You know you should be investing your money, but you keep pushing it off until "tomorrow." You might think, "What's the rush? I'll start investing when I have more money, or when I'm older."
Well, here's a reality check – waiting to invest can have a significant impact on your financial future.
In fact, waiting to invest could actually be costing you like a LOT of money.
The Power of Compound Interest for Investing
Let's start with the basics – compound interest.
Compound interest is our girl. She has been referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World 🌎 Compound interest is our money working for us while we take naps - yay! It is quite literally our money compounding. What does that mean? When you invest, your money doesn't just sit there; it works for you, earning interest and growing. Over time, that new growth and interest also earns interest, and the cycle continues, creating a snowball effect of wealth accumulation.
But, here's the kicker – the earlier you start, the more powerful this snowball becomes turning into an avalanche of money.
The longer your money has to grow, the more significant the growth. You plant your little tree now and it grows into a big ‘ol beautiful Oak tree! If you delay investing though, just as a tree wouldn’t have as much time to grow if you waited to plant it, you're essentially missing out on this incredible financial boost.
The Risk of Waiting to Invest
Let's put some numbers on the table to illustrate the point.
Imagine you're 25 years old and decide to start investing $200 per month in the stock market (and we are assuming a 10% return as that’s the average return of the stock market over time). Over the next 40 years, you consistently invest. By the time you're 65, you've contributed a total of $96,000…but because of the power of compound interest, you’re money has grown to $1,062,222!
Now, let's say your friend, Mandy, decides to wait until she’s 35 to start investing. She also invests $200 per month. By the time she is 65, she’s contributed a total of $72,000 and her money has grown to $394,785. Look at what her waiting 10 years did there…
Because Mandy waited to start investing, she missed out on $667,437.
When is the Best Time to Start Investing in the Stock Market?
Some people delay investing because they get nervous - nervous they’ll lose all their money, nervous they’ll pick the wrong time to start, etc etc. They think they'll wait for the ✨right time✨ when everything is butterflies and rainbows. However, here's a little secret – there's never a perfect time to start investing. (unless I could go back in time to like kindergarten and start - I guess that would be perfect.)
The fact of the matter is though, that stock prices go up and down, and it's impossible to predict when “down” is (and anyone who tells you otherwise is full of it - ask to see their crystal ball!). But here's the good news: we’re not day traders, we’re long-term investors. And if you invest for the long term, you can weather market storms because the US Stock Market has never not recovered.
Waiting for the perfect moment means you could miss out on the market’s best days, which could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It’s Okay to Start With Small Investments, But Start Now
You might be thinking, "Amanda, I don't have a lot of money to invest right now."
That's okay!
The key is to start NOW. Even if you can only invest a small portion of your income a month, the important thing is to get the ball rolling.
In fact, I show people how to start investing with literally just $1.
Start with as little as $50 a paycheck, or even less if you have to. Schedule automatic contributions so you can set it and forget it. Your investments will grow over time, and you can increase your contributions as your income grows.
Wrapping Up
The hidden cost of waiting to invest is clear – by waiting, you're essentially leaving money on the table and allowing the opportunity for wealth accumulation to slip away. Remember, we want the Oak tree, baby!
Don't let fear eat away at your financial future. Start investing today, no matter how small your contributions may be. Time is your most valuable asset when it comes to building wealth, so make it work for you. Your future self will thank you!
Ready to get started? Join my free investing party! I’ll show you how to get started investing, share my practical tips and tricks for investing in the stock market, and answer all of those money questions you’ve been too afraid to ask!
