Your first investing plan
Education, not advice. This lesson is general information, not personal financial advice. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you put in.
From broke by Tuesday to investing every month. If I can do it, you definitely can.
You now know the difference between saving and investing, how compound growth works, how risk and return go together, what you can invest in, and how to start. Time to make your first plan.
Your plan in five questions
- Am I ready? Budget, emergency fund, no expensive debt, money I won’t need for 5+ years.
- Am I getting free money? Any employer pension or retirement match, in full.
- Which account? A tax-advantaged account for where you live, with a regulated provider.
- What will I invest in? For most beginners, a simple, low-cost, diversified fund.
- How much, every month? An automatic amount you won’t miss, increased whenever your income goes up.
See what it could grow to
See what investing could grow to
An illustration, not a prediction. Real returns go up and down, and you could get back less than you put in.
You put in
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Growth
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Could grow to
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Add a monthly amount to see how it could grow.
Play with the years. That’s where the magic is. The amount you start with matters much less than how long you leave it.
