Arigato, {{ first name | dear investor }},
A few days ago, I came across a social media post that claimed you need millions of dollars before you can retire comfortably in Singapore. 🤔
Many people believe they need $3 million, $5 million, or even more before they can achieve financial freedom.
But I think we're asking the wrong question.
Instead of asking: "How much money do I need?"
Perhaps we should start with:
"How much income do I actually need every month to live the life I want?"
For simplicity, let's look at three different lifestyles:
🌱 Basic: $2,500/month
😊 Flexible: $5,000/month
✈️ Freedom: $10,000/month
That translates to:
• $30,000 per year
• $60,000 per year
• $120,000 per year
Now let's work backwards.
Option 1: CPF Retirement Account (4%/yr)
Many Singaporeans rely heavily on CPF for retirement planning.
Given it’s a 4%/yr return, here's approximately how much capital you'd need:
🌱 Basic → $750,000
😊 Flexible → $1.5 million
✈️ Freedom → $3 million
When I saw these numbers, one thought immediately crossed my mind.
If your goal is to generate $10,000 a month in passive income, relying solely on CPF would mean building a $3 million portfolio.
That's a very long journey for most people.
Option 2: Investing In The S&P 500 (~7%/yr)
Historically, the S&P 500 has delivered around 11% annual returns before inflation. But to keep things conservative, let's assume a 7% annual return adjusted for inflation.
Now the numbers become:
🌱 Basic → $430,000
😊 Flexible → $860,000
✈️ Freedom → $1.7 million
Notice something interesting?
The amount of capital required is almost half compared to the CPF RA example.
That's the power of allowing your money to compound in productive businesses.
Option 3: ETFs + Options (~15%/yr)
This is my favourite approach!
Over the years, I've gradually shifted the majority of my portfolio into diversified ETFs combined with options strategies.
The reason is simple.
I wanted a portfolio that could generate cash flow while still participating in long-term market growth.
Now let's just assume a 15% annual return:
🌱 Basic → $200,000
😊 Flexible → $400,000
✈️ Freedom → $800,000
Now compare all three approaches.
To generate $10,000 per month:
CPF (4%) → $3 million
S&P 500 (7%) → $1.7 million
ETFs + Options (15%) → $800,000
That's a huge difference.
That's how I was able to build my million-dollar portfolio over the last 10 years. By combining ETFs with options strategies, I've been able to achieve stronger returns while maintaining a more peaceful investing journey. 😊
The Real Lesson
I’m not saying that CPF RA is bad.
In fact, I still appreciate CPF RA for its stability and guaranteed returns.
Rather, the lesson is this:
Your financial freedom number depends heavily on how effectively your money works for you.
Most people spend years trying to earn more.
But very few spend time learning how to invest better.
Yet investing is often the skill that makes the biggest difference.
Because the better your investing skills become, the less money you may actually need to achieve the same lifestyle.
Ready To Level Up Your Investing Game?
If you'd like to learn the exact ETFs+ Options investing approach that I used to build my million-dollar portfolio, I'll be teaching it step-by-step during my upcoming 3-Day Options to Freedom Bootcamp this July.
Inside the bootcamp, I'll share everything I personally use, including:
✔ How I choose ETFs for long-term growth
✔ How I generate additional cash flow using options
✔ How I manage risk and market volatility
✔ How you can build your own financial freedom through investing
And if you're wondering whether this approach works for ordinary investors, feel free to browse through some of my students' results after attending the bootcamp and taking action.
Many of them were genuinely surprised by what they were able to achieve once they had a clear investing framework and the confidence to apply it.
You can see their results here:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bbzJlnf_F9y_uOpNqJABOSlNSLMQjJzSHhqDHg25QU0/edit?usp=sharing
Who knows?
The next success story could be yours. 😊
Meanwhile, check out this 👇
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Arigato!
Chloe
Arigato Investor
Just a quick heads-up 🌸 Except for Instagram, where I may reply if you comment on my posts, I’ll never initiate a private message to you on any platform. So if you ever get a DM from someone claiming to be “Chloe” or “The Arigato Investor” on Telegram or TikTok — please know that’s not me. It’s a scammer impersonating my account. Stay safe and always double-check 💛
The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Readers should seek their own independent financial advice before making any investment decisions. Please note that the opinions expressed in this newsletter are Chloe's own and do not represent the views of any organization. Always perform your own research and due diligence before investing. 💛
