BT Money Hacks

Hosted by The Business Times

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Episodes

288

Latest episode

Sep 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful personal financial tips with expert guests. Hosted by Howie Lim. Produced by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media.

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60 recent

October 4, 202620 min

S1E289: Is the 60/40 portfolio dead? Navigating rate hikes and oil shocks

With the Fed signalling persistent rate hikes and oil shocks stirring global markets, is your portfolio positioned to survive—or thrive? What do rising bond yields, stubborn inflation, and central bank manoeuvres mean for everyday investors? Is the traditional 60/40 portfolio dead? Should you pivot to gold, lock in fixed income, or look to Asian credit for refuge? StashAway’s Stephanie Leung and Fullerton Fund Management’s Angus Hui join correspondent Howie Lim to decode hidden market risks, FX traps, and the institutional strategies you need to build bulletproof wealth today. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 01:21 How high rates squeeze household budgets 05:36 Rethinking the 60/40 portfolio 08:29 Why gold beats bonds as a hedge 13:16 The real cost of staying in cash 14:40 Asia’s cash problem 16:03 Invest with institutional strategies --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With Stephanie Leung, CIO, StashAway and Angus Hui, deputy CIO, Fullerton Fund Management Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 27, 202614 min

S1E288: The psychology of financial clutter: why we accumulate bad investments

Your portfolio might be messier than you think. Most of us don't build investment strategies — we collect financial products the way we hoard old cables and orphaned keys in a kitchen drawer. In this episode of Money Hacks from The Business Times , Howie Lim talks with Bryan Low — wealth management head at KGI Singapore and NTU professor — about why we keep buying without a plan, how loss aversion traps us in bad positions, and the surprising upside of cutting your portfolio down to ten lines. If your financial life needs a clean-out, this conversation is your Marie Kondo moment. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 01:08 The accumulation trap — why buying more isn't a strategy 03:37 Auditing the financial junk drawer 07:11 The cost of product-first thinking 09:00 Decluttering rules 11:05 Decluttering as wealth creation --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With Bryan Low, head of International Wealth Management, KGI Singapore Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 20, 202617 min

S1E287: Ask vs answer: the human edge AI can't replicate

Would you let AI manage your money the way it manages your inbox? Turns out, most of us won't — 76 per cent use AI to crunch the numbers, but only 8 per cent trust it to make the final call. Correspondent Howie Lim sits down with Ishan Sarkar, head of wealth and premier solutions at HSBC Singapore, to explore the "conviction gap" — the moment data has to become a decision. From Gen Z investors to Black Swan events, discover why the smartest financial move might still be a human one. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 01:24 Closing the AI conviction gap 03:03 Is high-touch advice becoming a luxury good 07:39 Where AI value drops and human judgment spikes 12:45 Can AI handle a market crash better than a human 14:54 Will humans ever become replaceable --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With Ishan Sarkar, head of wealth and premier solutions, HSBC Singapore Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 13, 202619 min

S1E286: Strategy over sentiment: why the old property playbook no longer works

Is your dream home a financial trap? Singapore's cooling measures and shifting interest rates have upended the old playbook—Build-to-Orders (BTOs), resale flats, and executive condos (ECs) no longer play by the rules you think you know. Howie Lim and Eugene Lim, president of the Singapore Estate Agents Association, unearths the hidden costs, minimum occupation period (MOP) traps, and stress-tests your finances so your biggest purchase builds wealth, not regret. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 01:13 The hidden time cost of a BTO 03:13 Turning private property into liquid wealth 05:54 ECs - best of both worlds, at a cost 10:03 4 per cent stress test every buyer should run 12:51 The Ministry of National Development (MND)'s big policy shakeup, explained --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With Eugene Lim, key executive officer, ERA and president of the Singapore Estate Agents Association Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 6, 202613 min

S1E285: The $70,000 question: how to master your family's new financial tailwind

Singapore just pledged nearly S$70,000 per child over 16 years — but is that windfall building your family's future, or quietly funding lifestyle creep? Correspondent Howie Lim sits down with SingSaver's Ayush Goyal to dissect how to split, invest, and protect this new child credit stream — from emergency funds to retirement trade-offs — so parents don't waste a single dollar. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 01:07 Dissecting the S$70,000 package into 2 buckets 05:19 Rethinking your emergency fund 07:28 Kids' future vs. your retirement 10:23 The danger of policy dependency --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With Ayush Goyal, Singapore country manager and managing director, SingSaver Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 30, 202624 min

S1E284: The raise paradox: why earning more never feels like enough

You just got a raise. So why does your bank account still feel broke? It’s the lifestyle creep — the sneaky force turning your bigger paycheck into the same old savings. From $8 lattes to subscription traps to the psychology behind "keeping up with the Tans," find out why more income rarely equals more wealth, and what to actually do about it. Warning: may cause spontaneous budgeting. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 00:07 The pay-raise paradox 01:11 What lifestyle creep really means, psychologically 04:12 Three forces silently inflating your expenses 07:12 The one question to ask before spending your next paycheck 09:34 The Warren Buffett rule: why staying humble pays off 22:27 The three-week rule that curbs impulse spending --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With Michelle Mah, founder and psychotherapist, The Curious Bonsai Therapy & Coaching and Wildon Goh, head of Southeast Asia and country head of Singapore. Fidelity International Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim, Nicole Teo & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 23, 202615 min

S1E283: Singapore stocks aren't boring anymore — here's the proof

Your parents' "boring" Singapore dividend stocks only portfolio just had an upgrade nobody told you about. While everyone's obsessing over US tech, Singapore's equity market has quietly doubled its research coverage, attracted real institutional capital, and uncovered small-cap opportunities most investors haven't even heard of. Correspondent Howie Lim sits down with East Spring's Daniel Lau to figure out why "safe" and "boring" are no longer the same thing — and why ignoring this market might be the riskiest move in your portfolio. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 01:00 Singapore's liquidity game-changer 04:37 The hunt for hidden small-cap opportunities 07:08 The optimal mix: 50% Singapore, 50% S&P 09:39 Why resilience recovers faster than high-octane bets 12:44 Global allocators are finally paying attention --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With Daniel Lau, portfolio manager, Eastspring Investments Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 16, 202616 min

S1E282: Behind the institutional veil: what your bank doesn't want you to know about asset allocation

If you think your bank’s “diversified” portfolio is built for your future, think again. In this episode of Money Hacks , we pull back the curtain on the institutional world with Arki Finance founder David Ng. We’re dissecting the "product-first" myths, exposing why your “tick-box” diversification might be failing you, and revealing why your obsession with benchmarks is costing you real outcomes. Stop investing like a hedge fund—start investing for your life. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 01:22 Product-first vs. client-first: the industry's reversed process 05:05 Real diversification vs. "spray and pray" 09:54 Complexity vs. sophistication: finding the simplest real solution 13:20 Benchmarks lie: why your goals matter more than the index --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With David Ng, founder of Arki Finance Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 9, 202615 min

S1E281: The mass affluent trap: too rich for retail, too small for private banking

Your cash isn't safe just because it's sitting still — it's quietly losing to inflation while you wait for "the right time" to invest. Howie Lim gets StashAway's chief investment officer (CIO) Stephanie Leung to explain why the mass affluent get the worst of both worlds, why gold just earned a permanent seat in your portfolio, and why timing the market is a fool's errand professionals gave up on long ago. Stop parking your future. Start compounding it. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 01:03 The underserved mass affluent 03:24 Real world cost of idle cash 07:33 Rethinking the 60/40 portfolio 11:31 Singapore’s cash obsession --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With Stephanie Leung, chief investment officer, StashAway Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 2, 202616 min

S1E280: Market noise vs real signal: are you investing or just guessing?

We obsess over what to buy, but when it’s time to sell—or hold—we often freeze. Market volatility shouldn't trigger a panic-induced sell-off, yet emotion frequently overrides strategy. In this episode of Money Hacks, Howie Lim, Ritesh Ganeriwal, and Kenneth Chan dissect the crucial "portfolio check-in." Learn how to filter signal from noise, why "doing nothing" is a strategic superpower, and exactly when your original plan needs a tune-up. Stop guessing and start managing. Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 01:00 Mastering the when as well as what 05:33 How to know when our portfolio needs a tune up 09:42 When doing nothing is ok 12:44 The sign your original plan needs an overhaul --- Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg. --- Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg) With Ritesh Ganeriwal, head of investment advisory at Syfe and Kenneth Chan, associate financial planner at PhillipCapital Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times , SPH Media --- Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday: Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Amazon: bt.sg/mham Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.