Net Worth Update Mar 2026 | Tanks to SGD 2.13m

  

March 2026 has been anything but quiet. A war in the Middle East, oil above USD 100, and the ghost of stagflation haunting global markets.

My net worth dips to SGD 2.13m in March 2026, a modest decrease of $10k or 0.5% from last month.

My savings from salary income and CPF contributions are offset by some paper losses from US stock options, SGX income and US growth tech portfolios.

My net worth breakdown is as follows:

Safe Heavens (58%)

CPF (34%): Bedrock of my retirement savings.

Cash and war chest (15%): Liquid reserves strategically stashed in fixed deposits and Fullerton cash funds earning around 1% p.a. provide peace of mind and security for unexpected expenses or investment opportunities.

Bonds (9%): A balanced portfolio of low-risk Singapore Savings Bonds and Astrea PE Bonds ensures stability and provides steady source of passive income.

Retirement Savings and Protection (17%)

SRS (13%): A tax-deferred engine for supplementary retirement savings, diversified across $30k of SSB, local stocks, Amundi Prime USA fund and money market fund.

Insurance (4%): A Prudential whole life insurance plan and other savings plans will provide me with 6-digit lump sum payout after my retirement while offering continual protection for peace of mind.

Equities (25%)

Stocks and Reits (25%): A real estate-focused portfolio of stocks and Reits from SGX provides long-term dividend income and stability. This financial asset class is riskier, more volatile and sensitive to interest rates but offers me the opportunity to indirectly own diversified portfolios of industrial, retail and commercial properties locally, and around the world for consistent passive income. 

I am also currently building up a US growth stock portfolio to include the likes of tech compounders such as AMZN, MSFT and NVDA while also actively selling cash-secured put options to collect premiums, a strategy aimed at either generating income or acquiring desired assets at a discount.

Net worth is not about accumulating wealth. Having more wealth is about reclaiming control, giving us control over our time, our choices, and the design of our lives. It creates the ultimate flexibility and power to choose to work if we want to, to pursue passions full-time.

Cashflow grants us the ultimate leverage moving forward: the freedom to adopt a truly carefree—and where necessary, 'f* you'—attitude in the workplace. This journey is a deliberate investment in security and a growing buffer against life's unpredictability.

My net worth tanks to SGD 2.13m in March 2026, decrease of $10k or 0.5% from last month.

My savings from salary income and CPF contributions are wiped out by some paper losses from US stock options, SGX income and US growth tech portfolios.

My net worth breakdown is as follows:

Safe Heavens (58%)

CPF (34%): Bedrock of my retirement savings.

Cash and war chest (15%): Liquid reserves strategically stashed in fixed deposits and Fullerton cash funds earning around 1% p.a. provide peace of mind and security for unexpected expenses or investment opportunities.

Bonds (9%): A balanced portfolio of low-risk Singapore Savings Bonds and Astrea PE Bonds ensures stability and provides steady source of passive income.

Retirement Savings and Protection (17%)

SRS (13%): A tax-deferred engine for supplementary retirement savings, diversified across $30k of SSB, local stocks, Amundi Prime USA fund and money market fund.

Insurance (4%): A Prudential whole life insurance plan and other savings plans will provide me with 6-digit lump sum payout after my retirement while offering continual protection for peace of mind.

Equities (25%)

Stocks and Reits (25%): A real estate-focused portfolio of stocks and Reits from SGX provides long-term dividend income and stability. This financial asset class is riskier, more volatile and sensitive to interest rates but offers me the opportunity to indirectly own diversified portfolios of industrial, retail and commercial properties locally, and around the world for consistent passive income. 

I am also currently building up a US growth stock portfolio to include the likes of tech compounders such as AMZN, MSFT and NVDA while also actively selling cash-secured put options to collect premiums, a strategy aimed at either generating income or acquiring desired assets at a discount.

Net worth is not about accumulating wealth. Having more wealth is about reclaiming control, giving us control over our time, our choices, and the design of our lives. It creates the ultimate flexibility and power to choose to work if we want to, to pursue passions full-time.

Cashflow is power. It grants us the ultimate leverage: the freedom to walk into any room, any meeting, any negotiation, any performance review with a quiet, unshakeable confidence that only financial security can buy. No longer performing for a paycheck. No longer tolerating what should not be tolerated. This journey is not just about building wealth; it is about building the backbone to live life entirely on your own terms.

Financial independence is not an end; it is a quiet revolution happening in the background of your everyday life. Every contribution, every investment, every dollar put to work is a small act of defiance against a life defined by financial stress and obligation. It is the power to design a life you do not need a vacation from — with the space to breathe, to live, and to truly thrive on your own terms. If an ordinary salaried employee like me can get here, the path is open to anyone willing to walk it.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster

Why Your Salary is a Trap and How to Play the Real Game of Wealth

 

We have all been told the same "responsible" story: Go to school, get a good job, climb the corporate ladder, and save 10% of your paycheck. We are told that if we work hard enough, the meritocracy will reward us with wealth.

But have you ever noticed that the hardest-working people are rarely the wealthiest?

That is because the path to success we are taught is actually a control system designed to keep us trading our most precious asset, time for a stagnant survival. If you want to join the ranks of the truly wealthy, you have to stop playing the "Poor Games" and start playing by the "Elite Rules."

1. The Salary Trap vs. The Ownership Edge

Most people spend their lives trading hours for dollars. The problem? Time is finite. You can only work so many hours, and your income is capped by your physical presence.

• The Elite Secret: Wealth comes from Ownership, not labour. The wealthy own businesses, real estate, and intellectual property that generate income while they sleep. Your goal shouldn't be a bigger paycheck; it should be a larger portfolio of cash-flowing assets.

2. Saving is for Losers (of Purchasing Power)

While you are diligently putting money into a savings account earning 1%, inflation is likely eroding your purchasing power at a much faster rate. You are effectively running on a treadmill that is moving backward.

• The Elite Secret: They don’t save; they Leverage. By using "Other People's Money" (OPM) and strategic debt, the wealthy acquire appreciating assets that offer 10x or 100x returns, leaving the "savers" in the dust.

3. The Meritocracy Myth

We like to believe that the world is fair. But the rules of the financial system were written by the rich, for the rich. Following the "standard rules" often ensures you stay exactly where the elite want you: in the middle class, paying taxes, and fueling their companies with your labor.

• The Elite Secret: They understand the system is rigged and learn to navigate its loopholes—specifically regarding taxes and asset protection to compound wealth at a rate the average worker cannot imagine.

How to Make the Shift?

Transitioning from a laborer to an owner doesn't happen overnight. It requires a grueling "double-life" phase:

• Keep your 9-to-6 to pay the bills. Treat your job as a venture capitalist would. Your employer is your first investor. You are "mining" them for the capital needed to buy your first assets.

• Use your 6-to-9 to build or acquire assets. Whether it is 1 hour a day or 10 hours a weekend, this time is sacred. It is strictly for building or researching assets.

You must own things that scale without your physical presence.

Digital Assets: Creating a course, software (SaaS), blog, Tik Tok or a YouTube channel. These take time to build once but pay out repeatedly.

Equity/Stocks: Buying shares in companies or businesses where others do the labor for you.

Real Estate: Using a mortgage (Leverage) to own an asset where a tenant pays down your debt while the property appreciates.

It’s exhausting, it’s difficult, and it requires delaying gratification. The choice is yours: stay comfortable and poor, or stay uncomfortable and become free.

Are you ready to stop playing the wrong game?

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster

The Price of Peace is Not Cheap

 

Last night, the world changed. On March 1, 2026, we woke up to news that seemed like a movie script: joint US-Israel strikes on Tehran and the confirmed death of Iran’s Supreme Leader.

At a Chinese New Year dinner in Teck Ghee just hours ago, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong didn't mince words: “The war has begun... it is very hard to tell how it will end.”

If you think this is just a headline from a faraway desert, you are missing the point. This war is the final nail in the coffin for the "Peace Dividend"—that comfortable era where our biggest worry was picking between two tech stocks or two travel destinations.

Here is why our "Safe" financial plan just expired, and why "Peace" was actually the most expensive thing we ever owned.

1. The "Strait of Hormuz" Tax (Your New Monthly Bill)

20% of the world’s energy flows through a tiny gap near Iran. As Brent crude oil spikes toward $100 per barrel, every person on the street just got a pay cut.

The Hit: This is not just about the petrol kiosk. It is the electricity to run the aircon, the cost of the chicken in our chicken rice, and the Grab/MRT fare to work.

The Reality: For 30 years, we enjoyed "Peace" prices. Now, we are paying the War Premium. If your savings aren't growing faster than energy inflation, you are technically getting poorer every hour.

2. The Longevity Trap

This sounds cruel, but it is a mathematical fact. In the past, people didn't need massive retirement sums because life was short.

But because Singapore is so peaceful and stable, we are likely to live until 90 or 100.

The Math: Peace has made our life twice as long, which makes it twice as expensive.

The Irony: We are now facing a 40-year retirement in a world where global conflict is driving up the cost of living. Peace gave us the time, but the Iran war just stole our purchasing power.

3. Why CPF is Now our "Fortress"

While the S&P 500 and the STI might swing wildly today based on a single drone strike, your CPF remains the most "boring" and "powerful" asset in the world.

The 4% Shield: With the government extending the 4% floor rate for the Special Account (SA) through the end of 2026, you have a guaranteed return that doesn't care about Tehran.

In a world where the US is imposing 10% global tariffs and the Middle East is in flames, Singapore’s sovereign strength is the only "War-Proof" bond you have left.

4. The End of the "Boredom Bubble"

During the peaceful years, we got "bored." We spent money on crypto scams, $15 coffees, and "lifestyle upgrades" we didn't need.

That era is over. War forces a "return to reality." In 2026, the winners won't be the ones with the flashiest Instagram feeds; they will be the ones with the most liquid cash and the strongest "Needs-based" portfolios.

Your 2026 War Survival Checklist:

Move from "Growth" to "Defense": If you have excess cash in a low-interest bank account, the CPF-SA at 4% is no longer a "retirement choice"—it's a tactical necessity.

Hedge Your Lifestyle: If oil stays high, your cost of living stays high. Look into energy-resilient investments or simply cut the "Peace-time" subscriptions you no longer use.

Don't Panic, But Don't Wait: The "discount" you were waiting for in the property or stock market might be eaten up by the rising cost of debt.

The Bottom Line

We spent decades thinking peace was the default. We were wrong. Peace was a luxury, and the bill has finally arrived.

As SM Lee said, we cannot take our 5% GDP growth for granted anymore. The world is at war, your life is getting longer, and everything is getting more expensive. Stop waiting for the old normal to come back.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster