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​L I V E   S I M P L E R    .    H A P P I E R    .    H E A L T H I E R    .    W E A L T H I E R

Our Investment Portfolio

1/2/2022

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Breakdown of our investment portfolio from 2017 - 2021
​
As a follow up on this post from 2018, it's time to revisit how our retirement savings strategy is going and review the breakdown of our investment portfolio. We're still in the accumulation phase and our savings/investments are pretty much on auto-pilot mode, with focus on maximizing all tax-advantaged accounts first. While we're nowhere near the withdrawal phase yet, it's important to do a periodic check to make sure our investment portfolio is 'well-balanced' for future withdrawals.

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10 Lessons from 10 Years of Work

1/5/2021

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5 January 2021 marks my 10th work anniversary. It's hard to believe 10 years have flown by since I first started work. Felt like it wasn't that long ago when we took the photo above during our new hire orientation at Sheraton Imperial KL.

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Our Credit Card Portfolio

12/20/2019

3 Comments

 
Original post: 5/20/2018
Updated: 12/20/2019

For someone who enjoys traveling, the lucrative credit card sign-up bonuses in the US are amazing, especially when all you get for opening a credit card in Malaysia is a luggage bag. I was hoping to start building our credit card portfolio as soon as I moved to the US, however, I realized very quickly (when my Chase Freedom application was declined) that I wasn't gonna get approved for any credit cards without credit history. 
​
Picture

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The True Value of Points & Miles

6/30/2018

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How many 'transactions' did it take to redeem our two tickets to Iceland over the course of 1.5 years? 23 to be exact...lol!
​

If you look at my website, it's pretty obvious that I LOVE traveling. Of course, I love points and miles because they help reduce our travel cost. Over the last 2 years, we've upped our travel rewards game and were able to utilize points and miles to reduce our travel expenses.
​

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My Uniquely Uniqlo Wardrobe

3/11/2018

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Judge me all you want, but I'm an oddball female who doesn't like shopping and I have zero interest in buying trendy clothes. However, I have to at least dress decent and adhere to the business-casual dress code for work, and that's really my main 'motivation' to shop for clothes. I would happily wear uniform if it was an option, but those school days were long gone. =P Anyway, I'm the kind of person who will go shopping once in a blue moon, stock up on few outfits that fit me well, and wear the same thing over and over again until they tear (wear and tear literally).

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Retirement Saving Strategies in the US

3/5/2018

2 Comments

 
When I first relocated to the US with my job 3 years ago, I remember being provided with a 47-page new hire benefits book during the orientation, and was immediately overwhelmed by all the new information I had to digest within a short period of time. The benefits book included information about all different types of insurance plans, savings plans, and a bunch of other benefits. It was also filled with jargon like High Deductible, HSA, FSA, 401(k), Short-term disability, etc. 

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How Much Did We Spend on Our Wedding?

2/28/2018

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We are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this year. To celebrate this milestone, I decided to put together this unromantic and nerdy post of how much we spent on our wedding. =P Feel free to guess the total amount based on the following details:
  • Location: Penang, Malaysia
  • Ceremony style: Malaysian (Chinese)
  • Reception venue: Restaurant
  • No. of guests: 300 pax
Hint: Expensive enough to buy a 5-year old used car (maybe). Scroll on to see what we splurged on:

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How Far Can You Fly With $400?

2/25/2018

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Well, $413 to be exact. Of course, the answer is...it depends. ​Just like how some people think traveling is expensive, and wonder how we could afford traveling the world (while still being financially savvy).

Here are two separate round-trip flight tickets I booked recently, costing approximately $400 each. 

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Hobby Hacking - Enjoy More for Less

12/16/2017

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Hubby's retro haul from our recent trip to Tokyo.
Many people have the misconception that saving money or being frugal is all about delayed gratification. While I do agree that some sacrifices have to be made now in exchange for financial freedom in the future, I am also a strong proponent of living in the present and enjoying the journey along the way.  These two may sound contradicting but pursuing financial independence doesn't mean we should put off our happiness until we reach the finish line. After all, we never know if tomorrow or tragedy will come first.

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How Much Does it Cost to Travel Around the World?

12/9/2017

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In August 2017, we embarked on a trip around-the-world visiting 5 countries:
  • ​London, UK - 12.5 hours layover
  • Cape Town, South Africa - 5 days stopover
  • Frankfurt, Germany - 12 hours layover
  • Tokyo, Japan - 1 week
  • Langkawi, Malaysia - 1 week

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    Archives

    May 2021 
    • Traveling to Malaysia during COVID-19 + Hotel Quarantine
    January 2021 
    • 10 Lessons from 10 Years of Work
    • Our Investment Portfolio
    November 2020
    • 18 Again: Heartwarming Lessons on Life, Love, and Everything In Between​
    August 2020 
    • COVID Cancellations Continue
    June 2020 
    • COVID Cancellations
    • Walking Through the Bamboo Forest
    ​May 2020 
    • Our 'Crash Landing' Story
    April 2020 
    • Life in the WWII Era
    ​March 2020 
    • Life in the Covid Era
     December 2019
    • Planning a Points & Miles Trip to Hawaii
    • Our Credit Card Portfolio
    August 2019
    • 8 Nights in 5-Star Hotels for Free
    July 2019
    • IHG Accelerate Promo - 105,000 Points!
    May 2019
    • United Excursionist Itinerary - Asia Hopper
    • British Airways Avios Sweet Spot
    December 2018
    • 2 Weeks in New Zealand & Fiji for $600​
    October 2018
    • New Zealand & Fiji With Points and Miles
    ​September 2018
    • Hotel Review: Courtyard Tokyo Station
    • The Privileged Minority
    August 2018
    • Not Crazy Rich, But Proudly Malaysian
    • Adios SPG
    • One Year!
    July 2018
    • Hotel Review: The Majestic Hotel KL
    • The Rookie Guide to Traveling Iceland in a Camper Van
    June 2018
    • The True Value of Points & Miles
    • Iceland Campervan - Rent.is Review
    May 2018
    • Piecing Together a Home Trip for $450
    March 2018
    • Of Luck and Hard Work
    • My Uniquely Uniqlo Wardrobe
    • Retirement Saving Strategies in the US
    February 2018
    • How Much Did we Spend on Our Wedding?
    • How Far Can You Fly with $400?
    December 2017
    • Lounge Hopping for Free with United Club Card
    • Hobby Hacking - Enjoy More for Less
    • How Much Does it Cost to Travel Around-the-World?
    • International Geoarbitrage - Cost of Living Showdown
    ​​November 2017
    • Thankful for 3 Years - Work Edition
    • ​The Creepy 30s
    October 2017
    • Renting a Car in Cape Town
    • The Lifetime Table
    September 2017
    • London Layover on a Budget
    • Shortcuts to Elite Statuses
    August 2017
    • Travel Around-the-World for Free
    • Turning 30...A New Milestone
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  • Home
  • Explore
    • Africa >
      • South Africa >
        • Cape Town
    • Asia >
      • Cambodia >
        • Siem Reap
      • China >
        • Beijing
        • Shanghai
        • Chengdu
        • Dali
        • Guilin
        • Hong Kong
        • Lijiang
        • Kunming
        • Mt. Yulong
        • Nanning
        • Shangri-la
        • Yangshuo
      • India >
        • Bangalore
      • Indonesia >
        • Bali
      • Japan >
        • Tokyo
        • Osaka & Kyoto
        • Kawaguchiko & Mt Fuji
        • Takayama & Shirakawago
      • Malaysia >
        • Penang
        • Cameron Highlands
        • Kuala Lumpur
        • Langkawi Island
        • Redang Island
        • Sabah
      • Maldives >
        • Conrad Maldives
        • Le Méridien Maldives
      • Singapore >
        • Singapore
      • South Korea >
        • Seoul
        • Busan
        • Jeju
      • Taiwan >
        • Taipei
        • Northeast Coast
        • Taroko National Park
      • Thailand >
        • Bangkok
        • Phuket
        • Krabi
      • Vietnam >
        • Hanoi & Halong Bay
    • Europe >
      • Austria >
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        • Innsbruck
        • Salzburg
        • Vienna
      • Belgium >
        • Bruges
      • Czech Republic >
        • Prague
      • Denmark >
        • Copenhagen
      • Finland >
        • Helsinki
        • Lapland
      • France >
        • Paris
        • Avignon/Burgundy
        • French Riviera
        • Pont Du Gard
      • Germany >
        • Berchtesgaden
        • Frankfurt
        • Munich
        • Rhine River
      • Greece >
        • Athens
      • Iceland >
        • Reykjavik
        • South Iceland
        • East Iceland
        • North Iceland
        • Snaefellsnes Peninsula
        • Golden Circle
      • Ireland >
        • Dublin
      • Italy >
        • Florence/Pisa
        • Rome
        • Venice
      • Monaco >
        • Monaco
      • Netherlands >
        • Amsterdam
      • Norway >
        • Bergen
        • Flam
        • Geirangerfjord
        • Jostedal
        • Lunde
        • Oslo
        • Sognefjellet
        • Stavanger
      • Slovakia >
        • Bratislava
      • Spain >
        • Barcelona
        • Valencia
      • Sweden >
        • Stockholm
      • Switzerland >
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        • Zurich
      • UK >
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        • Bath
        • Cardiff
        • Liverpool
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    • South America >
      • Peru >
        • Machu Picchu
        • Ollantaytambo
        • Sacred Valley
        • Cusco
    • Oceania >
      • Australia >
        • Sydney
        • Melbourne
      • French Polynesia >
        • Conrad Bora Bora
      • Fiji >
        • Nadi
      • New Zealand >
        • Auckland
        • Christchurch
        • Hobbiton
        • Hokitika
        • Lake Wanaka
        • MIlford Sound
        • Mt Cook & Lake Tekapo
        • Queenstown & Glenorchy
        • Wellington
  • Experience
    • 30 Before 30
    • Amazing Race
    • Around-the-World
    • AXN Big Challenge
    • Gap Year
  • Simpli-FI
    • Cost-Efficient Car
    • Education Expenses
    • Geo-Arbitrage
    • House Hacking
    • Increase Income
    • Meal Prep
    • Mindful Spending
    • Saving / Investing
    • Tax Optimization
    • Travel Rewards
  • Expenses
    • Annual >
      • 2021
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
      • 2016
      • 2015
      • 2011 - 2014 Malaysia
    • Travels >
      • 2022 - Greece
      • 2022 - Bora Bora
      • 2022 - Maldives
      • 2022 - Finland
      • 2021 - Canada
      • 2021 - Malaysia
      • 2021 - Maldives
      • 2019 - Hawaii
      • 2019 - Asia Hopper
      • 2018 - New Zealand
      • 2018 - Iceland
      • 2017 - Around the World
      • 2016 - Cancun/Antigua
      • 2015 - Central Europe
      • 2015 - DisneyWorld
      • 2015 - Machu Picchu
      • 2015 - Colorado
    • Wedding
  • About