Common wisdom recommends that you should start your investing journey as young as possible. On numerous online articles and videos, you will be able to see how time equates to money – with the power of compounding helping you substantially grow your nest egg over the years.
For those of us who weren’t so savvy in our youth, it may feel like it’s impossible to catch up.
The good news is that, regardless of where we are on our investment journey, the key to success is twofold – getting started, and staying consistent. As the saying goes, “You miss all the shots you don’t take.” So if you’re an older millennial or even in your 50s whose only financial investment thus far is utilising a high-interest bank savings account, that’s still a start. And, sure, you can do more.
Read Also: Best Savings Accounts In Singapore – If You Don’t Want To Keep Jumping Through Hoops
It’s staying consistent that’s a little harder. While financial investments can seem daunting, once you see how similar it is to other forms of commitments, in your health and community for example, you may be convinced that is it never too late to start.
EveryDay Investing In Health
You don’t need to be a gym rat or fitness enthusiast to have a reason to stay healthy. Neither do you need fancy gym equipment or a personal trainer. Our bodies may be starting to remind us that we’re not as flexible as we once were, but the truth is, simply making a daily effort to walk 5,000 to 10,000 steps goes a long way, figuratively and literally.
Today, you also have access to fitness tracking at your fingertips. If you don’t already have a fitness tracking device or a fitness mobile app, you can get a free HPB fitness tracker from the Health Promotion Board (HPB) by downloading the Healthy 365 app. Not only will it keep track of the number of steps you walk daily, as well as the amount of sleep you get, but you will also be rewarded with rebates that you can use for public transportation, groceries and more.
Real Also: How Much Can An Elderly Earn And Save On Healthy365 While Staying Fit
EveryDay Investing In Community
As we get older, we may start to notice that our friend groups are getting smaller. A 2016 study found that the number of close connections we make peaks when we are around 25 years old and decreases steadily as we get older. This behaviour is unique to humans, and can even found in birds!
Knowing that even birds of a feather may not always flock together, tells us all we need about making a conscious effort to invest time in maintaining relationships with our loved ones and building new friendships. Because our time is so precious, we should focus on developing quality relationships, especially with people who share similar interests, goals and values.
ActiveSG Sport Interest Groups are a great way to meet like-minded people and play badminton, squash and several other sports. Less physical social activities that have grown in popularity recently include board game clubs and book clubs which meet almost every day of the week.
EveryDay Investing In Finance
As you can see, there can be immeasurable benefits of EveryDay Investing in health and community – regardless of your age. Now may also be time to tackle the financial side of things. Being older and closer to retirement, as well as lacking investment knowledge at the start, means need to be extra prudent when making your initial investments.
#1 CPF Investment Scheme
By this stage of life, working adults would typically have a decent amount of savings, at least in your CPF accounts. If it fits your risk appetite, you can consider investing part of your CPF savings via the CPF Investment Scheme, which can potentially provide higher returns than the basic Ordinary Account interest rates (which are currently at 2.5% per annum guaranteed returns).
Read Also: 8 Types Of Investments You Can Make Using Your CPF OA Monies Via The CPFIS-OA
#2 Singapore Government Securities (SGS) Bonds And Treasury Bills (T-Bills)
SGS Bonds and T-Bills are two types of risk-free, guaranteed return investments that you may consider. Depending on your cashflow needs, you may prefer the short-term investment cycle of T-Bills, or some of the longer term SGS bonds.
Given that these are risk-free investments, however, the returns you earn will be some of the lowest in the universe of investments you can make. Nevertheless, this may be a decent place to start for those who may be extremely risk-averse or with limited confidence to invest.
Read Also: Complete Guide To Understanding The Different Types Of Singapore Government Securities
#3 Straits Times Index (STI)
If you’re looking for better returns and are willing to accept a higher level of investment risk, you can consider investing in Singapore’s benchmark Straits Times Index (STI). Potentially, you can earn a higher return and even receive a decent dividend yield.
This may be especially relevant if you’re unsure where to start investing, as the STI gives you an overarching exposure to the biggest and most popular companies in Singapore – such as DBS, UOB, OCBC, Singtel, SIA, UOL, and even REITs including CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT), Frasers Centrepoint Trust (FCT), and Mapletree Logistics Trust (MLT).
You can use the STI as your springboard to understanding stock investing better, and even explore the more popular US and Hong Kong stock markets as your confidence and knowledge compounds.
Read Also: Complete Guide To Investing In The Straits Times Index (STI) ETFs In Singapore
Being A EveryDayInvestor Means Being Realistic With Expectations
Just as you won’t expect to see gains overnight from physical exercise, you should not expect to see major returns on your investments in just a few days. Part of being an #EveryDayInvestor is appreciating that the little contributions to your investments each day will grow over time.
If you’re looking for more inspiration or want to connect with like-minded individuals, you can attend the InsureXpo by CIMB on 11 and 12 April 2025, at the Suntec Convention Centre. You can look forward to a comprehensive programme line-up from industry practitioners across investing, insurance, property, as well as mental wellness, legacy planning and retirement planning.
You can join DollarsAndSense Co-Founder Timothy Ho at InsureXpo by CIMB on 12 April, 2.05pm, at Suntec Convention Centre. He’ll share more about the #EveryDayInvestor movement, and help you discover what kind of investor you are so you can use that knowledge to your advantage. In just a short 25 minute session, learn to craft your own personal investment journey so that you can use investment strategies to achieve your financial goals.
Claim your FREE complimentary ticket to InsureXpo by CIMB by using our promo code DS100 when you register for the event.
Read Also: Upcoming Personal Finance Events In Singapore You Should Attend In 2025
The post Never Too Late To Start: How You Can Be An #EveryDayInvestor Even Past Your 40s In Singapore appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
