Jay Adrian Tolentino, a 38-year-old Filipino financial coach in the UAE, aspires to retire by the age of 55 or younger. He aims to achieve this financial goal by consistently investing in low-cost globally diversified index funds.
However, he does not intend to stop working and wants to earn enough passive income to cover his family’s expenses.
Mr Tolentino lives in Discovery Gardens in Dubai with his wife and son. He also supports his parents in the Philippines.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing but moved into the financial services industry in 2018. He is a registered financial planner and has been living in the UAE for 10 years.
What was your first job and how much did you earn?
My first job was as a call centre agent in the Philippines, where I earned 6,000 pesos ($100) monthly. I stayed in the call centre industry for seven years and by the time I left the Philippines I was earning 30,000 pesos per month. When I moved to the UAE in 2015, my first role was as a call centre agent for Sharaf DG, earning Dh3,700 ($1,007) per month.
Tell us about your current role
I run Free Before Sixty Coaching, as a financial coach for expats who want to retire early. Most of my clients are Filipinos earning good money based across the world. They’ve already achieved some success but their finances are scattered assets here, investments there, no clear plan tying it all together. They’re not sure if they can retire by 50 or 55. My role is to help them see the full picture, build a structured financial road map, and put systems in place so they stop guessing and start executing.
I used to work as an independent financial adviser in 2018 but I realised the products I was selling were ones I wouldn’t invest in. The fees were high and impacted client returns. After reading Andrew Hallam’s The Millionaire Expat in 2020, I decided to leave the industry. I looked for financial coaching jobs but the role didn’t exist. So, I created the role myself. I launched the Pera & Purpose podcast in 2020, started coaching on the side and, this year, I made coaching my main source of income.
Do you manage to save?
Yes, my wife and I save regularly, and we have meaningful savings. We don’t panic during emergencies. For instance, when my wife lost her job recently, it wasn’t a big issue for us. We were able to continue our lifestyle while she looked for a new employer.
What asset classes do you invest in?
I invest in global equities and global bonds domiciled in Ireland, Vanguard LifeStrategy to be very specific, using Interactive Brokers. We also have a retirement lot in the Philippines.
Before, I had invested in assets like crypto, condos and individual stocks in the Philippines. But after learning a lot through personal failures and professional training in financial planning and investment planning, I realised how simple it is to just invest in index funds, never time the market, avoid news and stay invested for the long term.
I stopped investing in rental real estate to avoid concentration risk and because it is illiquid. What I learnt is that investing in global index funds is the easiest way for me to manage risks while still having easy access to cash whenever I need it. I also heavily invest in my coaching business and it has given me far better returns than any other asset class I’ve tried, including the exchange-traded funds.
When did you start investing?
I started investing in 2014 with the Philippines stock market. In 2019, I read Tony Robbins’ Unshakeable and learnt about the importance of global diversification, but it was difficult to implement because the advice was very US-centric. Then I read Andrew Hallam’s The Millionaire Expat and joined the SimplyFI community, which gave me a clear, practical framework for investing as an expat. That’s when I decided to stop investing only in the Philippines and shift to globally diversified index funds.
Have you purchased any property?
Yes, we purchased a vacant lot for our retirement in the Philippines. It cost around Dh370,000 and we’re still paying the mortgage for it.
Do you have any debt?
Yes, we have a mortgage for the lot and a car loan here in the UAE. I hate credit card debt, so I never applied for one. I have never met anyone who told me they became wealthy because of credit card points. Always paying in cash has allowed me to practise delayed gratification, patience and consider the trade-offs of my purchases.
Growing up, were you taught how to manage money?
Not really. We were only taught to save money, study hard, find a company that pays good money, work hard, buy a house, buy a car, have a family and support our parents when they grow old. In my 20s, I used to spend most of my income on Jordans and other sneakers. As I grew older, I learnt that making money is one skill and managing it right is another.
What are your major monthly expenses?
Our major monthly expenses are rent, food, childcare, mortgage and remittances.
How do you manage your income each month?
My wife and I combine our finances and we leave a little allowance for each of us for our remittances and other day-to-day expenses. For me, my allowance is around Dh2,000 for my day-to-day expenses, software subscriptions I need to run my business and for insurance.
I realised the importance of insurance when my father had his second open-heart surgery 10 years ago. He never had any savings and was not insured. My family and I were in debt for four years because of that. It was a wake-up call for me to be responsible with my finances and to never pass that burden to my future child.
We have an emergency fund for each of us, and a sinking fund to manage our short-term goals and expected expenses for the next 12 months.
Have you started saving for retirement?
Yes, we have a retirement fund invested in Vanguard LifeStrategy. Currently, our allocation is 80 per cent stocks and 20 per cent bonds because we plan to retire by the age of 55 or younger. For me, retiring doesn’t mean I’ll fully stop working. It means having enough passive income to cover our expenses so I can continue coaching without the pressure of needing the income.
Do you have an emergency fund?
Yes. Currently, it covers nine months but our goal is to finish building it next year to cover 12. We had to increase our emergency fund because we had our son last year. Childcare and rent are huge expenses in Dubai.
Do you worry about money?
Sometimes, especially when I’m not getting clients or when leads aren’t converting. There are days when I just want a regular job for the steady income. The good thing is we have enough money saved for slow months.
But the best way I’ve learnt to not worry about money is by detaching my definition of success from material possessions. I learnt this from reading The Purpose Driven Life. Now I spend very little on things that don’t align with my purpose and more on things that give me value.
There are days when I just want a regular job for the steady income. Good thing we have enough money saved for slow months
Jay Adrian Tolentino,
Financial coach
My wife had a credit card for groceries only but we recently cancelled it, too. Our car expenses are minimal because I run my business from home. That keeps our finances simple and stress-free.
What are your money-saving habits to deal with rising costs?
What worked well for me is understanding the opportunity cost of whatever I’m buying. If I buy a certain piece of gear, it means I may not be buying something else, or we may delay our plan to travel as a family. I look for ways to immediately recoup the money. Or if it helps me save time, then I can use that extra time to make more money.
But I think about rising costs like a game. You can’t win by defence alone. You also need offence. You can only cut back on your expenses down to the last dirham. Your income, on the other hand, isn’t limited in the same way. You can always learn a new skill or find new ways to add value and each of those can increase what you earn.
What are your financial goals?
Next year, my plan is to be part of a coaching community that makes $30,000 a month and above. Right now, I’m working to consistently hit $10,000 a month.
In the next three years, I want to semi-retire my wife so she can have more time with our son, build a five to eight-member team and run this business while we’re travelling the world with the family.
Of course, fully funding our child’s college fund and our own retirement fund is a long-term goal. Part of my main goals is to also support NGOs involved in financial literacy and improving the overall education system of the Philippines.
What does financial freedom mean to you?
Having enough money to do the things I love with the people I love working with, spending four hours a day on my business, then the rest of my time fully present with my family, whenever and wherever we choose.
Do you want to be featured in My Salary, a bi-weekly column that explores how people around the world manage their earnings? Write to pf@thenationalnews.com to share your story
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Lampedusa: Gateway to Europe
Pietro Bartolo and Lidia Tilotta
Quercus
DUNE%3A%20PART%20TWO
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Denis%20Villeneuve%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Timothee%20Chamalet%2C%20Zendaya%2C%20Austin%20Butler%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6.5-litre%20V12%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E725hp%20at%207%2C750rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E716Nm%20at%206%2C250rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQ4%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C650%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAEInfiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHakbah%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENaif%20AbuSaida%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E22%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-Series%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGlobal%20Ventures%20and%20Aditum%20Investment%20Management%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Francis%20Lawrence%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ERachel%20Zegler%2C%20Peter%20Dinklage%2C%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Tom%20Blyth%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series
Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Ten10 Cricket League
Venue and schedule Sharjah Cricket Stadium, December 14 to 17
Teams
Maratha Arabians Leading player: Virender Sehwag; Top picks: Mohammed Amir, Imad Wasim; UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Zahoor Khan
Bengal Lions Leading player: Sarfraz Ahmed; Top picks: Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman; UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Rameez Shahzad
Kerala Kings Leading player: Eoin Morgan; Top picks: Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir; UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Imran Haider
Pakhtoons Leading player: Shahid Afridi; Top picks: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal; UAE players: Amjad Javed, Saqlain Haider
Punjabi Legends Leading player: Shoaib Malik; Top picks: Hasan Ali, Chris Jordan; UAE players: Ghulam Shabber, Shareef Asadullah
Team Sri Lanka Cricket Will be made up of Colombo players who won island’s domestic limited-overs competition
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
The specs: 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali
Price, base / as tested Dh207,846 / Dh220,000
Engine 6.2L V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque 624Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined 13.5L / 100km
Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic
John Zubrzycki, Hurst Publishers
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
Mohammed bin Zayed MajlisAPPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Killing of Qassem SuleimaniThe%20BaaS%20ecosystem
%3Cp%3EThe%20BaaS%20value%20chain%20consists%20of%20four%20key%20players%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsumers%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20End-users%20of%20the%20financial%20product%20delivered%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDistributors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Also%20known%20as%20embedders%2C%20these%20are%20the%20firms%20that%20embed%20baking%20services%20directly%20into%20their%20existing%20customer%20journeys%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEnablers%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Usually%20Big%20Tech%20or%20FinTech%20companies%20that%20help%20embed%20financial%20services%20into%20third-party%20platforms%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProviders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Financial%20institutions%20holding%20a%20banking%20licence%20and%20offering%20regulated%20products%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Scream%20VI
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Matt%20Bettinelli-Olpin%20and%20Tyler%20Gillett%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Melissa%20Barrera%2C%20Jasmin%20Savoy%20Brown%2C%20Jack%20Champion%2C%20Dermot%20Mulroney%2C%20Jenna%20Ortega%2C%20Hayden%20Panettiere%20and%20Courteney%20Cox%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Palestine and Israel – live updatesEnd of free parking
– paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
– drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
– areas that are currently free to park – around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche – will now require a ticket
– villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
– The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
– Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi’s%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Rashmee Roshan LallIsrael Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
The%20Boy%20and%20the%20Heron
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EHayao%20Miyazaki%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Soma%20Santoki%2C%20Masaki%20Suda%2C%20Ko%20Shibasaki%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A