Cash Back Credit Cards: Which One Is The BEST (AUG 2025)?

Regarding credit cards, there are always debate on its good and bad sides.

To me, the benefits of credit card outweighs the drawbacks.

The main disadvantage of credit card is that the users spend beyond their ability to pay back in full, resulting in late payment charge and high finance charge from 15% to 18% per annum.

As long as you plan your credit card spending carefully, I think credit card is a great tool that helps in financial planning.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of credit cards.

Home Solar PV System: How Much Can It Really Save?

 

Three months ago I wrote a post about installing a home solar PV system "Home Solar PV System: A No Brainer?".

Now, my home solar system has been up and running for more than 2 months.

It's time to share my short experience and how much money I can actually save.

Is residential solar system under NEM scheme really worth it?

My Portfolio Jun25

Summary of Jun 2025

Portfolio @ End of Jun25

 

Jun25 was not a good month to me as my portfolio shrank 1.1%, increasing YTD loss to 9.7%.

Share price of JHM dropped 17.3% in the month. It suddenly plunged 15% on 20 Jun25 with relatively high volume.

I'm not sure what was brewing but it didn't look good. It's unlikely to be due to poor quarter result as the financial period has not ended yet.

Anyway, its next quarter result is not expected to be good.

My Portfolio May25

Summary For May 2025

Portfolio @ End of May25

In May25, my portfolio gained 1.5% thanks to KFIMA & FOCUSP.

However, YTD it still suffers 8% loss, matching KLCI's lackluster performance.

I decided to reduce my shares in TAS, even though it's expected to deliver a decent result next quarter.

FOCUSP's FY25Q1's revenue and PAT both improved YoY to RM72.9mil & RM7.9mil (EPS 1.71sen) which is good. There was RM0.7mil of inventories written down/off in the quarter.

Anyway, its F&B segment swung back into loss which is a slight disappointment.

A 1.75sen interim dividend was declared, as expected and similar to last year.

My Portfolio Apr25

 Summary For April 2025

Portfolio @ End of Apr25

April was a month with roller coaster ride. 

Stock market fell sharply after the US announced its shocking reciprocal tariffs on 2nd of April but manage to climb back up at the end of the month.

The KLCI still gained 1.75% in the month, and my portfolio manage to breakeven.

The stock market crawled back after the crazily high tariffs were paused for 90 days except for China.

Now more than a month has passed and it seems like no single deal has been agreed on. There seems to be no real breakthrough in the firm stance between the US and China.

Thus, there are still lots of uncertainties lingering around. The US's GDP in Q1 2025 has already shrank 0.3% QoQ.

Will the US give up on its original plan? Will the US and the world go into recession?

Home Solar PV System: A No Brainer?

 

Few years ago, I heard that to install home solar panels, the minimum cost was well above RM20-30k, and the payback period was around 10 years.

I'm not sure how true was it as I didn't do further research.

Last year, I heard that the cost has dropped significantly to less than RM20k and it took less than 5 years to recoup the initial investment.

Now, it is almost "zero cost upfront" with instant return on investment. 

It's just like in property investment when the developer gives 10% discount, free stamp duties/legal fees & DIBS so you don't need to pay anything before the VP, and then you rent out the property immediately with positive cashflow for 10 years.

Can you believe it?

My Portfolio Mac25

Summary For March 2025

 

Portfolio @ End of Mac25

Stock market continues to be lackluster in the month of March in which KLCI fell heavily at 3.9%.

My portfolio suffered small loss of 0.3% in the month, bringing the YTD loss to 8.9%.

I guess almost every investor who holds stocks will make paper loss at this stage of the year.

Sentiment was really bad in early to mid March, so I took the opportunity to top up some shares.

However, it's still too early to tell whether my decision is right or wrong.

Who Can Be EPF Millionaires?

EPF or KWSP has just declared 6.3% dividend rate for 2024 for both conventional & shariah accounts, which is the highest since 6.9% in year 2017.

Even though the guaranteed minimum dividend rate is 2.5%, EPF always outperforms by a good margin.

In the last 14 years, 9 years saw its dividend at 6% or above.

It was reported that in FY24, EPF recorded investment income of RM74.46bil, up 11% from RM66.99bil in FY23.

Its total payout in FY24 is RM73.24bil (98.4%), compared to RM57.81bil (RM86.3%) in FY23.

Who Will Win The Trade War?

On 4th of March 2025, US has imposed 25% tariffs on import from Canada & Mexico, and at the same time increased tariffs on China import to 20% from 10% just imposed a month ago.

The stock market reacted negatively as there are lots of uncertainty.

Trump stressed that the tariffs will revive US manufacturing sector and create more jobs, and will not increase the cost of living of its citizens. Is it true?

Anyway, it's almost certain that those countries being imposed the tariffs will suffer, and they will retaliate with tariffs against the US.

In the end, who will win? Or may be there will be no winner?

My Portfolio Feb25

Summary of February 2025

Portfolio @ End of Feb25

Feb25 is a very bad month to my portfolio which fell 6.8%, with YTD loss widened to 8.8%.

As you can see there was only one stock which made a tiny gain in the month while the rest all suffered loss which a few losing more than 10%.

This is probably due to the Trump effect which causes lots of uncertainty.

Are investors bracing themselves for a bear market in 2025?

Case Study: Property Investment No.1

 

My first property purchase, which was also my biggest investment at that time, was a home for my family.

It was in August of 2009 which was around 15.5 years ago.

The property is a newly launched double storey semi-detached (DSSD) house in a gated community bought at a price of RM348,000 directly from property developer.

I was lucky because at that time the property boom was just about to start.

The selling price of new similar properties in the vicinity increased rapidly, in which new launches were snapped up like buying vegetables in the market.

At the time when I moved into my new house in the fourth quarter of 2012, the market value was already close to RM500,000.

Currently the launching price of new smaller size DSSD in the same area is well above RM700,000.

My Portfolio Jan25

 Summary of January 2025

Portfolio @ End of Jan25

The stock market made a bad start to the year of 2025. KLCI dropped 5.2% while my portfolio shrank by 1.9% in the first month of 2025.

In the same month, I added KFIMA into my portfolio, as I think it has low PE, decent DY and some potential of growth.

I also applied for IPO of KOPI and I was very lucky that I got it successfully. However, as you all know, the number of shares allocated was very small.

At IPO price of 44sen, initially I planned to sell at 88sen with 100% gain but suddenly I changed my mind to sell all shares as soon as trading started because I would not have time to monitor its share price in the whole morning.

Anyway, it's still a 70% gain, despite relatively small in value.

My Portfolio Dec24

 Summary of December 2024

Portfolio @ End of Dec24

My portfolio gained 2.1% in Dec24, making the whole year of 2024 an average year with a 13.2% return.

It is just on par with KLCI's 13% annual gain.

This feels like a disappointing year for me, as my portfolio declined from over 40% gain in the middle of the year. 

Anyway, it's still a positive return and I should be satisfied with it.