I advocate opening a CDS account and learning to trade stocks by yourself. It's easy, and you don't incur any management charges. With the wealth of information available online, it's no longer a steep learning curve.

You don't have to sign up for a margin account. I started with a cash account and RM1k capital. The important thing is you must be willing to learn. On the way you pick up a lot about economics and financial literacy, both of which help you streamline your expenditure better.

Everything you need to know to get started is available here. Just read through the pinned threads.