Alex Gui wrote a post · Oct 11 07:10

How I Started My Personal Finance Journey: From Index Funds to Options Trading

When I first began my personal finance journey, I had no idea how much my approach to investing would evolve over time. Here’s a quick look at how I got started and how I’ve refined my strategy along the way:

1. Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA) into STI Index Fund with DBS Bank
My first step into investing was with a simple yet powerful strategy: dollar-cost averaging (DCA). I started contributing to the STI Index Fund through DBS Bank. This allowed me to build my portfolio steadily without worrying about market fluctuations. After investing for two years, I decided to stop. Despite steady contributions, I noticed the STI Index was underperforming compared to the US market, which made me shift my focus to more promising opportunities..

2. Exploring Roboadvisors with StashAway
Looking for more diversified options, I explored the roboadvisor platform StashAway. It was a convenient way to automate my investments, but after some time, I decided to stop and look into more active trading strategies.

3. Transitioning to US Stocks and Options
My next move was into US stocks and options trading. I found the US market to offer more variety and opportunities for growth, especially for options trading, which opened new doors for generating returns.

4. Focusing on an Income Strategy Using Options
Over the past year, I’ve focused heavily on income generation through options. By using strategies like covered calls, I’ve been able to create a more predictable cash flow from my portfolio, a key part of my financial plan.

Of course, I still stay invested in $Palantir (PLTR.US)$ and $SoFi Technologies (SOFI.US)$ as part of my core portfolio. Each step of this journey has been a learning experience, and I’m excited to keep refining my strategies as I move forward. Stay tuned for more on income investing and options trading!

Sharing some of my profits this week