Do not take investment lightly — one mistake can set you back for a long time.

It is horrible to retire when you don’t have enough money, and even worse if everyone around you has enough and you can’t even get by. That is why learning how to invest is so important.

You may not need so much ready cash, especially if you are still a good way ahead of your retirement age. We recommend you save three months’ salary. First, some of this money can be invested in financial assets such as bonds and unit trusts, since they can be liquidated almost any time, with little or no penalty. Second, if you have a working spouse, there should be sufficient “back-up” income in the event of an emergency.