Investing for Beginners: How to Grow Your Money While You Sleep
You've mastered saving money, but now you're watching your hard-earned cash sit in a savings account earning barely 1% interest while inflation eats away at its purchasing power. Sound familiar? If you're ready to make your money work harder for you, it's time to learn about investing. Don't worry – you don't need to be a Wall Street genius or have thousands of dollars to start. This guide will show you exactly how to begin investing, even if you're starting with just $100. Why Investing Beats Saving (The Hard Truth) Let's do some quick math that might shock you: Scenario 1: Sarah the Saver Saves $500/month in a savings account (1% interest) After 20 years: $127,000 Scenario 2: Mike the Investor Invests $500/month in index funds (7% average return) After 20 years: $247,000 That's a difference of $120,000! This is the power of compound interest – Einstein called it "the eighth wonder of the world." Before You Invest: Your Fina...