Awedio.sg is now part of the SPH Media website.

S1E288: The psychology of financial clutter: why we accumulate bad investments

Published on 28 Sep 2026
Share

Your portfolio might be messier than you think. Most of us don't build investment strategies — we collect financial products the way we hoard old cables and orphaned keys in a kitchen drawer. In this episode of Money Hacks from The Business Times, Howie Lim talks with Bryan Low — wealth management head at KGI Singapore and NTU professor — about why we keep buying without a plan, how loss aversion traps us in bad positions, and the surprising upside of cutting your portfolio down to ten lines. If your financial life needs a clean-out, this conversation is your Marie Kondo moment.

Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips.

Highlights:

01:08 The accumulation trap — why buying more isn't a strategy

03:37 Auditing the financial junk drawer

07:11 The cost of product-first thinking

09:00 Decluttering rules

11:05 Decluttering as wealth creation

---

Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.

---

Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg)

With Bryan Low, head of International Wealth Management, KGI Singapore

Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro

Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh

A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media

---

Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday:

Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks

Amazon: bt.sg/mham

Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe 

Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN 

YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt

Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks

Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. 

---

Discover more BT podcast series:

BT Correspondents: bt.sg/btcobt

BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus

BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM

BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.