Putting It All Together: My Simple Investing Map for the Next 10 Years

After talking about what investing is, how I split money between savings and deposits, and then exploring bonds, stocks, and index funds, I realise something:

It’s easy to get lost in terms.

What I really need is a simple map I can actually follow for the next 5–10 years.

In this closing part, I just want to pull everything together:

• My three money layers

• How I imagine a simple long-term mix

• What I want to learn from Warren Buffett and Lo Kheng Hong

• A calm checklist before I touch any “investment product”

(Still the same disclaimer: this is not financial advice, only personal learning notes.)

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1. My three layers, in one picture

From the earlier parts, my mental model now looks like this:

Layer 1 – Safety (Savings / Emergency Fund)

• For: daily life and real emergencies

• Where: cash, basic savings account

• Goal: sleep well and don’t panic when something breaks in life

Layer 2 – Parking (Deposits / Fixed Deposit)

• For: money I won’t touch for around 6–12 months

• Where: time deposits / fixed deposits

• Goal: slightly better return, still low risk

Layer 3 – Growth (Bonds + Stocks / Funds)

• For: money I can leave for many years

• Where: bond funds, bond ETFs, stock index funds, sometimes individual stocks

• Goal: long-term growth above inflation, accepting more ups and downs

This series has mostly been about Layer 3 — how to grow the part of my money that is allowed to be patient.

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2. Two role models: Buffett and Pak Lo

I don’t want to copy any investor blindly, but I like using role models as a reference.

Warren Buffett – focus on not losing money

Warren Buffett is famous for his simple but strict rule:

“Rule No. 1: Don’t lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1.” The Independent

Of course, even Buffett has investments that go down. The deeper idea is:

• Avoid permanent loss of capital, not every small fluctuation. Morningstar

• Stay within your circle of competence – don’t buy things you don’t actually understand. GuruFocus

• Look for a margin of safety: buying good businesses at a sensible price instead of chasing hype. Morningstar

That fits the kind of investing I want: slow, boring, and survivable.

Lo Kheng Hong – living from dividends, Indonesian style

Lo Kheng Hong is often called “Indonesia’s Warren Buffett” because he also follows value investing, focusing on strong companies and being patient. My Edisi

In recent years, news reports say that:

• He’s received around Rp 100 billion in dividends in a year from the shares he holds on the Indonesian stock exchange. Bisnis Market

• He often buys large positions in companies like banks, energy, plantations, and collects dividends from them year after year. RCTI

For me, the point is not the number; it’s the principle:

• Choose businesses he understands

• Likes companies that pay real cash dividends

• Lets time and compounding do the work

Between Buffett and Pak Lo, the message feels similar:

Understand what you own, avoid big mistakes, and give your investments enough time.

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3. My simple 10-year map

To make it practical, I imagine my next 10 years in a few steps.

Step 1 – Decide my Safety Number

I start with Layer 1:

• How many months of expenses do I want as a buffer?

  • For example, 3–6 months of basic living cost.

This sits in cash / savings. No drama, no FOMO. This is not investment money; it is stress-reduction money.

Step 2 – Build my Parking Layer

Next, Layer 2:

• For money I won’t need in the next 6–12 months (but still want to keep quite safe), I can use deposits / fixed deposits.

• The goal is stability, not “getting rich”.

If current deposit rates in my bank are not amazing, that’s fine. This layer is more about capital preservation and small, predictable returns, not chasing high yield.

Step 3 – Define my Growth Bucket

Only after Layers 1 and 2 feel okay, I think about Layer 3:

• This is money I can leave for 5–10+ years

• I accept that it will go up and down

• I promise myself not to panic every time the chart turns red

Within Layer 3, I keep it simple:

• Part in bonds / bond funds (medium risk, medium return)

• Part in stocks / index funds (higher risk, higher potential return)

I don’t need the perfect formula; I just need something that matches my actual personality.

Example: very cautious version

• 20% in stocks / stock index funds

• 40% in bonds / bond funds

• 40% still in deposits / savings

Example: more growth-oriented version

• 50–60% in stocks / stock index funds

• 20–30% in bonds

• 20–30% in deposits

These are just rough maps. The main question I ask myself:

“If my stocks dropped 30% on the screen, could I still sleep?”

If the honest answer is “no”, then my stock percentage is too high for my current mind.

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4. Behaviour rules I want to follow

Tools and products are one thing. Behaviour is another.

From all the reading and watching, my personal rules start to look like this:

Rule 1 – Only invest money that can stay for years

Layer 3 money should be money I don’t need next year.

If I might need it for a house deposit soon or for a big life change, it probably belongs in Layers 1 or 2, not in volatile stocks.

Rule 2 – Understand what I’m buying (circle of competence)

Before I put money in anything, I ask:

• What exactly is this product?

• How does it make money?

• What could realistically go wrong?

This echoes Buffett’s idea of staying within what you truly understand and avoiding things you can’t value. GuruFocus

If I can’t explain it simply to myself, I’m not ready to put real money there.

Rule 3 – Avoid big mistakes first

I’m not trying to be a genius. I just want to avoid blowing myself up.

Big red flags for me:

• “Guaranteed high return” + “no risk”

• Heavy pressure to “join now”, FOMO tactics

• Complicated structures I don’t understand

• Products that behave more like gambling than investing

This follows the spirit of “don’t lose money” and keeping a margin of safety. Morningstar

Rule 4 – Prefer boring, diversified, and dividend-friendly

From Pak Lo’s stories, I like how much of his wealth comes from dividends of solid companies, not from gambling on the hottest story. Bisnis Market

For my own plan, that translates into:

• Favouring index funds and broad funds over individual stock bets, especially at the beginning

• If I pick a few individual stocks, preferring companies with:

  • sustainable profits

  • reasonable valuations

  • a history (or policy) of paying dividends

It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just tilted toward quality + patience instead of drama.

Rule 5 – Let time and consistency do the heavy lifting

Even Buffett talks about continuing to buy regularly and letting compounding work over time. FinanceBuzz

A practical version for me:

• Decide a small, realistic monthly amount

• Put it into my chosen fund(s) every month (dollar-cost averaging)

• Check my whole plan maybe 1–2 times a year, not every day

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5. A simple checklist before I say “yes” to any investment

To keep myself grounded, I can run through this quick checklist before buying anything that claims to be an “investment”:

1. Which layer is this from?

   • If it’s emergency money → stop.

2. Do I understand how it works?

   • If I can’t explain it in simple language → pause and study.

3. What is the worst-case scenario?

   • Could I handle a 30–50% drop emotionally and practically?

4. Is there real value underneath, or just a story?

   • For example: real business, real cash flow, real assets.

5. What are the fees, taxes, and conditions?

   • Is there a lock-up? High management fee? Penalties for early withdrawal?

6. Am I doing this because of FOMO?

   • If yes, probably not a good reason.

7. Does this match my 10-year map?

   • Or is it a random side bet that doesn’t fit my plan?

If something cannot pass this checklist calmly, it probably doesn’t fit the slow, steady, Buffett-plus-Pak-Lo style I want.

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6. Closing: a slow map is still a map

After writing this mini-series, my own picture of “investing” feels much calmer:

• Savings / emergency fund protect my today

• Deposits protect my near future

• Bonds and stocks (often through funds) help grow my far future

I don’t need to become a professional trader or a genius stock picker.
I just need:

• a clear structure,

• a realistic time horizon,

• and behaviour rules I can actually follow.

Some months, I may only top up savings.
Some months, a bit goes to deposits.
Some months, a small, automatic amount flows into index funds.

On the outside, it may look slow and boring.
But on the inside, it’s me quietly building a life with more stability, clarity, and choice.

And that, for me, is already a good definition of “long-term growth”.

Money & Investing Series

A calm, real-life path from daily money habits to simple investing. No hype, just what I actually use in my own life.

1. 7-Day Money Reset Challenge: 20 Minutes a Day, Real Savings
2. How to Save More Money Without Sacrificing Your Happiness
3. Track Every Money: My Simple Zero-Based Budget for Real Life
4. How a Small Emergency Fund Changed the Way I Sleep
5. Annual Deposit 5–6%: Safe First Step or Not Enough?
6. What Is Investing? A Simple Map Before I Touch Stocks
7. How I Decide How Much Goes to Savings, Deposits, and Investing
8. Bonds for Beginners: Lending Money Instead of Owning Stocks
9. Stocks and Index Funds: Why People Use Them for Long-Term Growth
10. Putting It All Together: My Simple Investing Map for the Next 10 Years