"A salary is a drug they give you to forget your dreams"

About me

I'm Anthony Walsh

I’ve reached financial independence in 2021. This means I never need to work again if I don't need to. I've gained this freedom through conscious spending and an evidence-based approach to investing.

Since then, I've utilized that freedom to follow my passion. I wrote a personal finance book, returned to university, and became a qualified financial adviser.

As a money nerd I was shocked the discover the state of the financial industry. Navigating financial markets already feels like walking through a minefield, and now you gotta fend off financial sharks too?

No way.

I launched Dubai Money Coach to teach people how to invest on their own. This ensures they get a path to financial freedom, are never sold a bad investment, and can save themselves a fortune on investment fees.

After reaching full capacity, I had to turn down clients. It broke my heart not to be in a position to help a fellow expat. So I decided to launch Investing OS, a pre-recorded financial education program to never leave anyone behind ever again.

Why I do this

I’ve lived in the UAE, Singapore, Thailand, Scotland, Ireland,  France, Germany, Poland, and the USA. I’ve seen expats go from a high-flying lifestyle to a mediocre life in the timespan of a few months, just because of poor financial planning. They didn’t invest enough before moving back home and didn’t have anything to show from their time abroad.

These mistakes don’t happen back home. Home allows you to be irresponsible. You can spend away your whole salary, and still rest content in the knowledge that you’ve contributed to your country’s pension plan. You’re covered. It may not be much, but at least you’ll have some semblance of retirement. This coverage doesn’t exist for expats, and you risk walking away with nothing to show for your hard work. This isn’t right.

Your home country allows you to be as irresponsible as you want. In contrast, an expat lifestyle punishes you for it.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Honest advice

From 4% entry fees, 3% commissions, and ridiculous management fees, Wall Street knows no shame. Even when you finally realize how they’re exploiting you and decide to leave, they’ll pile on an “exit-fee” right before you go. These firms will rip you off from start to finish.

This happens because firms know they can get away with it. A study revealed that 45% of middle-aged Americans would rather see a dentist than meet with a financial advisor. Meanwhile a UK study found that people are more likely to get divorced than to change banks. This is a recipe for disaster.

The financial industry is in a sad state. From salesmen masquerading as advisors to firms overcharging their clients, people have had enough. That’s why Do-It-Yourself investing has become so popular.

I hate seeing good people getting ripped off, especially when the cost of financial failure is so great. That’s why I launched Investing OS because expats deserve to get their finances in order, once and for all.

The expat life

Is confusing. Nobody understands your situation. Not your banker, not your friends, nor your family. And finances are even more complicated.

Listen to American financial advice and you’ll hear all about tax-sheltered accounts,  interest-deductible loans, and social security.

Read European financial advice and it’ll assume you have unemployment insurance, free healthcare, and a guaranteed pension.

None of that applies to expats. There’s no pension plan here. No unemployment insurance. And no free healthcare. That requires a very different approach to investing.

For us, Financial freedom is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.