"I Don't Have Enough to Invest"

Investing feels like something other people do. People with real money. People who understand the stock market. People who have "extra" cash lying around. You? You're just trying to make it to the next paycheck.

That story is keeping you poor.

The math at $25 a month

Twenty-five dollars a month. That's less than a single dinner out. Invested in a simple index fund earning the historical average of about 7% per year:

• After 10 years: $4,300
• After 20 years: $12,900
• After 30 years: $30,600

You put in $9,000 over 30 years. You got back $30,600. The extra $21,600 is compound interest doing its thing -- money making money making money. And that's at just $25 a month.

Why we think we need more

The financial industry has a marketing problem. They show glossy ads of retirees on sailboats, implying you need millions to start. Investment minimums used to be $1,000 or more. Financial advisors wouldn't return your call unless you had six figures.

That world is gone. Today, you can invest with literally any amount. Apps like Fidelity, Vanguard, and others let you buy fractional shares. You can own a piece of the S&P 500 for the price of a coffee.

The real barrier isn't money

It's the belief that small amounts don't matter. They do. Every wealthy person's portfolio started at zero. The gap between $0 invested and $25 invested isn't $25 -- it's the entire difference between someone who invests and someone who doesn't.

Starting is the hard part. The amount is almost irrelevant. Once you start, increasing the amount is easy. But you can't increase from zero.

You have enough to start. You always did.