Turtle Investor Blog

Chocolate Finance still pays 2% flat on your first $20k. But it's not a bank and there's no deposit insurance. I've been using it since 2024. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/chocolate-finance-review/

The Singapore Savings Bonds (SSB) September 2026 issue pays 1.52% in the first year and a 2.25% average over 10 years. Both rates are up from August. This is on-par with effortless SingLife (1.5%) yield. Rates could start looking attractive in a few months. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/singapore-savings-bonds-ssb-september-2026/

Where do I park my spare cash in Singapore? My boring, no-hoops setup for Q3 2026: a few liquid accounts, one simple overflow rule, and zero rate-chasing. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/cash-strategy-singapore-update/

Singaporeans will spend S$1b more in JB once the RTS Link opens in 2027. Sounds bad for suburban malls? https://www.turtleinvestor.net/frasers-centrepoint-trust-rts-link/

Frasers Centrepoint Trust average cost of debt is currently at the level last seen 4 years ago (3.0%) from the highs of Q1 2024 (4.3%). According to FCT, a 10 basis point i.e. 0.10% move in rates shifts distribution per unit by about 0.05 cents. FCT last distribution in May 2026 was 6.136 cents. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/frasers-centrepoint-trust-update-fy2026-q3/

Frasers Centrepoint Trust is in the $2.1b Bayshore Drive winning bid, but only for the mall. For once it is building one from the ground up instead of buying it. What that means if you hold FCT. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/frasers-centrepoint-trust-bayshore-drive-bid/

FCT is selling White Sands for $467m. Here's what I think the money is really for. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/frasers-centrepoint-trust-white-sands-sale/

June 2026 headline: Our Biggest Expense Wasn't Really An Expense? https://www.turtleinvestor.net/fire-trial-june-2026/

SSB August 2026 is out: 1.46% in year one, 2.06% over 10 years. Almost flat for 3 months straight. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/singapore-savings-bonds-ssb-august-2026/

Electricity tariff for Q3 up 17%

Syfe REIT+ rebalanced in March 2026. Centurion Accommodation REIT joined, Far East got trimmed, and here's why my portfolio doesn't match the index it tracks. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/syfe-reit-rebalancing-mar-2026/

SSB July 2026 application is closing at 9pm today: 1.46% in year one, 2.11% over 10 years. Flat again. Worth it this month, or park your cash somewhere better? My quick monthly read. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/singapore-savings-bonds-ssb-july-2026/

Singapore's SORA interest rate is near 1% (only) and the refinancing window for S-REITs is wide open. Here's how falling borrowing costs flow through to your DPU, plus the Fed signal that could change the picture. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/reits-and-sora/

A $1,223 hosting bill hit in May 2026. Total spend still $5 under our 12-month average. Dividends carried the month to a $1k surplus. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/fire-trial-may-2026/

Must-read to understand why Singapore retail REITs = unique asset class. SG Retail REITs are different from countries like the US. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/shopping-malls-oversupply-cookie-cutter-shops-retail-in-focus-6183421

I've paid for YNAB every year since 2013, through a price model that went from US$60 once to US$109 per year. My updated review on whether a paid budgeting app is still worth it in 2026, after more than a decade of daily use. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/ynab-review-singapore/

April 2026 was the month family took the spotlight, our Family bucket ran 59% over its average. The total monthly spend still landed within 3% ($90) of our trailing 12-month figure. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/fire-trial-april-2026/

After a fat-surplus January and a red February, March did neither. Spending roughly halved to $1,629! https://www.turtleinvestor.net/fire-trial-march-2026/

Chinese New Year spiked one category 952%. Total spend? Only $740 above our 12-month average. But a light February income tipped us into our first shortfall of the series. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/fire-trial-february-2026/

FIRE expense report is back! Spent about 90% of January overseas. Mostly Thailand. Three weeks in Bangkok, one at the beach in Hua Hin. Travel spending jumped 314%. You'd expect the monthly budget to blow up , but it didn't. Total expenses landed just $471 above my 12-month average. Domestic life pauses when you're away. Full breakdown in the blog post. https://www.turtleinvestor.net/fire-trial-january-2026/