It was the winter I learned to cook artichoke hearts.
Back then, my apartment was small, and the overhead was heavy.
I had rent arrears and warnings of eviction, so every cent counted.
Still, there was a certain pleasure in slicing artichokes, basting them in oil on a low flame, and waiting for their aroma to caramelise with garlic.
Some evenings, I wrapped small jars as gift wrapping for friends—small tokens, really—while I listened to my roommate explain how Bacon believed in learning through observation, not just books.
During those evenings, I started to understand discipline, not only in the kitchen but with money.
I opened a fixed deposit for my future down payment on a home, and set aside a modest sum for my retirement fund.
My friend suggested CPF and even a mutual fund, saying diversification was the real secret, like mixing different herbs.
She explained that a treasury bond or an index fund could sometimes yield better results than chasing the next funding round or hoping the bank would price match my savings account rate.
Now, years later, the lessons have stuck with me the same way the aroma of caramelised garlic clings to old cookbooks.
Although my overhead has changed—now including a mortgage rather than rent—I still prepare for each tax return with care.
Housing benefit and other supports have helped here and there, but in the end, it's the compound interest and steady discipline that have grown my savings, the same way slow cooking brings depth to even the simplest meal.