From being an S-League professional footballer to a financial planner now, Australian P.J. Roberts, 34, has always used his head - to score goals and to secure investment yields.
A Singapore permanent resident since last year, he attributes much of his level-headedness, savings-wise, to his mother's influence.
At 21, he turned professional and played for Canberra Cosmos in the Australian National Soccer League. This was after he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he was on a soccer scholarship.
He came to Singapore to play in the S-League in 2003, but he learnt how volatile a football career could be when chronic back pain forced him to retire prematurely that same year at the age of 29.
Thankfully, Mr Roberts - who had always been a disciplined saver - had the means to tide him over that difficult period while he decided what to do next. He was offered a contract with ESPN Star Sports as a football presenter and analyst, a position he still holds.
While still a professional footballer, he had already decided to get a Master of Business Administration (MBA). He said that was his best investment to date. The MBA cost him more than $20,000, which he paid for with his savings.
'I started my MBA in 2001 when I was earning money and wanted to look after it. My studies provided me with the security blanket because the transition took me into financial planning services.'
He completed his MBA at the University of Western Australia, Graduate School of Management, in 2004.
Last year, Mr Roberts, who is single, joined ipac financial planning as a vice-president. He always reminds his clients that risk management includes ensuring a comprehensive health cover.
He should know - he has had more than 10 operations to treat football-related injuries, including a broken cheekbone, broken wrist, and cartilage and tendon damage.
Without insurance coverage, he would have had to cough out more than $100,000 to pay for hospitalisation in Australia, Singapore and the United States.
Q: What are your money habits?
It's about maintaining a balanced lifestyle and quality of life. I'm aware of the importance of savings and never overspend or get myself in credit card debt. I save close to half of my income.
Q: What financial planning have you done for yourself?
Besides my property investments, I have a direct share portfolio in Australian stocks like BHP, QBE, Origin and ASX, which provide good dividends.
I also have an offshore managed fund in a diversified high growth portfolio comprising 80 per cent international equities, 15 per cent international properties and 5 per cent fixed interest and bonds.
I have two cash reserve accounts, in Australian and Singapore currencies. The former is earning 7.25 per cent. Having a cash component is important for risk management and for taking advantage of market opportunities.
Q: Tell us about your property investments?
In 2006, I bought a double storey, four-bedroom house in Brisbane in the inner city area. The annual rental yield is about 4 per cent to 5 per cent, and its value has since appreciated 15 per cent to 20 per cent.
I also have two properties in Singapore. One is a 1,500 sq ft condo purchased in 2006, and I live in a 1,300 sq ft condo that I bought in September last year. Both are in the Serangoon area.
As I intend to make Singapore my home and I have a medium- to long-term perspective, properties are a good hedge against inflation.
Q: What about insurance planning?
I have term and income protection insurance, as my greatest asset is my income. I'm covered for about $1.5 million on my life.
Q: What's your investment philosophy?
Every couple of months, I 'drip feed' some savings into my investment portfolios. I don't time the market and I am a big advocate of growing money through compound interest earnings.
I go for a diversified portfolio with quality assets - blue chip firms and properties with solid fundamentals like location and surrounding amenities. I choose investments that will appreciate over the medium to long term.
Q: Money-wise, what were your growing-up years like?
My money habits were instilled in me since young. I am the eldest in a family of three kids. My parents divorced when I was 11.
Mum, who was a health educator in the university, made me work as a grocery checkout operator at the earliest legal age of 14 and nine months - a highly character- building experience. That same year, I was selected for the Australian Under-16 team to tour Brazil and Argentina.
Once the tour was confirmed, mum set me the goal of providing my own spending money for the trip, and I quickly learnt the value of money. I actually bought my first car at the age of 17 with earnings from football.
My father was involved in football administration and a coach for the national body.
Q; How did you get interested in investing?
While playing professional football, I began looking after my own portfolio. I went to various financial institutions to learn about their offers and how they could assist me. I began researching and reading various journals and books, learning about investment options and principles.
Q: What has been a bad investment?
My venture into the speculative but fun investments of horse and greyhound racing went pretty badly.
My other experience with a few tech stocks when the bubble burst instilled in me the importance of diversification and investing for the long term with good-quality assets.
