er.. yeah those are the initials 
Pardon moi - got used to the terms used in LYN - DDI (direct debit instructions AKA monthly standing instructions) thus doing Dollar Cost Averaging
OR every period execute manually value cost averaging or value investing.

Ok down to the heart of the matter - where U shd do it now or later right?
Opinions / Point of View follows (not rules yar)
Simple - 1st things 1st, have U built up at least an emergency buffer / kitty of 3 months' average expenses?
eg. Say U spend $12K pa all in all, thus your average expenses pm = $1K, thus U should if possible have $3K squirrelled off somewhere safe & stable - eg. savings a/c + FD
This $ is to save one's tail in case of emergencies (no, not when U NEED that new coach bag or S3) INSTEAD OF BEING FORCED TO SELL your investment to cover tail. When one is forced to sell, it may not be the right time and one can incur losses easily.
Why?
Simple - ALL investments (excluding FD, savings a/c lar - those are generally "storage") have some sort of transaction costs, either when buying or selling or BOTH. Unless one is incredibly lucky, usually it takes time to break even then make profits.

Then after building the above OR while working on the above, checkout what amount of risks U need to cover.
(Keep in mind, insurance is to cover and transfer your risks, NOT as investments.)
eg.
a. if U have economic dependants, pls ensure U have death insurance - yes, death insurance, not life as it pays out after death
Get enough and at the best bang for the buck.
b. does your employer cover enough hospitalization & medical? - no, then please look into it.
Again, insurance should be used as a risk transfer (to insurance Co) and to cover costs which will be disastrous to U or your loved ones.
Buy enough for now + maybe forseeable future (3 years? 5 years?) - balance your coverage needs with costs/affordability.

Now, when U have the above 2 settled - U should have a good hands-on on money & risk management, ie. spending less than U earn by living below your means, thus enabling U to build and accumulate wealth. In addition, WHILE doing the above, learn about asset allocation, classes of assets, investment methodologies like dollar cost averaging, value cost averaging, value investing, growth investing, trend, etc.

Then start accumulating your ammo for investments and while accumulating - formulate a big pix plan, perhaps based on asset allocation + execution methodology coupled with selected/filtered specific investments (eg. DCA with PFEPRF, VCA with PIX, value investing with stocks like PBANK, NESTLE, DLADY, etc.)

Track them and manage them as per your plans and methodologies.
By tracking them, U can then review monthly, yearly, etc. whether your picks AND methodologies work - else tweak.

Phew.. digest digest heheh. Hope the above summary helps.

So can i seek some advise from sifus here, is it wise for me to start invest in Unit Trust now?

Starting graduate with RM2.5k is consider not bad. Many people who are not working professional still below that amount. I remember my first job salary RM1200 with diploma (year 2005) and work until 3k (year 2009) only get my first car. After get a car, saving not much already.. So the conclusion is one must learn how to manage money wisely.

The expert always said what most important thing we always forget is to invest in ourselves. Read more financial books and improve financial knowledge. This is how I get started to change my mindset and keep learning everyday

er.. yeah those are the initials 
Pardon moi - got used to the terms used in LYN - DDI (direct debit instructions AKA monthly standing instructions) thus doing Dollar Cost Averaging
OR every period execute manually value cost averaging or value investing.

Ok down to the heart of the matter - where U shd do it now or later right?
Opinions / Point of View follows (not rules yar)
Simple - 1st things 1st, have U built up at least an emergency buffer / kitty of 3 months' average expenses?
eg. Say U spend $12K pa all in all, thus your average expenses pm = $1K, thus U should if possible have $3K squirrelled off somewhere safe & stable - eg. savings a/c + FD
This $ is to save one's tail in case of emergencies (no, not when U NEED that new coach bag or S3) INSTEAD OF BEING FORCED TO SELL your investment to cover tail. When one is forced to sell, it may not be the right time and one can incur losses easily.
Why?
Simple - ALL investments (excluding FD, savings a/c lar - those are generally "storage") have some sort of transaction costs, either when buying or selling or BOTH. Unless one is incredibly lucky, usually it takes time to break even then make profits.

Then after building the above OR while working on the above, checkout what amount of risks U need to cover.
(Keep in mind, insurance is to cover and transfer your risks, NOT as investments.)
eg.
a. if U have economic dependants, pls ensure U have death insurance - yes, death insurance, not life as it pays out after death
Get enough and at the best bang for the buck.
b. does your employer cover enough hospitalization & medical? - no, then please look into it.
Again, insurance should be used as a risk transfer (to insurance Co) and to cover costs which will be disastrous to U or your loved ones.
Buy enough for now + maybe forseeable future (3 years? 5 years?) - balance your coverage needs with costs/affordability.

Now, when U have the above 2 settled - U should have a good hands-on on money & risk management, ie. spending less than U earn by living below your means, thus enabling U to build and accumulate wealth. In addition, WHILE doing the above, learn about asset allocation, classes of assets, investment methodologies like dollar cost averaging, value cost averaging, value investing, growth investing, trend, etc.

Then start accumulating your ammo for investments and while accumulating - formulate a big pix plan, perhaps based on asset allocation + execution methodology coupled with selected/filtered specific investments (eg. DCA with PFEPRF, VCA with PIX, value investing with stocks like PBANK, NESTLE, DLADY, etc.)

Track them and manage them as per your plans and methodologies.
By tracking them, U can then review monthly, yearly, etc. whether your picks AND methodologies work - else tweak.

Phew.. digest digest heheh. Hope the above summary helps.

Hello,

I am a 21 year old med student, finishing my course in another 3 years. My mother just passed away, and I inherited around RM50k in cash.
- I have no student loans (dad's paying)
- 1k per month duit makan, sewa from family.
- Savings around RM300 a month.
- Already have car, finished paying.
- Side business, variable income, around 5k per year.
- no insurance
- no investment at all, actually.
- Savings around RM2k

I want to ask the best way to invest RM 50k to at least double it in 5 years time, if possible, working around with what I already have.

I realized I have to start planning for the future, parents won't be there for you forever.

Any help or pointers would be great, thank you.

Good that U are "awake".

er.. U are looking to invest that $50K for 14%pa to 15%pa compounded returns / CAGR? That's what it takes to AT LEAST double one's $ in 5 years time.
How much are U willing to risk losing and/or how much are U willing to put time and effort to manage that investment first?

FYI - i don't know about the sifus and gurus in LYN, but a CONSISTENT 15%pa compounded investment returns is considered very good UNLESS a 1998 or 2008 happened and one got in at the bottom of the run-up, taking all risks/losses into account.
On the other hand, if it's a business, 15%pa is so-so only given the blood, sweat, tears given to the business to grow it (in addition to the $).

Now that I think about it, it doesn't have to be in 5 years time. I'm planning to make the 50k a long time investment 10 years or so, maybe a fixed deposit or unit trust? Or is there a better way?

Finishing med school, I know I'll at least have a decent job with decent pay God willing, if not with the 50k growing in investment, I can start a new business. So what is the best for a long term investment with decent returns for RM50k

I am a degree graduate and am earning only 1700 per monthbeing an executive in retail industry, but im happy with my job and my current lifestyle. Having work for 3 years, i have limited savings due to the low salary and high living expenses. But this doesnt deter me from saving and start investing. Got no car, no house, no property whatsoever. Bad Bad

Due to peer pressure, i think its better off to bump up my self confidence and look for better opportunities, when most of my friends are earning more than 5k per month, im earning 1.7k. This is what we choose, what i have choosen 3 years ago. But this thinking had been in my mind the first day i started my current job, and time flies, 3 years later, im still here, complaining that i earn peanuts, but did i do anything? =/ Well, obviously i dint do enough. We must believe that there is a better and brighter sky out there.

For those who earn high income but complain that standard of living is too high, got not enough money to use, think of those like me who earn so little yet managed to save and invest. People earning 1k plus can start a family, by living within their means.  You can do it, the key is actually PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. Take it personal, there is no plan that is for everyone. Manage it perrsonaly, do not just whine and complain like me =/

Now for those who are like me, always complain that pay is low, do you have capabilities that proved that you are indeed underpaid, if yes, anything been done? Ever look for better opportunities, i believe a lot of you would say No. Because im in the exact same situation so i understand =/ Again, it PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. Its your life, its personal, its how you managed it. I have been giving it a lot of thought lately, im getting older, i already have a slow start up, now my resolution for 2011 is to get a new job. Albeit slower than those who earn more and save more, we can also achieve it, thru various ways.

Take charged. Make it personal.

Hello,

I am a 21 year old med student, finishing my course in another 3 years. My mother just passed away, and I inherited around RM50k in cash.
- I have no student loans (dad's paying)
- 1k per month duit makan, sewa from family.
- Savings around RM300 a month.
- Already have car, finished paying.
- Side business, variable income, around 5k per year.
- no insurance
- no investment at all, actually.
- Savings around RM2k

I want to ask the best way to invest RM 50k to at least double it in 5 years time, if possible, working around with what I already have.

I realized I have to start planning for the future, parents won't be there for you forever.

Any help or pointers would be great, thank you.

Tauke wong, what do u think of the following:

Me, Freshgrad worked for 2 months, BT income about 3K to 3.5K depending on commission.
Gf, Freshgrad also, worked for 2 months, BT pay 2.2K fixed.
Our practice is to think of us as 1 entity, meaning all my GF's salary will be spend on whatever necessary, while all my salary will be untouched and saved in the bank.
What do you think?

---

Added on September 2, 2012, 10:34 amOh ya and we're both 22 this year.

Personal Balance Sheet:

---

Added on September 2, 2012, 8:54 pm

Woah tauke wong thx for the long reply, go home only digest tonight, now working

BT = Before Tax

And i havent gotten myself any insurance, cuz totally dont know what should I buy, have 0 knowledge in it. But company does provide me with MSIG card...

er.. bro BuBu & partner, i'm no tauke leh (although i like eating tauge ) - just a worker ant like 80% of the world's population

Ok onto the numbers and "opinion-ating":
1. Concept & Approach
Congratulations to your partner & U on having such thinking & approach - a truly "one for all & all for one" + a great savings and wealth generating approach too.
In addition, both of U didn't fall into the "car trap" - a SERIOUS destroyer of wealth in Malaysia, especially when it can cost nearly 1/3 of an apartment.
U sure both of U are 22?
Dagnabit - i wish i had such discipline & thoughts in my younger & dumber days, thus wouldn't have gotten into so much kaka

2. Numbers
er.. what's "BT Income"? My apologies - old uncle here have not heard such terms used with other fellows hehe. I'm not "too in" so to speak.
I'm assuming it's net income here yar.

A very good savings rate 57%+ of net income! 
er.. i'm assuming PTPTN loan is being repaid as well in your total expenses yar


Extrapolation of your cash investments/assets, based on average returns pa 7% + average inflation pa 4% and NO INCREASE IN SAVINGS pm!
Realistically, as one's salary & commission grows, savings can grow.


Extrapolation of your EPF and EPF-related investments

Looking at BOTH the extrapolations of EPF-related & cash investments, both of U will be reaching financial freedom OR at the VERY LEAST, comfortable retirement.
Note that there's an NPV (net present value) calculated to give U an idea what your future value of $ is worth today.

Now all U have to do is:
1. Keep on being mindful of expenses & saving like what U are doing - half for spending & half for saving
2. Learn how to manage $, risks & invest. this er.. summary (though long-winded) may help http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1577849/+1551
3. Hit your financial freedom level 0 (basics / bare necessities), then go for level 1/2/3 (better retirement lifestyle) if wanted OR just relax 
U may want to learn to "give back" effectively as U travel through (1.) to (3.).

Attached is the ZIP of the Excel files snapshot above - for your easy SIMULATION/WHAT IFs if U are Excel inclined.
Please note that the above are just extrapolations and personal opinions, not gospel truths.
Just a thought 

Hm.. funny, screenshots 2 & 3 black only, even though checked and re-uploaded..