1-Year of Putting up with Financial Newsletters (thank you!)

Or should i say "sorry!"? Lets take it easy today and remind ourselves of some good ol' lessons from the past year.

You read that right. A year ago today marks the first edition.

Since then, we’ve gone through a lot together.

First was transitioning to substack.

Cutting the emoji’s.

Posting on Linked-In.

Then, a formatting facelift.

I scrapped the essay format to introduce something a bit more digestible.

Something more direct.

But through all the changes, there has been quite a high level of consistency.

My honesty, transparency, and effort have stood persistent.

And my fundamental ideas, though always under my scrutiny, are at the core of my content.

Here are my top 3 reflections of the year.

3. The Personal Finance Identity

Though not evident over the past year, the identity is everywhere.

Disposable income is the kingpin of financial decision-making.

With high disposable income, we can:

Save.

Invest.

Spend (at your discretion).

And repay debt.

The best part - high disposable income doesn’t demand high employment earnings.

If you can live within your means,

that is, keep your non-discretionary expenses in check,

more disposable income can go in the right direction.

2. Financial Tracking

Here is where it all began.

Before the newsletter and before business school,

I have been tracking my finances for six years (nerd 🥸).

I understand that financial tracking might seem labourious.

But honestly, learning is driven by labour.

I have learned a lot from categorizing my expenses.

Like what my priorities are when cash is tight

And where I spend it when it's abundant.

Beyond learning, tracking is a budgeting game changer.

Because over time, my trackers contribute to a massive database

that I can reference as I plan for the future.

I can redefine my priorities and set new goals,

knowing what is practical and realistic for me.

Give it a try - the result is relieving and fulfilling.

1. Pay Yourself First

Funny enough, I don’t have a single edition dedicated to this.

PYF is entangled in almost every edition but doesn't have its own.

That should say something though…

How much more fundamental can you get?

From tracking to budgeting, saving to repaying debt, PYF appears everywhere.

I have consistently paid myself first since 2020, and the growth is surreal.

I’m no investment wiz, either.

I find 10% of my gross income and tuck it into a separate account.

With that money, I make moderate-risk, long-term investments.

And I live comfortably knowing that I am caring for my future self.

It’s not rocket science.

It’s just responsible (and practical!) financial decision-making.

Another Year of The PFP

What’s in store for the year ahead?

Well, it’s no secret that the newsletter reflects my financial situation.

As I earn more money and plan for my future, 

I foresee a focus on debt repayment, saving, and budgeting.

Of course, things will change.

From my personal life to the newsletter itself, next year surely won’t look like the last.

But that won’t stop me from sharing practical personal finance with you.

Thank you, 1000 times over.

I mean it.