But indeed by default many people invest regularly when such investment is compulsory -- as in the case of provident funds linked with salaries. Those persons who opt for recurring deposits in banks also invest regularly. Nevertheless, the habit of making regular investments needs to be increased among investors as it can lead to manifold gains. Let us take a look at some of these advantages:

Small amounts invested regularly in safe investment schemes become big amounts on maturity. Investing Rs 100 per month to build more than Rs 1,200 in a year, for instance, may be easier than investing Rs 1,200 in one go. Regular investment for a long time in safeschemes can lead to building up of a sizable capital.

Regularly investing on a long-term basis gives benefits of compounding of interest in case of debt instruments. Longer the duration of such investment greater is the benefit.

Regular investments inculcates a habit of saving money and thereby helps in building capital.

In stock markets, regular investments prevent making sizable portion of total investments when markets are heated. At the same time, one may not be able to make heavy investments when markets are at rock bottom levels. Thus it pre-empts both extreme losses and extreme gains and instead increases the chances of moderate but surer gains.

Regular investment helps in increasing the ``principal amount'' while simultaneously it ensures that below normal returns are not obtained by preventing heavy purchases when markets are heated.

Regular investments unconsciously make investors take a long term view of the available investment avenues. This reduces the tendency towards short-termspeculation.

In case of debt instruments, too, regular savings mean that when interest rates are lower, you will not end up investing big amounts. On the other hand, regular savings in debt instruments also means that at those times when interest rates are high we cannot take full advantage of the situation. At the same time, regular savings mean that part of the investment will definitely be made at the time when interest rates are high and therefore, such an opportunity will not be missed altogether.

Regular saving in tax-saving instruments like NSC, PPF, ULIP, infrastructure bonds and LIC policies etc help in consistently reducing income-tax liability.

For a majority of persons meeting, major responsibilities like higher education, their marriages and planning their own retirement would be easier if the habit of regular investment is inculcated. Consider for instance the fact that Rs 60,000 invested every year in PPF, where 12 per cent interest per annum is admissible, gives a maturity amount of morethan Rs 25 lakh after completion of 15 years.

Thus we see that regular investment offers several concrete advantages. And if one starts regular investment at an early age the benefits get compounded.Availability of several open-ended mutual funds -- both equity as well as debt-oriented -- nowadays makes it easier to save money on a regular basis. Moreover, in such open ended mutual fund schemes, liquidity need not be sacrificed. Salaried employees can give standing instructions to their bank/employer for regular deduction of money from their salaries at source for investment in those instruments where it is possible. For instance in provident fund, recurring deposits and LIC policies etc.

The habit of regular savings also prevents extravagance. Which particular scheme you should choose for investment on a regular basis is a separate issue altogether and would be varying from investor to investor depending upon the circumstances of the individual as also on merits and demerits of specific schemes. You canincrease investment when markets are less heated or when more money is available but efforts should be made to save and invest certain minimum amount of money regularly. In the long run, regular savings pay dividends in every area -- be it studies or sport or your profession/vocation.

Everybody wants to become rich quickly. But this does not happen in a majority of cases. Regular and prudent investment can bring prosperity in due course of time in vast majority of cases. Let us not forget the saying that time flies. Therefore, we should aim for regular prudent investment over a long period of time. As time flies, we may be pleasantly surprised by the prosperity that such an approach can bring, in due course of time.Story of a slow but steady tortoise and that of a fast rabbit is quite famous. Where it is possible to run fast like the rabbit, we must indeed strive to run fast. But where it is not possible to do so, let's try to run continuously even though it may be at the speed of tortoise.