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Expat Investing: our new interactive online course – learn everything you need to know to invest sensibly and start making your money work hard for you.
“Every attendee that I’ve spoken to has loved Steve’s workshop.” – Andrew Hallam, author of Millionaire Expat
“Probably the most important workshop of my life.” – Julian Labuschagne, Dubai
“One of the best things I’ve ever done.” – Alison Soltani, Al Ain
OUR WEEKEND WORKSHOP HAS TURNED INTO AN INTERACTIVE ONLINE COURSE – DON’T MISS THIS!
Latest posts
Dealing with Dividends
When you invest in a global stock fund, many of the companies in the fund are generating dividends for you, so the fund pays an aggregated dividend for you. Same with a bond fund, the interest payments on the bonds are generating cash for you. What to do with these?
When Isaac Newton got FOMO and lost everything
How one of the smartest men of all time put most of his investments into one stock at the peak of a bubble and lost the equivalent of $20 million… Maybe he could calculate the movements of the planets but not the madness of the people.
Simple investing
Don’t invest alone
Countless studies have shown that two people make better financial decisions than one, by offsetting each other’s unhelpful biases. Too much risk vs not enough risk. Too much spending vs too much miserable cash hoarding. Too much trust in a financial advisor vs healthy cynicism and reading of the small print. If you have a partner, do it together.
The Unbiased Guide to Offshore Investing for Expats (updated 09/2020)
Discover how to invest in stock and bond funds (ETFs) as an expat – cheaply, quickly and sensibly. Maximise your saving power while you work abroad!
Don’t panic! How to get through these wild times
IIt’s been a wild ride in the stock market these past few days. Should you hide your cash under the bed? Here’s what I think.
How to chill while the stock market falls
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. When the stock market suddenly falls dramatically, it can feel like your dreams of retirement are getting punched in the face and the gut, maybe a karate chop on the back as you go down also.
Can expat investors now trade for free? (And if so, should you?)
Can expats now buy their Vanguard and iShares Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) for free? And if you do, will you regret it later on?
How can you save and invest more responsibly? (updated)
Dragons love to sit on their big pile of cash, gold and property. But their excess cash gets eroded by inflation and they miss out on stock market growth.
Saving - debt, income & expenses
💔 Love & Money
Can you really have love and money? Will your other half chew through all your cash? Money is the number one cause of breakups, but really it is poor communication about money. This post is about finding a balance in you relationships with the significant other and your money.
Should you have a monogamous relationship with your bank?
It’s usually painfully obvious that banks are not really on your side. Here are some thoughts on how to make interaction that little bit easier.
Stop your bank ruining your day (or worse)
It’s usually painfully obvious that banks are not really on your side. Here are some thoughts on how to make interaction that little bit easier.
How to avoid drowning in debt and escape forever from the debt swamp
I’m proud to serve on The Debt Panel of The National newspaper in the UAE, but it can be depressing. Almost every question is from someone who has over-loaded themselves with debt and cannot see a way out. This week’s question was a classic example of this.
Terrible savings plans (and how to avoid them)
Scams
It’s so important to think about who you are going to trust to handle your money. Many of us like to think the best of people and companies, that they have our best interests at heart. It is painful to discover both dishonesty and incompetence out there.
UAE: gratuities, allowances and what makes a good employee saving scheme
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Why don’t people trust financial advisors?
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What to do if your nest egg is locked up in a savings plan
Reader question – what to do if you find yourself trapped in a long-term savings plan.
Having invested into equity and bond funds over the last two years I can no longer put money regularly into my savings plan. I have some US$100,000 invested. What should I do?
Expert opinion: is it safe yet to get a savings plan in the UAE?
This is a great article from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence featuring us and many other voices of reason in the UAE market. It discusses some of the problems with the selling of personal savings plans here and why there is reason for cautious optimism about the future.
5 reasons why you should never invest in a long-term offshore savings plan
Financial advisors are often trying to get expats to invest in long-term savings plans. They sound good in theory but 99% of the time they are completely inappropriate. You will probably either make unimpressive gains or lose money. So just say no and tell your friends to say no too. Here’s why. Almost no financial advisor on commission is going to tell you this, which is why I have to.
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Expat Investing: our new interactive online course – learn everything you need to know to invest sensibly and start making your money work hard for you.
“Every attendee that I’ve spoken to has loved Steve’s workshop.” – Andrew Hallam, author of Millionaire Expat
“Probably the most important workshop of my life.” – Julian Labuschagne, Dubai
“One of the best things I’ve ever done.” – Alison Soltani, Al Ain
OUR WEEKEND WORKSHOP HAS TURNED INTO AN INTERACTIVE ONLINE COURSE – DON’T MISS THIS!