MY 2023 INVESTING PLAN

Personal blog

2022 showed many investors flames, including myself. 2023, I am building on what I have achieved in prior years, but also making a few changes. I neglected a few aspects of my 2022 plan and it is time to get back on the wagon.

I will be focusing on 7 areas of my financial plan:

1. Emergency Fund
2. Savings/Stokvels
3. Homeloan
4. TFSA
5. JSE Investing
6. USD Investing
7. Cryptocurrencies

EMERGENCY FUND

An emergency fund (EF) is a pool of money set aside for unforeseen expenses or financial emergencies that may arise in the future. The fund is typically made up of savings and is meant to be used as a financial cushion to cover unexpected expenses, such as medical bills, car repairs, or job loss.

Having an EF can help us to avoid going into debt or relying on credit cards or loans to cover unexpected expenses. The fund can also provide peace of mind, as we know that they have a financial safety net in case of an emergency.

I have a 6-month emergency fund saved up. The amount I have has not kept up with inflation, so my first priority is to add to my EF monthly to bring it in line with inflation.

My EF is split 50/50 between a Capitec Savings account and my homeloan. I earn 3.5% interest in the Capitec account, and I save 9.1% interest by keeping it in my FNB Homeloan Account. Where you save your EF is not as critical as having the money available immediately. Emergencies never ask for permission before they happen.

SAVINGS

I have always been a saver, but we all know how hard it is to save when you see some of your favourite stocks going on sale. Not this year. Discipline will be the order of the day. I have four savings plans this year:

1. The R350 per week challenge: This challenge is the dreamchild of my friend and fellow investor, Ess Mukumbo. We save R350 per week to achieve R15 400 by December. You can adjust the amount to any amount that suits your budget. The aim is not the amount you save but building yourself into the habit of saving.
2. KeDezemba Grocery Stokvel: This is something I started with my close friends many years ago. We were sitting one December and complaining about how much food and drinks set us back in December because the kids are home or we are constantly entertaining. We decided there and then that we will save for ten months of the year as a group, buy in bulk Black Friday week and focus on the things that make us broke in December, be it wood, cold-drinks, juice, meat etc. This year I brought the stokvel to social media and over 40 people have joined and started saving. It is really easier to be accountable to a large number of people , rather than going at it alone.
3.  Black Friday Savings Club: Black Friday is a day to buy things that you really dont need, but want. Planning for it is critical, so that you are not out of pocket. You save the monthly amount that will get you to your item. Those of us who have no idea what we want are saving R500 per month. Last year I finally bought a Samsung Galaxy watch on Black Friday for R2000 off. This year I am eyeing a few sets of air-tags or maybe a kitchen appliance.
4. Retail Savings Bonds: If I am blessed to get a bonus this year, I will be making a lumpsum payment into the 5-year retail bond. I will take 20% for myself and invest the rest with National Treasury.

HOMELOAN

Twenty years to pay off a home just does not sit right with me. I have done my calculations and if I double my instalment, I can cut the 20 down to 7 years and save hundreds of thousands in interest. But where will this money come from? I promise I do not have double my instalment lying around. I am going to hustle like never before and invest every penny I make into my homeloan, minus the taxes of course.

Some people have asked what side hustles I perform. You are reading one of them right now, I write. I love writing, especially about finances. I have turned that into income. I write for FinMeUp, JustOnelap and a few other ad hoc blogs. I also do social media marketing for brands, like ThinkMarkets, Luno, Franc, Xemoto etc.

My most loved side hustle is Coaching and Mentoring. Teaching one-on-one and watching students grow their portfolios will never get old. Helping a mentee pay off debt or finally understand budgeting brings me great joy.

Find what you love. That is the best advice I can give. A side hustle should not feel like a main hustle. You will burn out.

TFSA

Today is the start of the new tax financial year. I have transferred my R36,000 into my TFSA. I have been saving it for the past few months and the excitement got the better of me this morning, so I jumped in with one foot. I have no idea when I will buy the actual ETFs, but once money leaves my bank account into one of my investment accounts, it no longer belongs to me. It belongs to my future self.

I am sticking with the ETFs I already have. You can see my previous post for ETF Picks.

JSE INVESTING

The Rand has been consistently weakening against the Dollar, so investing offshore is becoming increasingly expensive if you are earning in ZAR. 2023, I will focus more on my JSE portfolio than my USD portfolio.

Stocks that I am adding include Curro, Kumba, Redefine, Vukile, SABvest Capital and Sibanye Stillwater at the right prices. All of these stocks are already in my portfolio, but I have not built full positions yet unlike Renergen, Grindrod, Lewis and Purple Group. I am keeping a close eye on earnings reports and the technical charts to guide my entries. Buy at the right price and be patient.

I have done write-ups on most of the stocks in my portfolio. Please refer to them here on the app.

USD INVESTING

I have only built full positions in a few of my USD companies, so still a lot of building left to do. The exchange rate will play a critical role in how much money I move offshore this year. I believe an exchange rate of between R16 R17 to be fair.

I am very intentional about the amount of Growth Stocks versus Blue-chip Stocks I add to my USD portfolio this year. 40% Growth and 60% blue chips. During recessions, blue chips are more resilient.

A growth stock is a type of stock issued by a company that is expected to grow at a rate faster than the overall market. These companies typically reinvest their profits back into the business rather than paying dividends to shareholders. The expectation is that the reinvested profits will result in increased earnings and share price growth over time. Growth stocks are generally considered riskier than value stocks because their potential for future earnings is not yet fully realized. However, they also have the potential for higher returns for investors who are willing to take on that risk.

My growth stocks: Celsius, Cloudflare, FUBO, NIO, SOFI, Shopify

A blue-chip stock is a stock of a well-established and financially stable company with a long history of sound financial performance, strong balance sheet, and consistent dividend payments. Blue chip companies are typically market leaders in their respective industries, have a large market capitalization, and are widely recognized and respected by investors.

My blue-chips: Amazon, Microsoft, Walmart, Waste Management, Realty Income, Altria, Nike, Nvidia

CRYPTOCURRENCIES

I invest 10% of my monthly investment allowance into crypto. My crypto plan remains unchanged from 2022. I invest in crypto every Friday. I buy the same coins every single week: Ethereum, Bitcoin, Solana, Matic, Cardano, Binance Coin and Hedera Hashgraph. I own a few smaller coins and I intend to hold them till the next bull cycle. This space is a very emotional space, so I have taken all the emotions out of it and automated my process.

Write down your plan for 2023. 1 March is more unemotional than 1 January when everyone is filled with eternal bliss. You are more likely to stick to the plan, as it will be well thought out and the tax consequences of your accounts will be top of mind.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this article should be seen as financial advice. Everything stated is for educational purposes only. Always do your own due diligence.