It was 2007 and I was devouring books on investing, trying to figure out how to start my investing journey. Multiple Streams of Income by Robert Allen was the first book to open up my world to index funds. The book also emphasised the importance of taking the first step and investing in small amounts consistently over time.

I was convinced.

But there was a problem. The services mentioned in the book were offered in the US while I was sitting in Singapore. I hit the Internet and stumbled on POEMS’ Share Builders Plan – I could invest as little as S$200 each month in the STI ETF (the fee has since been lowered to S$100/month). I went straight to the nearest Phillip Investor Centre and opened an account.

Mind you, that was 2007, way before the age of robo-advisors or monthly investment plans. POEMS already had regular investment plans and I was glad I did it, my investment journey had officially began early.