How much money do we need to have to begin investing? The truth to this question is a lot less than we think. Many people I have talked to believe that they need to have thousands of dollars saved up to fund their initial investment, however this is not the case. In reality, we can begin investing with any sum of money.
Even starting with $100 a month is a good answer. The best way I have found for younger investors to start out is finding a comfortable amount in each paycheck and devoting it towards an investment account. Some people find it more comfortable to start out with a smaller amount, say $100, and then grow that number with their comfort level. This is a plan that can work out for many individuals.
The easiest way to grow our investment account is automating the funding process. Find an amount we are comfortable with, and then have this amount auto drafted from your account on payday. This makes investing a lot less noticeable to us, and not something we have to consciously make the decision to do every paycheck. Because of our human behavior, we will find many reasons why this month isn’t a good month to fund our investment account. Sometimes there are good reasons out there, but if we automate the process, and make it harder on ourselves to cut off the investing, only the real reasons will stop us.
Once the account has been funded initially, and auto drafting is set up, it is extremely important to pick cost effective investment vehicles. Picking investment vehicles with high expenses eats at the growth of our investment account. Mutual funds and ETFs provide great opportunities to invest in a proper, inexpensive and diversified manner. Combine efficient investing with the power of compounding interest and your money will be put to work for you. This is when the ‘older you’ beings to really thank the ‘younger you’ for taking action.
If investing is interesting to you, this is the time where you go out and evaluate different funds and begin to build a diversified portfolio. If you are not interested in doing a bunch of research on your own, seek out professional advise. A fiduciary adviser can help you take a look at your financial goals, and find a winning strategy. A good adviser can explain investing in a way that is understandable and provides comfort. Confidence in your adviser is important as this will allow you to stay invested for the long haul so your investments can multiply.
If you would like to speak with me about starting up your investment account, and how to most efficiently get your start, please do not hesitate to reach out. My email address is austin.smith@schulzwealth.com and I would love to get you started down the path of financial success.
-Austin Smith
Associate Investment Adviser
Schulz Wealth
