What I Actually Do With My Money
Every finance newsletter tells you what to do with your money.
This one shows you what I actually do with mine.
No theory. No generic advice. Real numbers, real moves, real context from someone living and investing in the Gulf.
The Portfolio
Here's my current portfolio. Six positions. Nothing exotic.
ARAMCO — the backbone. Saudi Arabia's cash machine, listed on Tadawul. I hold this for the dividend and the stability. It's not exciting. That's the point.
JARIR BOOKSTORE — a GCC retail name with a loyal customer base, consistent cash flows, and a dividend track record that holds up. Under-discussed outside the Kingdom.
SAUDI ETF — broad Tadawul exposure. One position, diversified across the Kingdom's largest companies. Low effort, low cost, captures Vision 2030 upside without stock-picking risk.
US ETF — my dollar hedge. SAR is pegged to the dollar, but holding US equity adds a layer of geographic diversification most GCC investors skip entirely.
AL RAJHI BANK — the largest Islamic bank in the world. Sharia compliant, dividend paying, deeply embedded in the Saudi economy.
SAUDI SUKUK — Islamic fixed income. The stabiliser in the portfolio. When equities move, this barely flinches.
The One Thing I Did This Month I Want You To Notice
I did nothing.
The money moved automatically. A fixed amount left my bank account on the first of the month and landed in my investment account before I could think about it. I didn't log in. I didn't check the market first. I didn't wait for a dip.
This is the whole system. Remove the decision. Remove the emotion. Let the structure do the work.
Portfolio update
Overall growth since I started — 5%. Not dramatic. Completely fine. Compounding doesn't look impressive in month one. That's what month twelve is for.
Next issue: The one number I track every month and why it tells me more than my portfolio balance ever could.
— The Quiet Compounder