How to start investing with as little as R100 (2024)

How to start investing with as little as R100 (1)

Published on 25th February, 2022 at 04:33 pm

Thought investing was only for men in suits? Think again. Find out why it is so important for your financial success, plus how to get your money in the market, even with just a little of it.

You could be missing out

When you start investing and, more importantly, stay invested, you have little to lose and everything to gain. This potential for growth is what makes investment such an important part of your financial plan, as Jaco van Schalkwyk, a Certified Financial Planner® at Plan-B BlueStar, underwritten by Sanlam, explains: “Your expenses don’t cease when you stop working or if you experience a life-changing event such as being diagnosed with cancer or being injured in an accident. If you start thinking about how you can invest while you are earning, you put yourself in a better position to provide financial security to pay for these future expenses. The best way to provide financial safety and security is to invest in assets that will grow.”

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Besides planning for a time when you won’t be earning, it’s healthy to set your sights on the life you want to create for yourself and your family. Do you plan to have kids? Which school would you like them to attend? Perhaps you have the picture of your ideal house in your head, but need capital for the deposit to make it a reality. The benefits of compound interest shouldn’t be underestimated. “I cannot stress enough the value of compound interest when investing,” says Wayne Hutchinson, business principal and managing director at Berghshire Wealth BlueStar, also underwritten by Sanlam. “Investing is a patience game, and investing in the right vehicle to keep your funds growing above inflation is imperative,” he adds.

Experts share top tips for creating generational wealth, here.

Why should I care about inflation when investing?

It’s all good and well parking your money in an investment vehicle, but if the growth you gain on it gets wiped out by inflation, you may as well be storing that cash under your mattress. Van Schalkwyk explains why: “Inflation erodes your money’s purchasing power, so it’s critical to outperform it when investing. A good example of an asset that can do this is property, whose growth would be in line with inflation and therefore protect against that erosion of purchasing power.” Not only will the property itself achieve capital growth, but you could earn a second stream of income by renting it out while you own it.

Finding the right investment vehicle for you

You don’t need to start in the millions or even hundreds of thousands of rands to get into the investment game. Ask your financial planner about the below options to get started.

R100
Consider: unit trust

“A unit trust is a great vehicle with low admin costs and easy access,” says Hutchinson. You can invest from as little as R100 per month – investing something is better than nothing at all!

R500
Consider: equity fund

“Typically, the minimum investment amount would be a R500 contribution per month,” says van Schalkwyk. Equity funds primarily invest in stocks, so be prepared to take on the impact of any major stock market movements. This is an ideal option for at least a five-year investment horizon.

R1 000
Consider: a money market fund

What you’ll get from this investment is high liquidity (your money isn’t tied up) and a low level of risk. “Taking a look at the Sanlam Investment Management (SIM) Money Market Fund, the minimum contribution would be R1 000 per month,” says van Schalkwyk.

R5 000

Sanlam financial planners have access to the Easy Invest App, which is uniquely beneficial to their clients, as it allows them to invest in some vehicles at lower entry amounts than if they were to invest independently or on another platform. For example, say you wanted to invest a lump sum in an equity fund, but didn’t have the R10000 minimum available. You could invest via the app with just R5000.

R10 000

If you’ve saved up, you have some options. Consider investing your lump sum either in equity funds or, if partnering with a Sanlam financial planner, you could look at investing the R10000 as a lump sum in a SIM Money Market Fund through the Easy Invest App.

New to investing?

These are some principles to take on board if you’re going to make a success of it:

Practise patience

As Hutchinson mentions, investing is a patience game. “Many of my clients think investing is a get-rich-quick scheme or that they will see huge yields in their first year,” he shares. “This is not to say this cannot happen, but you need time and risk management.”

Stick to authorised providers

On a related note, van Schalkwyk also cautions against adopting unrealistic expectations of returns, which can make you more vulnerable to dubious schemes. “Out of desperation, I’ve seen clients take huge risks, often falling prey to unlicensed people or businesses who claim to offer much higher (and unrealistic) returns,” he shares. “These unregistered investment schemes, offered by people who are not registered financial services providers, lead to investors losing all the money they invest.”

Don’t lock in losses

If the market takes a nosedive, this is not the time to withdraw your capital. In fact, it’s the time to buy shares while they’re affordably priced. “These are the times you need to invest!” says Hutchinson. “Buy low, and sell high.”

Pay your future self

If you treat investment contributions the way you do instalments on debts like car financing or your credit card, you’ll build a habit of consistently ‘paying’ your investments – and it’s all money you get to keep! “Clients tend to give up too quickly, or they tap into savings too regularly, reducing their compound interest,” shares Hutchinson. “Try to view your investments as debt: you must stay loyal to paying them!”

If you’re looking to build your capital before investing, try this savings tool to help you get there.

Leave the past in the past

The allure of investing is often a result of seeing potential for success based on unprecedented wins. The reality is: investing doesn’t run on entitlement, and if you invest purely driven by past wins, you are sure to be disappointed. “Investors often wrongly believe that they need to actively pursue the best investment,” says van Schalkwyk. “As a result, they regularly switch from a fund that has had a relatively lower return in the recent past, to a fund that has had a relatively higher return.” You may be surprised at the devastating impact this type of behaviour can have on your returns.

Read this to learn about trends that are set to shape investing in the year ahead.

The importance of holistic planning

Many people hesitate to invest because a large chunk of their take-home pay goes towards servicing debt, or they don’t have a basic pool of emergency funds in place to prepare for the unexpected. So, would it still be wise to invest? Both experts strongly recommend chatting to a qualified financial planner to undergo a needs analysis to ensure you can invest with peace of mind.

Take the first step to your financial growth by booking a meeting with a financial planner today, here.

How to start investing with as little as R100 (2024)

FAQs

How to start investing with as little as R100? ›

You plan to invest $100 per month for 30 years and expect a 6% return. In this case, you would contribute $36,000 over your investment timeline. At the end of the term, your bond portfolio would be worth $97,451. With that, your portfolio would earn more than $61,000 in returns during your 30 years of contributions.

How to start investing with only $100 dollars? ›

Here are the 11 ways you can invest $100 to build wealth:
  1. Build a portfolio.
  2. Trade fractional shares.
  3. Invest in a high-yield savings account.
  4. Start an emergency fund.
  5. Save for a child's education.
  6. Start a brokerage account.
  7. Open a robo-advisor account.
  8. Consolidate and pay off debt.

How to invest with less than $100 dollars? ›

Our 6 best ways to invest $100 starting today
  1. Start an emergency fund.
  2. Use a micro-investing app or robo-advisor.
  3. Invest in a stock index mutual fund or exchange-traded fund.
  4. Use fractional shares to buy stocks.
  5. Put it in your 401(k).
  6. Open an IRA.

How can I start investing with a small amount of money? ›

Six ways to invest with little money
  1. Drip-feed your cash into investments. You don't need to have a lump sum to start investing. ...
  2. Buy an index tracker. ...
  3. Use a robo-adviser. ...
  4. Mitigate your risk. ...
  5. Invest for the long-term. ...
  6. Open a high-yield savings account.

How should a beginner start investing? ›

Here are five steps to start investing this year:
  1. Start investing as early as possible. Investing when you're young is one of the best ways to see solid returns on your money. ...
  2. Decide how much to invest. ...
  3. Open an investment account. ...
  4. Pick an investment strategy. ...
  5. Understand your investment options.
Mar 21, 2023

How much is $100 a month for 30 years? ›

You plan to invest $100 per month for 30 years and expect a 6% return. In this case, you would contribute $36,000 over your investment timeline. At the end of the term, your bond portfolio would be worth $97,451. With that, your portfolio would earn more than $61,000 in returns during your 30 years of contributions.

How to invest my first $100k? ›

Best Investments for Your $100,000
  1. Index Funds, Mutual Funds and ETFs.
  2. Individual Company Stocks.
  3. Real Estate.
  4. Savings Accounts, MMAs and CDs.
  5. Pay Down Your Debt.
  6. Create an Emergency Fund.
  7. Account for the Capital Gains Tax.
  8. Employ Diversification in Your Portfolio.
Mar 13, 2023

Is investing $100 in stocks worth it? ›

The main argument advanced by proponents of a 100% equities strategy is simple and straightforward: In the long run, equities outperform bonds and cash; therefore, allocating your entire portfolio to stocks will maximize your returns.

Is there a point to investing $100 dollars? ›

Investing just $100 a month over a period of years can be a lucrative strategy to grow your wealth over time. Doing so allows for the benefit of compounding returns, where gains build off of previous gains.

How much do I invest as a beginner? ›

There's no minimum to get started investing, however you likely need at least $200 — $1,000 to really get started right. If you're starting with less than $1,000, it's fine to buy just one stock and add more positions over time.

What is the smallest amount to start investing with? ›

Can I invest small amounts of money in stocks? Yes. Most brokerages these days have $0 account minimums (meaning you can open an account without funding it first), and some even have fractional trading, meaning you can invest low dollar amounts — think $5 or $10 — rather than pay for the price of an entire share.

How much should I invest in stocks as a beginner? ›

"If you're a typical working person or a beginning investor, you should know that it doesn't take a lot of money to start," IBD founder William O'Neil wrote in "How to Make Money in Stocks." "You can begin with as little as $500 to $1,000 and add to it as you earn and save more money," he wrote.

What is the smartest way to start investing? ›

Best investments for beginners
  1. High-yield savings accounts. This can be one of the simplest ways to boost the return on your money above what you're earning in a typical checking account. ...
  2. Certificates of deposit (CDs) ...
  3. 401(k) or another workplace retirement plan. ...
  4. Mutual funds. ...
  5. ETFs. ...
  6. Individual stocks.
Feb 20, 2023

What are the 5 steps to start investing? ›

  1. Step 1: Assess your risk tolerance. Conservative? ...
  2. Step 2: Diversify your investment. Balancing risk and return is the key to long-term investment. ...
  3. Step 3: Have a plan for asset allocation. Hit your investment targets with the right approach. ...
  4. Step 4: Assess investment performance. ...
  5. Step 5: Rebalance your investment portfolio.

How much is $50 dollars a week for 30 years? ›

If you were to save $50 each week, that would result in an annual savings of $2,600. Over the span of 30 years, that's $78,000.

How much is $5 a month for 1 year? ›

Annual / Monthly / Weekly / Hourly Converter

If you make $5 per month, your Yearly salary would be $60. This result is obtained by multiplying your base salary by the amount of hours, week, and months you work in a year, assuming you work 38 hours a week.

What if I save $50 a month for 20 years? ›

Let's start with the obvious: If you're not contributing any money to retirement, even $50 per month will make a substantial difference. That monthly contribution could add up to nearly $24,600 after 20 years, $56,700 after 30 years, and $119,800 after 40 years. That's still not enough to retire on, but it's a start.

Where to invest my first $1,000? ›

Here are nine top ways to invest $1,000 and the key things to know about them.
  • Buy an S&P 500 index fund. ...
  • Buy partial shares in 5 stocks. ...
  • Put it in an IRA. ...
  • Get a match in your 401(k) ...
  • Have a robo-advisor invest for you. ...
  • Pay down your credit card or other loan. ...
  • Go super safe with a high-yield savings account.
Feb 1, 2023

How to invest $10K to make money fast? ›

The Best Ways to Invest 10K
  1. Real estate investing. One of the more secure options is investing in real estate. ...
  2. Product and website flipping. ...
  3. Invest in index funds. ...
  4. Invest in mutual funds or EFTs. ...
  5. Invest in dividend stocks. ...
  6. Peer-to-peer lending (P2P) ...
  7. Invest in cryptocurrencies. ...
  8. Buy an established business.

Is 1k enough to start investing? ›

Although it is not a large sum of money, $1000 is well worth investing. With many of the options we looked at, particularly ETFs, sums as small as $50 or even $20 are worth investing on a regular basis. It bears repeating that investing is an incremental game.

How can I turn $100 into $1000 today? ›

One of the easiest ways to turn $100 into $1,000 is by investing your money in a 401(k) or IRA. Investing is a must if you want a stable and wealthy retirement. And the earlier you start, the better. This is why it's important to start investing today, even if you don't have much money to get started.

What is the fastest way to grow money? ›

If you're currently living beyond your means and have no additional money to put to work for you, you'll never build wealth.
  • Save on Vehicles. ...
  • Save on Shelter. ...
  • Don't Buy Crap. ...
  • Save a Percentage of Your Income. ...
  • Work Hard Now. ...
  • Invest in Your Education. ...
  • Invest in Yourself and Your Marketing. ...
  • Venture into Entrepreneurship.
Sep 26, 2019

How to make $5,000 dollars fast legally? ›

19 Easy Ways to Make $5,000 Fast
  1. Rent a Home, Car, or Storage Space.
  2. Sell High-Value Items.
  3. Make Deliveries.
  4. Invest in Stocks.
  5. Sell Stuff Online.
  6. Freelancing.
  7. Drive for Uber or Lyft.
  8. Real Estate Investing.
Oct 20, 2022

How many stocks should I own with $100 K? ›

A good range for how many stocks to own is 15 to 20. You can keep adding to your holdings and also invest in other types of assets such as bonds, REITs, and ETFs. The key is to conduct the necessary research on each investment to make sure you know what you are buying and why.

How much is $100 a month for 18 years? ›

This chart shows that a monthly contribution of $100 will compound more if you start saving earlier, giving the money more time to grow. If you save $100 a month for 18 years, your ending balance could be $35,400. If you save $100 a month for 9 years, your ending balance could be about $13,900.

How long should $100 dollars last? ›

How long is the lifespan of U.S. paper money?
DenominationEstimated Lifespan*
$105.3 years
$207.8 years
$5012.2 years
$10022.9 years
3 more rows
Mar 9, 2020

Is it better to invest weekly or monthly? ›

Their rough math showed that for the amounts they invest, they would have 8.4% more invested after a ten-year period, just by investing weekly rather than monthly. In their situation, this could amount to >$86,000 in ten years!

How to turn $100 into $200? ›

The most efficient and proven ways to turn 100 into 200 are selling on ecommerce platforms, freelancing, or starting a blog. You can also try forex trading, invest in crypto or stocks, but these ways require more experiences and knowledge, as there is a higher risk you could lose your investment.

What are the 4 types of investments? ›

Different Types of Investments
  • Mutual fund Investment. ...
  • Stocks. ...
  • Bonds. ...
  • Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) ...
  • Fixed deposits. ...
  • Retirement planning. ...
  • Cash and cash equivalents. ...
  • Real estate Investment.

How to pick stocks for dummies? ›

You have to look carefully for these points:
  1. Return on equity should be 10 percent higher every year.
  2. Price-to-earnings ratio should be less than 20.
  3. The price-to-earnings ratio should never be higher than 40 for any stocks.
  4. Price-to-sales ratio should be close to one.

Is $50 good to start investing? ›

Invest early: Take advantage of compounding

As you can see, $50 dollars could add up and contribute significantly to your financial goals if you are consistent with your investing plan. Learn more about how to get started or open an account with Thrivent Mutual Funds.

Can I invest with only $20? ›

Yes, you can buy stocks with just $20. Thanks to discount brokers, the barrier to the stock market has never been so low. To buy individual stocks, you need to open an investment account with a self-directed brokerage.

How much money will you have if you invest $100 a month? ›

You plan to invest $100 per month for five years and expect a 6% return. In this case, you would contribute $6,000 over your investment timeline. At the end of the term, your portfolio would be worth $6,949. With that, your portfolio would earn around $950 in returns during your five years of contributions.

Are stocks worth it with little money? ›

Start Investing, Even With Little Money

These accounts offer next to nothing in interest, making them nothing more than a place to park your money. Investing in stocks helps you save for the future. The average historical stock market return is 9.2%. The earlier you start, the more time you have for money to grow.

Is $1 enough to invest in stocks? ›

Investing in the stock market doesn't mean you need to have millions, thousands, or even hundreds of dollars to get started. Even if you have just one extra dollar, you can begin building your portfolio.

What is the easiest investment method to use? ›

Cash. A cash bank deposit is the simplest, most easily understandable investment asset—and the safest. It not only gives investors precise knowledge of the interest that they'll earn but also guarantees that they'll get their capital back.

What are the 7 rules of investing? ›

Schwab's 7 Investing Principles
  • Establish a plan Current Section,
  • Start saving today.
  • Diversify your portfolio.
  • Minimize fees.
  • Protect against loss.
  • Rebalance regularly.
  • Ignore the noise.

What are the 3 R's of investing? ›

The Three Rs of Investments: Research, Risk, and Reward.

What is the 4 rule investing? ›

The 4% rule is easy to follow. In the first year of retirement, you can withdraw up to 4% of your portfolio's value. If you have $1 million saved for retirement, for example, you could spend $40,000 in the first year of retirement following the 4% rule.

What are the 5 golden rules of investing? ›

The golden rules of investing
  • If you can't afford to invest yet, don't. It's true that starting to invest early can give your investments more time to grow over the long term. ...
  • Set your investment expectations. ...
  • Understand your investment. ...
  • Diversify. ...
  • Take a long-term view. ...
  • Keep on top of your investments.

Is it worth investing only $100? ›

$100 is a great starting amount, but you will need to continue contributing more. You have to also consider your personal risk tolerance, existing financial assets, and whether or not you have the means to continue contributing to an investment to help it grow.

How to turn $100 into $1,000? ›

One of the easiest ways to turn $100 into $1,000 is by investing your money in a 401(k) or IRA. Investing is a must if you want a stable and wealthy retirement. And the earlier you start, the better. This is why it's important to start investing today, even if you don't have much money to get started.

What is the #1 rule of investing? ›

Warren Buffett once said, “The first rule of an investment is don't lose [money]. And the second rule of an investment is don't forget the first rule.

How can I legally flip money? ›

9 Real ways to flip money
  1. Real estate flipping. ...
  2. Flip websites or domain names. ...
  3. Resell goods online. ...
  4. Bank account churning. ...
  5. Traditional investing. ...
  6. Non-traditional and alternative investments. ...
  7. Flip money by fixing physical items. ...
  8. Invest in land.
Feb 22, 2023

Is investing $50 a week good? ›

If you were to save $50 each week, that would result in an annual savings of $2,600. Over the span of 30 years, that's $78,000. That's not something you can retire on. But if you invested those savings into a safe growth stock, you could potentially have $1 million by the time you retire.

How to flip $20 to $100? ›

Some of the best ways to turn $20 into $100 include:
  1. Buying and flipping stuff online.
  2. In-person retail arbitrage.
  3. Investing in dividend paying stocks.
  4. Selling food and beverages to people.
  5. Investing your money into real estate with companies like Arrived or Fundrise.
May 21, 2022

How to make $1000 in 24 hours? ›

10 Legit Ways to Make $1,000 in 24 Hours
  1. Sell Your Stuff.
  2. Freelance.
  3. Get a Side Hustle or Part-Time Job.
  4. Start a Blog.
  5. Start an E-Commerce Store.
  6. Invest in Real Estate.
  7. Set up Passive Income Streams.
  8. Make Money Online.
Mar 22, 2023

How to make $50 dollars asap? ›

  1. Get $50 Instantly with Online Surveys. A super easy way to make $50 is by taking online surveys for money. ...
  2. Make $50 Playing Games Online. ...
  3. Get Paid for What You Already Do. ...
  4. Use Cashback Apps to Save $50. ...
  5. Get a $50 Cash Advance. ...
  6. Sign Up with a Micro-investing App. ...
  7. Test Websites and Apps for Cash. ...
  8. Get Paid to Get Fit.

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