How much debt should I have?

Dear Afonso,How much debt should I have? Of course the answer is none. But every individual has a unique situation, and there are no definitive answers that can guarantee financial success for everyone. We can use developed countries’ lending rules to limit the amount of money one can borrow as a rule of thumb for … Read more

Can I double my money within six months?

I have USD5,000 in a bank but it’s just sitting there and not earning interest. What’s the best way for me to invest it? Ideally I would like to double that in six months. Any advice or options? So you want to double your money in six months. Great! That means 100 percent return in half-year, which compounded annually is 400 … Read more

Is Vietnam considered an emerging market?

Is Vietnam considered an emerging market? What is an emerging market anyway? Back in the early 1980s, from a political “Western” perspective the world was geo-politically divided into three main areas: the first world, mainly Western hemisphere countries – divided by the imaginary line of the Iron Curtain – which were pro-US and pro-capitalism; the second world, mainly Eastern hemisphere countries, pro-USSR and pro-socialism; and … Read more

Invest Wisely

Dear Afonso, I want to invest my money but how do I know the investment companies in Vietnam are legitimate and not just shell companies that will take my money and then disappear the next day? I’ve even heard that people have created fake branches here using well-known investment firm names.Before answering your question, we … Read more