“Is it a good time to invest?” Good question. Here’s the short answer from Sallie Krawcheck and our friends over Ellevest: “Yes … but yesterday probably would have been even better.”
Why?
Because every single day you wait could cost Future You about $100. (Mhmmm). That’s like having $4 deducted from your bank account every single hour of every single day. Um, no, thank you. (Here’s how they calculated that.)
You can thank two things for this. First, despite what you hear on the media, the market has historically trended upward over the long term. (That’s fact) And second, the power of compounding.
Compounding is what happens when your investments earn money, and then that money earns you even more money. And so on. And so on.
Take this example:
All that being said, historically, the most successful approach to investing has been to tune out all the noise in the media and what you hear about predictions and “hot stocks”. Instead, invest consistently, a bit out of every paycheck, with an eye on the long term.
Why this is especially important for us women
ICYMI, there’s a big gender investing gap. Women retire with two-thirds as much money as men even though we live an average of 6–8 years longer. so, why do we have less money? There are a lot of reasons why, including the gender pay gap, and the fact that women take more frequent career breaks. (BTW, Ellevest’s platform takes these things into account.)
It’s not cool. And it’s not fair. But it’s the reality of the situation. And it means we have to start investing – like now – like yesterday.
If you’re a first time investor in your 20s, 30s, or even 40s, and you haven’t started, today is the best time to start.
And, contrary to popular belief, you can start investing before you have a lot of money. Seriously—with a robo-advisor like Ellevest, you can start with $1, $5, or $500 … all good. Making a few small, smart investments (like taking advantage of a 401(k) employer match) can have a big impact over time.
Ready to open your investing account? Follow the link below and you’ll be taken to Ellevest for more information
⇒ Get Started Investing With Ellevest
Bottom Line
It can be fun spending money. It can be even more fun watching your savings grow. You’ll thank us later.
Here are more money topics for you…
The One Money-Habit All Wildly Successful Women Share
The News Podcast Every Working Woman Should Listen To
How Women Can Get What They Want in a Negotiation
Disclosures: We’re excited to be working with Ellevest to start this conversation about women and money. We receive compensation if you become an Ellevest client.
Questions? We’re here to help. Leave us a comment and we’ll get back to you!
