As I look through the last two years of difficult conversations, these are the three hacks that would had the most significant impact on the lives of my younger friends: 1) Have a high yield savings account Interest rates on high yield interest bank accounts have dropped recently, but remain decent. Still very much possible to achieve 1.5% to 2%, just for having your salary credited there and perhaps a few hundred dollars on credit card spend (which can be achieved by charging ez-link, mobile, and wifi / cable etc onto the card instead of GIRO). For an independent review between different bank accounts, refer to Seedly's comparison of best savings accounts . Between the higher yield interest, and ordinary passbook / savings accounts of the past (which could pay as low as 0.05% per year), the difference in interest earned is usually more than 1% per year. Just to put this in perspective, I made a table below to illustrate the bonus interest amount, and what it could
As the year of the Rat begins, I am rebooting this blog on 4th February ( 立春 ) with a new direction and focus... Who: Anyone, but primarily young adults who have stepped out of school into employment. How: To share perspectives and hacks on financial matters in a short and simple posts. When: One to two posts per month. What: Short posts on perspectives / hacks in not more than 500 words. Simple enough for 12 year olds to understand. No advice on specific investments / stocks. No selling of products (although I may explain why I use certain products / services). Why: To spread financial literacy, and help guide readers take steps to improve their own financial well-being. I hope the contents can inspire people to take action to make their own lives better. Wishing all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!! Huat Ah!!