Showing 1 - 10 of 39
The business of living life as an expat
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 07/09/2014
» Expats living abroad are often surprised at the effort required to effectively manage their affairs. Those of us who have left our home countries have usually not emigrated in a single step, yet many resolve not to go back to live in their home country if they can help it.
Do you have adequate retirement reserves?
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 10/08/2014
» Following the last Net Worth column, "Boom or bubble?", a number of readers asked questions about their personal situations and whether they had adequate retirement reserves. "Is there a bubble that is about to burst?" was the question that left many believing that they would be personally affected if that were to happen. In that light, if you are currently reliant on income from investments, are your reserves sufficient and should you be moving them to areas where they will be better protected?
Risk vs return — what to do next?
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 29/06/2014
» Yield investors beware! Are we talking bond yields or equity yields? How different are the two?
The intricacies of self-managed investing
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 01/06/2014
» Many expats manage their own investment portfolios and in doing so experience varying degrees of results. It would be easy to measure these as success or failure, but investment decisions do not really result in success or failure — they are simply subject to consequences.
A different view of property investments
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 09/02/2014
» Property is a very popular long-term investment. This is because most expats own their home in their country of origin. It is thus second nature to be accustomed to property ownership. When living abroad one can find a multitude of different profitable investment opportunities, but property seems familiar; because of previous experience it gives investors a degree of comfort, helped further by its visible and physical presence.
A brand new year or just another day?
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 12/01/2014
» Every year we enter a new era in some people's eyes, and with it an opportunity to begin anew. We make resolutions which we feel will improve our lives or bring us what we were lacking in the previous year.
Easing into property-related holdings
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 29/09/2013
» In our last article we looked at alternative investment opportunities available via equities and the S&P 500. This general topic was clearly popular and some readers have asked for more details. Others were keen to explore the possibilities of additional alternative investments. Some want to invest in property assets but do not wish to actually buy the physical asset as they find the cost prohibitive.
Finding safe and sound alternative investments
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 15/09/2013
» Investors' expectations have been reshaped since the turmoil of the 2008 financial crisis. Whereas solid returns from traditional investments were once the norm, today's investor is happy to beat inflation expectations. Finding good opportunities is another matter altogether.
Contrarian investing: dangerous or rewarding?
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 21/04/2013
» Some say that contrarian investing _ investing that goes against prevailing market trends _ is playing with fire. The very few others, who are successful contrarians, simply take it in their stride and enjoy their achievements. You have often heard me say that the only constant is change. When it comes to investing, many individuals have trouble dealing with change; they are too subjective about their asset allocations and what they ought to be doing. In this respect, you can actually be your own worst enemy. Failure to constantly monitor your portfolio to ensure that change is accounted for can be fatal.
Energy investing - the next frontier?
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 14/04/2013
» Black or transparent gold for you _ and a silver lining? Fossil fuel commodities such as oil and natural gas may be just the ticket for investors looking for a high return in a low-yield environment. But beware of the inherent volatility in these risky assets.