feel they are, please fire away!

End.

So here’s to an awesome 2017 to everyone! Onwards and upwards!

Thanks for reading!

Dividend Magic - We can do it!

 

Disposal of Shares – AirAsia Berhad

By
Filed Under: Dividends, Portfolio - Freedom Fund, Recent Buy / Sell 4

AirAsia

AirAsia

Earlier today I disposed off my holdings in AirAsia Berhad at RM2.95 per share. I had purchased 4,300 units of AirAsia mid June 2015 for an average price of RM1.66 per unit. Factoring in dividends and brokerage fees, I made a gain of RM5,669.75 which is a 79% capital gain.

Why Air Asia?

As most of you know, the Company’s share price took a tumble for the past year and only recently sky-rocketed. Ever since Tony Fernandes and co took over the Company, I’ve always seen AirAsia as very well managed. With the Company’s slump back in 2015, I saw an opportunity to purchase one of the most well known company in Malaysia if not South East Asia.

AirAsia Tony Fernandes
AirAsia CEO – Tony Fernandes (Source: Time Magazine)

So, the big question was and still is – Why Air Asia? A simple approach to investing would be to just take a step back and look around us, what product do we as consumers use every day? As for travel, which airline does the average Malaysian consumer fly every single time they travel? The answer is without the shadow of a doubt – Air Asia.

‘World’s Best Low Cost Airline’ has been on every flight I’ve been on with Air Asia, that got me thinking on one such trip – they must be doing something right. Immediately, I got to looking into the Company’s financials after my holiday.  Despite some heavy debts which was typical of a young growing company, I liked what I saw. I then only had to wait for the opportune time to purchase the stocks of the World’s Best Low Cost Airline.

Dividends or Capital Gain

As Air Asia was a young and rapidly growing company, I in turn as a shareholder did not expect a high dividend to be paid out but instead for the Company to retain those earnings for further expansion.  I received a dividend of RM172 back in June this year, translating to a 2.41% yield for me.

Why Sell?

I would’ve loved to have held on longer to Air Asia but the stock is way overvalued at its current price and I felt it was time for me to take profit. After holding the stock for close to 14 months, I made a 79% profit, a pretty good investment if you ask me.

Conclusion

I will continue keeping tabs on Air Asia further down the road and if the opportunity comes, I will not hesitate to buy more of the airline’s stock provided the fundamentals remain.

A little sidebar here –  I’m currently looking closely at Axiata and Spritzer as potential companies to invest in. With the sale of AirAsia stocks, I am currently sitting on a war chest of close to RM30K.

As always, thank you for reading.

Learn Investing

Join my mailing list to get a FREE basic financial plan, as well as notifications of new posts when they are published.