When the pandemic hit us in 2020, many lives were significantly changed. While some of us had the luxury of keeping our jobs, some had to be let go as companies streamline their operations.
It prompted many Singaporeans to look at other ways to make their money work harder for them, and more young Singaporeans started investing for the first time.
Since receiving income from multiple sources has become commonplace amid the pandemic, some of us may want to consider expanding our options.
Capitalising on this growing trend of retail investors, SmartFunding is one company that has made alternative investment sources more accessible through their online financing platform.
Allowing users to invest in causes which they find meaningful, the platform lets you support businesses you care about while growing your money.
Here’s how you can start investing your money, with the hopes of obtaining passive income that’ll better prepare you for the future.
Mention ‘investments’ and some may instantly think of graphs and numbers aplenty. While those do play a part, investing also has tangible, transformative effects on businesses.
Instead of making it all about figures, SmartFunding puts the community first by helping businesses hard-hit by the pandemic stay afloat.
Whether they’re up-and-coming startups or run-of-the-mill neighbourhood establishments, SmartFunding states that every SME listed on their platform has been vetted to ensure your investments is filtered. SmartFunding also states they are regulated by MAS.
Here are 2 success stories that came out of investments through SmartFunding.
When the pandemic was at its peak, much of Singapore’s economy was closed to help contain the spread of the virus. With new restrictions being implemented one after another, footfall in areas such as the CBD dipped drastically.
A preschool operator, one of Singapore’s leading businesses in the childcare sector, has an outlet conveniently located in the CBD. However, many concerned parents pulled their kids out of the programme so they can stay home instead.
Understandably, that affected their business tremendously as their enrolment count took a significant hit.
With rent and overhead costs to pay for, they sought a working capital loan from SmartFunding. After going through and passing the vetting process, the preschool operator raised $42,000 to help with their collection and cash flow issues.
Surviving the pandemic hasn’t been smooth sailing for SMEs, which is why even a small loan would be of immense help.
With investment opportunities from around the region, you can diversify your investment portfolio and include possible opportunities beyond Singapore. Take this Malaysia-based distribution company, for example, which has served clients for 35 years.
As one of the longstanding players in the business, they have dealt with a wide range of products such as food ingredients, oil and gas equipment, and building materials.
Since the pandemic hit, they also started distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and have seen demand for these products soar.
To fulfil their ever-growing demand, they sought and raised a $150,000 short-term working capital loan on SmartFunding’s platform.
While the prospect of seeing your money grow is exciting, jumping into the world of investing can be pretty daunting. SmartFunding has made the process more straightforward with their online platform if you’re looking for a place to start.
The all-in-one website lets you view and pick your investment opportunities, each with its own curated information sheet to empower investors to make the best decisions.
You can sign up to be an investor with a starting deposit of $1,000.
With that amount of money, you can begin investing in anything from small mom-and-pop shops in your neighbourhoods to rising startups with great potential. Pick the choices that appeal to you the most.
Investment tenures are shorter with Smartfunding.sg, with none of them exceeding 12 months.
Since time is money, there’s no better way to keep track of both your investments and other adulting affairs than through a smartwatch.
That’s why SmartFunding is giving away a Huawei Honor Band 6 Watch for free to new sign-ups who invest a minimum sum of $1,000 before 30 Oct.
Embarking on a new venture feels less intimidating when done with friends, and SmartFunding has a referral program that translates every referral to $50 credited into your account.
Investing is a long-term endeavour, so while we may not see our returns soon, our investments today can make a difference for our futures with a bit of patience.
Of course, if you need more tips before diving into the investment world, you can start by checking out the SmartFunding website here.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice or investment advice. All investments bear an element of risk and anyone who chooses to make investments are fully responsible for making their own decisions. Always be smart, and do your own research.
This post was brought to you in collaboration with SmartFunding.
Featured image adapted from Mark Pegrum on Flickr.
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