DivGro is now DivGro 2.0!

DivGro moved to another platform and is now DivGro 2.0!

Please enjoy complimentary access to all the content on DivGro 2.0 until I formally launch it! You can sign up for free and join more than 1,100 existing members!

All content will be complimentary until the formal launch of DivGro 2.0. This includes my monthly newsletter and articles like
 How to Assess Dividend Quality and The Chowder Ruleand a live spreadsheet of my DivGro Portfolio.

Read more About DivGro 2.0 ...

Monday, June 11, 2018

Interview with AA40

A while ago, I started corresponding with JB of AA40, a blog in Brazil on becoming financially independent and retiring early. Also known as FIRE, the movement has lots of followers and a growing list of successful pundits.

JB asked me if I would be willing to do an interview with AA40, and after looking at the format of an earlier interview published on AA40, I agreed.

As an expat South African, there are similarities in the investing landscape in Brazil and South Africa that I recognize and appreciate. For example, interest rates are much higher than in the USA, so investing in the stock market instead of depositing your money in a bank is not so self-evident.

Of course, the real issue is how interest rates compare to the rate of inflation. If you earn interest on your investments below the rate of inflation, you're essentially "losing" money (or at least buying power) in the long-run.

In South Africa, the benchmark repo rate is 6.5% and according to this website, savings accounts can earn up to 6.95%, while 5-year fixed term deposits return as much as 12.95%. With a core inflation rate estimated at 4.5% for April 2018, it seems less obvious to be a stock market investor.

I'm not familiar with Brazil's situation, so I have to rely on Google with no local verification. The inflation rate is reported to be 2.86%, while the key Selic rate is pinned at 6.5%. Savings accounts earn up to 5.95%.

In comparison, the current US inflation rate is 2.5%, while savings accounts offer a measly 1.7% and 10-year CD's offer a paltry 3.4%.

To read my interview with AA40, please click on the following link. The interview is in Portuguese and English (scroll to the bottom of the blog page):


Thanks for reading and happy investing!

6 comments :

  1. Thank you so much DivGro for your interview and for posting this about it. We've got lots of comments saying that they will now follow your blog.
    The numbers about Brazil above are right, however inflation is going up again. This is always a concern here.
    Thanks,
    AA40

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, AA40 -- thanks for confirming the Brazil numbers. Inflation seems to be a concern everywhere, also here in the USA. At least it is not yet too high. But I know in SA it remains a big issue.

      Take care and all the best in your FIRE journey!

      Delete
  2. Great Interview.

    Investing in dividends stocks is a good strategie.

    I live in Brazil and I start follow your Blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for visiting and commenting. I hope you find value on my blog!

      All the best with your investing journey!~

      Delete
  3. Excellent! I already follow you DivGro and AA40, he’s a big fellow. It’s good to have some words from a South African investor in USA. I guess we are a lot and uncle Trumps appreciate it !
    I also have a blog that shows my wallet in USA and some ETF in Ireland with some comparisons between Brazilian assets vs USA essets. Me and AA40 talk a lot of about it.

    Cheers!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, BP Milhão -- thanks for visiting and commenting! I appreciate the kind words.

      I like how international my blog has become, with lots of mirror sites all over the world. It is good to get the perspectives of non-USA investors. More experiences are better, in my view!

      Take care and I hope you visit again soon!

      Delete

Please don't include links in comments. I will mark such comments as spam and the comment won't be published. To make me aware of your blog or website, comment on my Blogrole page instead.

Subscribe to Portfolio Insight and Save!

Use my affiliate link to sign up for a free 14-day, no-obligation trial of Portfolio Insight. No credit card required. If you decide to subscribe during the trial period, you'll receive a 20% discount on the first year's annual subscription price of $330. Please note the 20% affiliate discount does not apply to the monthly rate.