For years, I thought investing was something only rich people did.
You know, the guys in suits with six-figure salaries and massive portfolios. Meanwhile, I was just trying to cover rent and maybe have something left over for the weekend. So I told myself, “I’ll start investing when I’m making more money.”
But that mindset kept me stuck. Because no matter how much I earned, there was always some reason to wait — bills, unexpected expenses, life stuff. Sound familiar?
One day I saw a post that said: “If you can afford Netflix, you can afford to invest.”
It hit me. Not because I was wasting money, but because I had been putting off building something better for my future, all while spending casually on things I didn’t even think twice about.
So I started — with €10.
No, that’s not a typo. Just ten bucks. It wasn’t about how much I was putting in. It was about building the habit.
I used an app that made things simple (no, this isn’t a sponsored post — I genuinely needed something beginner-friendly). I picked a low-risk ETF, didn’t stress about the ups and downs, and just set it to auto-invest a little every month.
At first, it felt pointless. Like, what’s €10 gonna do? But over time, watching it grow — even slowly — felt good. Like I wasn’t just working for money anymore… I was making money work for me.
And something unexpected happened: I started thinking differently about spending. Every time I wanted to buy something dumb online, I’d think, “Would I rather have this, or put it into my investments?”
Half the time, I chose the investment. Not because I’m super disciplined, but because I started to care.
The idea that I had to be rich to start? Complete lie.
I realized that investing isn’t about timing the market or having thousands of dollars. It’s about getting in the habit of paying your future self — even if it’s just €5 at a time.
I still don’t know everything. I’m not a finance expert. I still mess up. But I’m in the game now, and that’s what matters.
So if you’ve been waiting for the “right time” or the “right income,” let me tell you — the best time was probably yesterday. But the second best time? It’s right now.
Open that app. Set up the account. Start with whatever you’ve got.
Your future self will be glad you did.
