Any tips for someone that has just started working and is a complete beginner to investing on how to start?

I would suggest 'pay' and 'protect' yourself first before investing. Have a concrete saving plan by setting aside a ratio of saving / expenses / insurance. Automate your savings monthly and track expenses. Priortise health (eg integrated shield plan) and term/life (death / disability / critical illness) insurance plans. Set a target how long you need to meet certain saving milestones.

Then, bulid up your emergency fund of 4-6 months of expenses. This will take time. Meanwhile, get educated on the investment tools and asset classes. This will help you to prepare your investment journey.

Hi Elise,

To summarize, here are some things you should be looking at:

• Repay any debt if any. Look at your income and expenses and ensure you will have positive cashflow
• Sort out your insurance coverage. You will want to ensure you have, at a minimum, a hospitalization plan, Critical Illness coverage, and death coverage if you have dependents. Work with an independent financial advisor to understand the options available for you.
• Save up your emergency fund. At least 6 months, and more if you can help it. The economy can be very unforgiving and hence if you are out of a job, it can easily take longer than 6 months to get a new one
• Invest in your human capital. Grow your income so that you will have more capital to invest
• Invest in your knowledge. Read more, understand the asset classes, their pros and cons, open a trading account with access to multiple asset classes such as POEMS, and then prepare yourself to start
• Formulate a plan to know what you want to invest for. Minimally, people invest/save to prepare for their impending retirement