SIPs offered by Mutual Funds are easily the best way to enter the world of investments for the long term, in order to maximize the end returns. So your mantra should be - Start Early, Invest Regularly to get the best out of your investments.
This is because the compounding nature of investments can only work if there is sufficient runway. Given enough time, not only do investment returns add to a portfolio, but those returns generate their own returns, and so on and so forth. In this way, compound interest is what creates true wealth for investors over long periods of time.