How women should invest in their 20s to 50s

But if you worry that you need a large sum of money to begin, don’t be.

“Starting small helps you form the habit and allows compounding to work quietly in the background. And over the years or decades, that steady commitment will matter far more than timing the market or making big, one-off contributions,” explained So.

Even if you’re starting later, it’s not too late to begin. Late starters can use dollar-cost averaging, or DCA, where you invest a fixed amount of money at regular intervals, say monthly, into the same asset, rather than a single large sum, said Jonathan Leong, head of wholesale, Southeast Asia, at global investment management company Fidelity International.

Leong added that DCA can be paired with income-oriented, diversified portfolios to grow one’s savings, although with rising costs along with healthcare and lifestyle needs, it’s also important to scale up your monthly investment contributions as your income grows.

IN YOUR 20S: JUST START – AND BUILD DISCIPLINE

Lay the groundwork, which includes learning the basics of budgeting, setting aside an emergency fund, clearing any high-interest debts and starting to invest, even if the amounts might feel small, advised So.

Instead of thinking in absolute dollars, look at your investments in percentages, advised Leong. For instance, investing S$10,000 with a 6 per cent annual return and leaving it untouched, can grow to about S$18,000 in 10 years and nearly S$58,000 in 30 years.