Coronavirus has increased reliance on the internet due to widespread lockdowns and social distancing rules. Amid the pandemic, Graham Chin started his YouTube channel in 2020 to share his experiences on personal finance and investment in hopes of improving Hongkongers’ financial literacy. Here, he explains what shaped his mindset and paved his investment journey.

 

Tell us a bit about yourself.

 

Hi I’m Graham. I graduated from Boston University three years ago and returned to Hong Kong to help with my parents’ business. I’ve also started my own YouTube Channel ‘Earn with you (和你賺)’ a year ago to share my investment experience with others. 

 

(Photo Courtesy of Graham Chin)

 

Did your upbringing influence your view of money?

 

I think my saving habit is mainly influenced by my parents. They don’t splurge or spend money carelessly. Since I studied Economics and Finance back in university, I have some foundational knowledge on how to read company financial statements or analyse global markets. I’d also watch investment-related videos on YouTube to improve my financial knowledge. On top of that, I often exchange views on the stock market with my younger brother who worked at a securities firm. 

 

Let’s talk about your relationship with money - when was your money moment?

 

When I was young, my parents would ask me to do household chores in return for a few dollars. They’d then ask me to save the money up for things I like - that’s how I developed my saving habit. 

 

(Shared by 和你賺 Earn with You (@earnwithyou) on Instagram)

 

Share with us your investment journey. How did your view of investment change with time?

 

I only started investing after I graduated because I wanted to have another stream of income and the starting salary of my first job wasn’t great. I also bought some cryptocurrencies and other passive investment funds like ETFs on the side. 

 

To be honest, I’ve tried day trading for some time but stopped after losing money. The volatility of the  markets  was personally highly stressful as  it requires close monitoring. So nowadays I prefer a long-term investment approach where I hold the stocks for a longer period of time and forego chasing the short term gains. 

 

What recommendations do you have for people managing their personal finances? 

 

I think our views on wealth management change as we enter different life stages. To me, there are three pillars to wealth management. First is saving to gradually accumulate wealth. Second is controlling your expenses and living within your means. Third is investing to grow your money. Although they may sound simple, it takes skills, experience, discipline, and patience to master these three aspects and achieve your long-term financial goals. 

 

(Photo Courtesy of Graham Chin)

 

What are your money goals?

 

I believe many of the young people’s goal is to buy their first property in Hong Kong and I’m no exception. I think it’s very difficult to save enough money for your initial down payment just from your salary. Through investing and creating multiple streams of income, I hope to buy a flat before 30. For me, I try to put half of my salary into a separate savings account to avoid excessive spending. You must also rely on investment to grow your money. So I will continue to study and improve my investment skills to hopefully reach my goal. 

 

 

 

 

 

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