The only money growth guide you'll need. See exactly what $100, $500, and $1,000/month become over 10, 20 and 30 years — with real numbers, not theory.
18 min read · Published 2026-03-17 · Updated 2026-04-04
Many brokerages have no minimum. You can start with $1 through fractional shares. The amount matters less than the habit. $50/month invested consistently will outperform $5,000 invested once and forgotten.
If your debt interest rate is above 6-7%, pay it off first. If it's below 4% (like some student loans or mortgages), investing while making minimum payments usually wins mathematically. Between 4-7% is a judgment call.
No. At 40 with $1,000/month at 7%, you'll have $520,927 by 60. At 50 with $1,500/month, you'll have $312,023 by 65. Every year you wait makes it harder, but it's never too late to start.
Money you'll need within 1-2 years belongs in savings. Money you won't touch for 5+ years should be invested. For the 2-5 year range, consider a mix.
A broadly diversified index fund (total stock market or S&P 500) is the lowest-risk way to invest in stocks. Diversified index funds have never lost money over any 20-year period in U.S. market history.
A common guideline: 20% of take-home pay toward savings and investing combined. If your emergency fund is full, most of that 20% should go to investments.