Skip to content Welcome back to my Monthly Personal Finance Journal here on Peasant Investor!
May has been a banger. With markets flirting with all-time highs again, it’s hard to believe that just two months ago, everyone was shouting about a potential 50% crash. Goes to show that staying invested even when it feels uncomfortable, has once again proven to be the winning move.
Let’s jump into what I actually did with my money this month (Spoiler: not much!) But there are updates worth sharing around my NAB Equity Builder setup and a sneak peek into a new DCA portfolio launching in June (this one’s under my wife’s name to utilise the tax-free threshold).
Superannuation – Slow and Steady Wins the Race
No changes here. My employer contributions continue flowing into Indexed High Growth. With EOFY just around the corner, I’m planning to make additional concessional contributions, taking advantage of the 5 year carry forward cap for those with a total super balance under $500k.
✅ Tip: If you’re not sure how much carry forward room you have, log into MyGov → ATO → Super → Concessional Contributions
NAB Equity Builder – Leveraged Patience
Again, no new buys in May, but April’s additions are crushing it. Let’s talk numbers:
IHVV (iShares S&P 500 AUD Hedged ETF): up 21%
HGBL (Betashares Global Shares Currency Hedged ETF): up 19%
Honestly, I’m kicking myself for not buying more – classic hindsight bias. That said, I’ve raised my NAB EB loan limit to $420k to keep dry powder on hand. So far, I’ve drawn $105k. I will most likely not add to this position until I sort out my new portoflio. That said, if market provides opportunity again I will definitely go hard next time (within my ability to repay monthly!)
Tax Planning 101: New DCA Portfolio Coming Soon
Here’s the exciting bit for June – we’re kicking off a new DCA investment portfolio under my wife’s name. Tax efficiency is the key here, using her tax-free threshold gives us more room to invest without the extra tax.
The assets will be long-term holds, the breakdown can be seen in my previous post. I’ll share the full breakdown in further detail in next month’s journal post, including broker setup, ETF choice and monthly contribution plan.
Portfolio Snapshot
| Investment | Balance | Change $ | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superfund | $183,878.00 | $9,286.00 | 5.32% |
| Moomoo (Options) | $4,228.00 | -$452.00 | -9.66% |
| Fundlater | $10,628.00 | $371.00 | 3.62% |
| NAB Equity Builder NDQ | $51,923.00 | $3,475.00 | 7.17% |
| NAB Equity Builder BGBL | $29,529.00 | $1,299.00 | 4.60% |
| NAB Equity Builder HNDQ | $21,838.00 | $1,518.00 | 7.47% |
| NAB Equity Builder HGBL | $30,163.00 | $5,163.00 | 20.65% |
| NAB Equity Builder IHVV | $29,911.00 | $4,911.00 | 19.64% |
| Total | $362,098.00 | $25,571.00 | 7.06% |
Final Thoughts
That wraps up May’s finance journal. With minimal effort, my portfolio’s return this month outpaced my salary – a reminder that sometimes doing less is doing more and investing with conviction in the right times.
Thanks for reading! I hope these monthly updates give you insights and ideas on your journey in investing. Whether you’re just starting out or already building wealth, feel free to comment, share or email me if you’ve got questions.
Disclaimer: This post is for educational and informational purposes only. I am not a licensed financial adviser and do not provide personalised financial advice. Please do your own research and consult a qualified financial adviser, accountant, or tax agent to determine what’s right for your situation.
