Life is but a few grand milestones. Milestones like buying the first car, your own house, sending your kid to that ivy league business school or a lavish marriage for your kid or for that matter touring the globe in your golden years. However, most of us do nothing about making these milestones a grand reality.

A Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) is an option that allows you to invest a fixed sum at periodic intervals on specific dates.

A Systematic Investment Plan works for you in three ways

• It helps you to save regularly and thus inculcates a sense of discipline
• It harnesses the power of compounding
• It is the best possible way you to reign in impulsive buys-and-sells that otherwise one is gripped by in times of market volatility. - Rupee cost averaging

Each of us feels our existing salary is low and we could do with a little bit more. But go back in time and recollect the time when you first started working. You did manage to live well. Didn't you? The fact is simple. If you earn more you tend to find ways to spend more. Most of us find ways to spend once we start earning better. The bottom line is if you ensure that a part of your salary goes directly into some savings option you automatically albeit after a fist 2-3 months start managing at this new level.

And after all it is your money that is being spent on you and your future. Isn't it?

In reality, further the need deeper is the urge to postpone. But the fact is the longer you leave your money invested, the faster it will grow. When your returns begin to earn money and those returns start to earn... small amounts of money can snowball very quickly. Compounding being the tool that allows you to make the most of small amounts invested for long periods

To find out how you can harness compounding, have a go at this Cost Of Delay calculator.

It tells you how much more you need to save each month for each year of delay.

A now familiar concept, it tells you how effective disciplined investing on specific dates is, as compared to lumpsum investing on random dates.

Take a look at this calculator and you see how it has helped you through the worst part of the Sensex.

Standard Chartered Mutual fund offers a very convenient way of SIPping.

• No post dated cheques and no specific dates either. Just give us the following
• Amount you need to save
• No post dated cheques and no specific dates either. Just give us the following

You are free to choose any amount (minimum Rs 500 and in multiples of Re 1/-) and any date as per your convenience.

We will intimate the debit instruction 2-3 business days before the actual debit will happen so that your can ensure that your account is funded with the requisite amount.

If you want to withdraw it, just send us a stop instruction.

Very very simple isn't it.

To start a SIP just complete the application form and deposit it at any of the Investor Service Centers.

SIP application form.