In Their Own Words

I signed up for the beginners programme after years of avoiding anything to do with money management. The honest truth is that I was embarrassed by how little I knew, and I expected to feel out of place. That wasn't the experience at all. The sessions were structured in a way that never made you feel rushed, and the small group meant I could actually ask questions without feeling self-conscious.

The take-home exercises were the part I found most useful — they forced me to look at my own numbers rather than just learning in the abstract. By the end, I had set up a simple tracking system that I've maintained every week since. Nothing dramatic, but genuinely useful.

The 30-day follow-up email support was a thoughtful addition. I sent two questions after the programme ended and received clear, unhurried replies both times.

I had been investing for about two years before attending this programme, mostly following general advice from colleagues and reading articles online. I knew what ETFs and unit trusts were by name, but I couldn't confidently explain how they differed in cost structure or how to evaluate one against my own situation.

The sessions filled in a lot of those gaps systematically. Working through real product fact sheets as a group, with a facilitator who could slow down and explain the fine print, made a significant difference. I came away with a clearer framework for thinking about product selection rather than just a list of things to buy or avoid.

The personalised Q&A session at the end was well worth the time. I brought specific questions about Singapore Savings Bonds versus fixed deposits and left with a much clearer picture.

At 52, I felt I had left this kind of planning too late. My husband and I had savings but no clear picture of whether they were enough, or what "enough" even looked like. A colleague mentioned Novaledger, and after some hesitation I contacted them. The initial conversation alone was reassuring — there was no pressure to commit, and the programme was explained clearly before we signed up.

Over the ten weeks, we worked through CPF Life projections, healthcare cost estimates, and several different lifestyle scenarios. Seeing the numbers laid out across conservative, moderate, and optimistic models helped us have more grounded conversations as a couple about what we actually wanted retirement to look like.

The planning document we received at the end is something we've returned to several times. It's practical rather than theoretical, and the annual review access gives us a way to revisit things as our circumstances change.

I joined this programme about six months after starting my first full-time job. I was earning a reasonable salary but had very little sense of what to do with it beyond covering monthly expenses. A friend had attended and recommended it, which gave me enough confidence to register.

What I appreciated most was the tone — nothing was presented as obvious or assumed. The facilitator was patient with beginner questions, and the group setting meant I realised early on that most of us were starting from a similar point. By the fourth session, I had a basic budget structure in place and a clearer idea of how to think about emergency savings.

The starter workbook is well designed and genuinely useful to keep. I still refer to a few of the frameworks from time to time.

I work in a professional services role and have always been reasonably comfortable with numbers, but investing had always felt like a separate world with its own language I hadn't properly learned. I kept putting off doing anything about it. This programme was a practical way to close that gap.

The curriculum was well balanced — it covered enough breadth to be useful without becoming overwhelming. What stood out was that the approach consistently focused on understanding rather than action: the goal was to help participants evaluate products for themselves, not to nudge us toward any particular choice. That felt honest, and it made the learning more durable.

The product comparison toolkit is something I've used independently since finishing the programme. It's a clear, practical reference that holds up well outside of the classroom context.