There’s so much information out there that investing can start to feel way more complicated than it actually needs to be.

If I were starting over from $0 today, I’d keep things as simple as possible.

Step 1: Know why you’re investing

Saving money is important. You need cash for emergencies and short-term expenses.

But if your goal is to build wealth over the next 10, 20, or 30 years, I wouldn’t want all of my money sitting in cash.

I’d want at least some of it working for me.

Step 2: Keep your investments simple

I wouldn’t start by trying to pick the next winning stock.

I’d focus on learning about broad index funds and ETFs that let you invest in hundreds—or even thousands—of companies at once.

It’s one of the simplest ways I know to get started without feeling like you need to become a stock market expert first.

Step 3: Start with whatever you can

You don’t need thousands of dollars.

If $50 or $100 a month is what you can comfortably invest right now, start there.

I’d much rather see someone start small and build the habit than spend another year waiting until they feel “ready.”

Step 4: Make your first investment

This is where a lot of beginners get stuck.

Opening an account is one thing. Actually clicking “buy” is another.

I break down the process step-by-step here.

Step 5: Give it time

Your investments are going to go up and down.

There will be scary headlines. There will be bad days in the market.

But long-term investing isn’t about making the perfect decision every day. It’s about having a simple plan you understand and can stick with.

And if you’re just getting started, that’s really what I want you to focus on.

If you’d rather watch instead of read, I put together a full beginner walkthrough here:

-Steve

But the earlier you start, the more surprising the numbers get.

Let’s assume you invest $100 every month until age 60 and earn a hypothetical 10% average annual return:

• Start at 18 → Invest $50,400 → $774,430

• Start at 20 → Invest $48,000 → $632,408

• Start at 30 → Invest $36,000 → $226,049

• Start at 40 → Invest $24,000 → $75,937

• Start at 50 → Invest $12,000 → $20,484

The biggest thing I want you to notice isn’t just how much the account grows.

It’s how much time matters.

Someone starting at 20 only contributes $12,000 more than someone starting at 30—but ends up with roughly $406,000 more in this example.

That’s the power of giving your money another decade to compound.

And if you’re already in your 40s or 50s, this isn’t meant to discourage you. It’s the opposite.

The best time to start may have been earlier. The next best time is now.

You don’t need thousands of dollars to begin. Start with what you can, build the habit, and increase your contributions as you’re able.

I break down exactly what happens when you invest $100 a month in this video:

The truth is… you don’t need to start big. You just need to start.

$100 a month may not feel life-changing today.

But give that $100 enough time, consistency, and room to compound—and it can become the foundation for something much bigger.

Want all of my investing resources in one place?
Get my FREE $1M Investing Roadmap with beginner guides, calculators, worksheets, ETF sheets, account setup resources, ebooks, trainings, and more.

Get it here

Someone preparing for early retirement may need a very different portfolio than someone focused on maximum long-term growth. Your time horizon, risk tolerance, and need for income should all influence how you invest.

That’s why I created this Beginner Portfolio Builder Table. It gives you example ETF mixes based on goals like:

• Keeping things simple and hands-off

• Reducing volatility

• Building passive income

• Growing wealth long-term

• Preparing for retirement

These are not one-size-fits-all recommendations, but they can give you a helpful starting point for researching and building a portfolio that fits you.

You can get the full sheet inside my free $1M Investing Roadmap, along with ETF lists, calculators, account guides, and other tools to help you build your investing plan.

Get this sheet here

I wanted to give you the tools to actually understand your money and start taking action.

That’s why the roadmap also includes my eBook, Financial Freedom, Faster.

I spent a lot of time writing this book because I know how overwhelming personal finance can feel—especially when no one ever taught you where to begin.

Inside, I walk you through five important parts of building a stronger financial foundation:

• Saving more money and building an emergency fund

• Creating a plan to pay off debt

• Understanding and improving your credit

• Developing better wealth-building habits

• Opening investment accounts and beginning to invest

But this isn’t a book filled with complicated financial language.

Each chapter breaks the process into simple steps and includes “Your Turn” sections that help you apply what you’re learning. You can calculate your savings goals, organize your debt, plan where your paycheck should go, and track your progress directly inside the roadmap.

You don’t need to finish everything in one day.

Start with one chapter, complete one action, and keep moving forward.

My goal is to make managing your money and learning how to invest feel a little less confusing—and much more doable.

The Financial Freedom, Faster eBook is included completely free inside my $1M Investing Roadmap.

Get my eBook here

Thankfully, you don’t have to predict the next winning stock.

A growth ETF allows you to invest in a collection of companies expected to grow faster than the broader market. With one purchase, you can gain exposure to dozens—or even hundreds—of companies without researching and managing every stock individually.

But here’s where beginners often get confused:

Not every growth ETF invests in the same thing.

Some provide broad exposure to large U.S. growth companies. Others focus almost entirely on technology. Several hold many of the same stocks, even though the names of the funds are different.

That’s why I don’t want you to simply choose the ETF with the best recent return. I want you to understand what you’re actually buying.

Here are seven growth ETFs to research if you’re over 40 and investing for long-term growth.

1. SCHG: Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF

SCHG invests in large U.S. companies that demonstrate growth characteristics.

You’ll find many familiar names inside the fund, including companies from technology, consumer discretionary, communication services, healthcare, and other sectors. Its largest holdings currently include companies such as Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Broadcom.

Because SCHG invests across several industries, it is broader than a technology-only ETF. However, technology still represents a significant percentage of the portfolio.

SCHG currently has a 0.04% expense ratio, making it one of the least expensive ETFs on this list.

Who might research it: Someone looking for broad exposure to large U.S. growth companies at a very low cost.

2. IWY: iShares Russell Top 200 Growth ETF

IWY focuses on growth companies within the 200 largest publicly traded U.S. companies.

This means the fund is more concentrated in very large companies than some of the broader options on this list. It currently holds approximately 100 stocks, with a considerable amount of the portfolio invested in its largest positions.

That concentration can be beneficial when the largest growth companies are performing well—but it can also create larger swings when those companies struggle.

IWY currently has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHG and VUG.

Who might research it: Someone who specifically wants concentrated exposure to the largest U.S. growth companies.

3. VUG: Vanguard Growth ETF

VUG is another broad large-cap growth ETF.

It invests in U.S. companies selected based on characteristics such as expected earnings growth, historical earnings growth, sales growth, and momentum.

Like SCHG, VUG gives you exposure to more than just technology. However, many of its largest holdings are still major technology and communication companies.

VUG currently has a 0.03% expense ratio, making it the lowest-cost ETF in this group.

Who might research it: A long-term investor who wants a simple, low-cost large-cap growth ETF.

4. QQQ: Invesco QQQ ETF

QQQ tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, which includes approximately 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange.

You’ll find many technology companies inside QQQ, but it is not technically a technology-only fund. It can also hold companies from consumer discretionary, healthcare, communication services, industrials, and other industries.

One important detail is that the Nasdaq-100 excludes financial companies. It is also based partly on where a company’s stock is listed—not simply whether the company is considered a “growth” company.

QQQ currently has a 0.18% expense ratio. It is also heavily traded, which may appeal to active traders, but frequent trading is not necessary for a long-term beginner.

Who might research it: Someone who wants exposure to large, innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq.

5. QQQM: Invesco Nasdaq 100 ETF

At first glance, QQQM may appear to be a completely different investment from QQQ.

It isn’t.

QQQM tracks the same Nasdaq-100 Index as QQQ, so the two ETFs hold essentially the same collection of companies.

The main difference for a long-term investor is the cost. QQQM currently has a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with QQQ’s 0.18%.

That may seem like a small difference, but expenses can add up over decades.

This does not mean you need to own both. Because they track the same index, buying both generally gives you more of the same investments rather than additional diversification.

Who might research it: A buy-and-hold investor interested in the Nasdaq-100 who prefers the lower-cost option.

6. VGT: Vanguard Information Technology ETF

This is where we move away from broad growth ETFs and into sector ETFs.

VGT invests specifically in the information technology sector. That includes companies involved in areas such as software, semiconductors, technology hardware, IT services, and electronic equipment.

Unlike SCHG or VUG, VGT does not intentionally spread your investment across several major areas of the economy. Its job is to give you concentrated exposure to technology.

VGT currently has a 0.09% expense ratio.

This concentration can provide strong growth when technology performs well, but it also means you’re more dependent on the performance of one sector.

Who might research it: Someone who already has a diversified portfolio and intentionally wants additional exposure to the technology sector.

7. XLK: Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund

XLK is also a technology-sector ETF, but its construction is different from VGT.

XLK invests in technology companies from the S&P 500. Because it begins with companies in the S&P 500, it primarily gives you exposure to large U.S. technology businesses.

VGT covers a wider portion of the U.S. technology market, while XLK focuses on technology companies included in the S&P 500.

XLK currently has a 0.08% expense ratio.

Who might research it: Someone seeking targeted exposure to large technology companies in the S&P 500.

Do You Need More Than One?

Probably not.

Many of these ETFs own the same major companies. For example, buying SCHG, VUG, QQQM, VGT, and XLK does not necessarily mean you have five completely different investments.

You could simply be buying Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft, Broadcom, and other large companies multiple times through different funds.

This is known as overlap.

Overlap is not automatically bad, but you should know when it is happening. Otherwise, your portfolio may be much more concentrated in technology and large growth stocks than you realize.

Before choosing an ETF, ask:

• What index does it track?

• How many companies does it hold?

• How much is invested in its largest holdings?

• Which sectors dominate the portfolio?

• What is its expense ratio?

• Do I already own these companies through another fund?

The goal is not to collect as many ETFs as possible.

The goal is to create a portfolio in which every investment has a clear purpose.

Prefer to Watch the Breakdown?

In this video, I walk through all seven ETFs, explain what they invest in, and discuss how they may fit into a long-term investing plan.

More of a visual learner? Watch the full breakdown below:

Get the Complete ETF List

All seven of these growth ETFs are included in my free $1M Investing Roadmap.

You’ll also get additional ETF lists, an account-priority guide, calculators, worksheets, and other resources to help you organize your finances and create a long-term investing plan.

Get my roadmap here!

Inside, you’ll find beginner investing lessons, study guides, YouTube trainings, portfolio-building tools, and two of my eBooks—all completely FREE.

But you do not need to go through everything at once. Here’s the easiest way to get started.

1. Begin with the $1M Investing Roadmap Sheet

This spreadsheet is where everything comes together. Click through the tabs to explore your accounts, compare investment options, use the calculators, and start mapping out your next steps.

A lot of people open the sheet, only see the first page, and think the content is missing. The tools, calculators, charts, and additional resources are located in separate tabs at the bottom.

Click through each tab to access everything included in the roadmap.

2. Work through the beginner chapters

The $1M Investing Roadmap eBook starts with the basics, including:

• Saving versus investing

• How stocks and ETFs work

• Understanding ETF fees

• Building a beginner portfolio

• Choosing your financial independence goal

• Setting up an account and buying your first ETF

Start at Chapter 1 and move at your own pace. You don’t need to finish it in one sitting.

3. Choose the lessons that match your goals

The P.A.I.D. Strategy Investing Study Guides cover dividends, account setup, covered calls, cash-secured puts, and ways to generate investment income.

The Options Study Guides are more advanced. Save these for later if you’re still learning the fundamentals. They cover covered calls, cash-secured puts, LEAPS, and spreads.

You’ll also find a folder of YouTube lessons on topics like beginner ETFs, dividend portfolios, investing your first $10,000, and building additional income.

4. Don’t forget your two free eBooks

You’ll also receive my 2 eBooks:

• Financial Freedom, Faster

• Invest Like a Millionaire
  

How to use this without feeling overwhelmed..

If I’m being honest, none of this information is a secret or some groundbreaking investing strategy. 😅 You could probably find most of it online - but you’d have to dig through dozens of websites, videos, articles, and spreadsheets to piece it all together.

That’s why I created this roadmap. I spent a lot of time organizing the lessons, tools, calculators, guides, and resources so you can find everything you need in ONE place.

And yes, it may feel like a lot when you first open it. You’re not supposed to go through everything in one sitting. Take it one day and one lesson at a time.

The goal isn’t to learn everything immediately. It’s to understand one concept, take one small action, and keep building from there.

If you don’t have my roadmap yet, get it below! ⬇️

Get my roadmap here!

But those rates are starting to fall.

That does not automatically mean you should close your account or move all your cash. It means this is a good time to understand what is causing the change and compare your options.

HYSA rates are closely connected to interest rates set by the Federal Reserve. When the Fed lowers rates, banks often lower the interest they pay on savings accounts too.

So the account that once paid a competitive rate may not stay competitive forever.

Where should you keep your cash?

The answer depends on what the money is for.

Your emergency fund should usually remain somewhere safe, flexible, and easy to access.

Cash you plan to invest soon may be better suited for a money market fund.

Money you know you will not need for several months could potentially earn more in a CD or Treasury bill.

Each option has different benefits, restrictions, and levels of flexibility. The goal is not simply to chase the highest rate. It is to match the account to when you will need the money.

For anyone who would rather watch than read, I break everything down in this video:

The main takeaway is simple: your cash should have a purpose.

You do not need to move everything every time rates change, but it is worth checking whether your money is still sitting in the best place for your goals.

And once you have enough set aside for emergencies and short-term expenses, the next step is creating a plan for the money you want to invest.

Build Your Investing Plan

Download my free $1 Million Investing Roadmap for the account priority chart, ETF lists, allocation sheets, calculators, and step-by-step resources you can use to start building your portfolio.

Get the FREE roadmap here

They’re all called dividend ETFs, but they don’t all do the same job.

Some focus on growing their dividends over time. Others prioritize higher income today. A few use options to create larger monthly distributions.

That’s why I would never choose a dividend ETF based on yield alone.

In this video, I break down the criteria I use to compare dividend ETFs and walk through seven popular options:

SCHD, VYM, SPYD, DGRO, JEPI, JEPQ, SPYI, and QYLD.

Prefer to watch instead of read? Here’s the full breakdown:

You DON’T need to own all 7.

You need to understand what each fund is designed to do and choose one that fits your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance.

Want the investing sheets I use to help simplify these decisions?

Download my free $1M Investing Roadmap to get the ETF sheet, portfolio allocation tools, account priority chart, and step-by-step investing roadmap.

Get the sheet here!

Which account should you open?
How do you fund it?
What should you do next?

That’s exactly what my free 5-Day Investing Challenge is designed to help with.

In under five days, you’ll learn how to:

• Choose the right investing accounts

• Open and fund them

• Understand what each account is for

• Take your first steps toward investing

You’ll also get free access to the a course I spent months creating, where I break down dividends, interest, portfolio growth, and income strategies in a simple, beginner-friendly way. And it’s 100% free. 🙂

But my favorite part of this course is I get to chat with you all every Thursday!

I host a live chat inside the community every Thursday at 5 PM (open to everyone), where you can ask your investing questions directly.

Join the challenge, get your accounts set up, and start investing in just 5 days. Want to join? Click below ⬇️

Join the FREE 5-day challenge!

You may need a clearer plan and a little more intention, but you can still make meaningful progress.

The first step is understanding what retirement might actually cost you.

Look at your current annual expenses, think about the lifestyle you want in retirement, and use that number to estimate your financial freedom number. From there, you can work backward and determine how much you may need to invest each month based on your timeline.

You also need to think about where your money is sitting.

Keeping too much cash on the sidelines can feel safe, but inflation slowly reduces what that money can buy. That does not mean you should invest every dollar. Your emergency fund and short-term savings should still be protected. The goal is to give each dollar a purpose.

If you’re more of a visual person, I walk through the entire process step by step in this video

Once you know your goal, try not to make the investing side more complicated than it needs to be.

A money market fund may make sense for cash you want to keep accessible, while diversified ETFs can help you invest for long-term growth without trying to pick individual winners.

Before buying an ETF, I would look at what it owns, how diversified it is, its fees, and whether it actually fits the role you need it to play in your portfolio.

Most importantly, do not let the final retirement number intimidate you.

Focus on the next contribution, the next account you need to open, and the next improvement you can make. Small decisions made consistently can completely change your financial future.

Want ALL the sheets and calculators that I use in my videos?

Get it here!

How much will that turn into?

That IS an important question—but it is not the ONLY thing that changes.

Because in the beginning, the biggest result may not show up in your account balance.

It shows up in your habits.

During the first month, you begin seeing yourself as someone who invests. Instead of waiting until you earn more, understand everything, or find the perfect time to start, you begin working with what you have today.

Then comes the harder part: staying consistent.

At some point, the market will fall. Your account may temporarily be worth less than the amount you contributed. You may wonder whether investing is actually working.

That is the first emotional test.

But when you keep contributing through the ups and downs, you begin learning one of the most important investing lessons:

Short-term market movement matters much less when you are investing for decades.

What $100 a Month Can Become

Investing $100 each month may not feel dramatic at first.

After one year, you have contributed $1,200.

After five years, you have contributed $6,000.

But over longer periods, your investment returns can begin earning returns of their own. That is when compounding starts doing more of the work.

The exact result will depend on your investments, fees, taxes, and future market performance. There are no guaranteed returns.

But the principle remains the same:

The earlier you begin, the more time your money has to grow.

And as your income increases, you may eventually be able to raise your monthly contribution from $100 to $200, $500, or more.

The habit you created with that first $100 makes those future increases much easier.

More of a visual learner?

I walk you through what can happen during your first month, your first market drop, and the years that follow in this video.

I also share different long-term projections and explain what changes when you begin investing more.

The Real Value of Starting Small

Investing $100 a month probably will not make you feel wealthy overnight.

But it can help you:

• Build the habit of paying your future self

• Become more comfortable with market fluctuations

• Learn how your investment accounts work

• Stop waiting for the “perfect” time

• Create a foundation you can build on as your income grows

You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin.

Start with an amount you can consistently afford. Keep learning. Increase it when your finances allow.

The goal is not to make one perfect investment.

The goal is to create a system you can continue for years.

Build Your Own Investing Plan

Starting with $100 a month is powerful, but it helps to know what you are working toward.

My free $1M Investing Roadmap will help you see how much you may need to invest, how long it could take, and what steps to focus on next.

Get it here!

Which account should I open?

Which ETFs should I buy?

How much should I invest?

But once your money is actually invested, another question usually comes up:

“Am I supposed to adjust this over time?”

That’s where rebalancing comes in.

Rebalancing simply means bringing your portfolio back to the plan you originally created.

Think of it like checking the alignment on your car. You don’t need to check it every day, but every once in a while, you want to make sure things are still pointing in the right direction.

Your portfolio works the same way.

Over time, some investments grow faster than others. Some may drop more than others. And without you doing anything wrong, your portfolio can slowly move away from the balance you originally wanted.

If you’d rather watch the full breakdown, I explain it here:

What does it mean to rebalance?

Let’s say your original plan was:

• 70% stocks

• 20% bonds

• 10% cash

That’s your target allocation.

But after the market moves, your portfolio may look more like this:

• 80% stocks

• 15% bonds

• 5% cash

You didn’t necessarily make a mistake.

It just means stocks grew faster than the other parts of your portfolio.

But now, your portfolio may be more aggressive than you originally wanted.

Rebalancing means making adjustments so your investments get closer to your target again.

That could mean selling some of what grew too much.

It could mean buying more of what is underweight.

Or, for many beginners, it could simply mean using new money to buy more of the areas that need to catch up.

That last option is often the easiest place to start.

Rebalancing is not reacting

This is the part I really want beginners to understand.

Rebalancing is not the same as reacting to the market.

It is not:

“The market is down, so I need to do something.”

Or:

“The market is up, so I should change everything.”

Or:

“I saw a scary headline, so I should rebuild my portfolio.”

That’s not rebalancing.

That’s emotional decision-making.

The better question is:

“Does my portfolio still match my plan?”

If the answer is yes, you may not need to do anything.

If the answer is no, then it may be time to rebalance.

How do you know if your portfolio needs rebalancing?

Here are three simple signs.

1. Your allocation has drifted too far

If your plan was 70% stocks and now you’re at 71%, that’s probably not a big deal.

You don’t need to make changes over every tiny movement.

But if your plan was 70% stocks and now you’re at 80% or 85%, your portfolio may be taking on more risk than you intended.

That’s when rebalancing can help.

The goal is not to keep your portfolio perfect every day.

The goal is to make sure it hasn’t drifted so far that it no longer matches your plan.

2. Your goals have changed

Sometimes your portfolio needs to change because your life changed.

Maybe you’re closer to retirement.

Maybe you want more income.

Maybe your expenses changed.

Maybe your job situation changed.

Maybe you realized you don’t want as much risk as you originally thought.

Your portfolio should serve your life.

So if your goals have changed, your investments may need to change too.

3. Your risk tolerance has changed

It’s easy to say you can handle risk when the market is going up.

It feels different when your account is down.

If every market drop makes you want to sell everything, your portfolio may be too aggressive.

On the other hand, if your money is too conservative and you’re worried it won’t grow enough, you may need a different balance.

The best portfolio is not the one that looks perfect on paper.

It’s the one you can actually stick with.

What beginners should be careful about

Rebalancing can be helpful, but you don’t want to do it blindly.

First, think about taxes.

If you rebalance inside a Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, or 401(k), taxes are usually less of an issue.

But if you sell investments inside a regular taxable brokerage account, you could create capital gains taxes.

That’s why using new contributions can be a beginner-friendly way to rebalance.

Instead of selling what went up, you can invest new money into the areas that are underweight.

Second, be careful with overtrading.

Rebalancing should not become an excuse to constantly touch your portfolio.

You don’t need to check it every day.

You don’t need to make changes every week.

And you don’t need to react to every headline.

Simple usually works better than busy.

How often should you rebalance?

For beginners, I’d keep this simple.

You can check your portfolio once or twice a year.

When you check, ask:

“Has my portfolio moved far enough away from my plan that I need to adjust?”

Some investors also use a percentage rule.

For example, if your target stock allocation is 70%, you might only rebalance if it moves to 75% or 65%.

That way, you’re not reacting to every small change.

You’re only acting when the drift is big enough to matter.

What about market drops?

Market drops can make everything feel urgent.

But a market drop does not automatically mean your portfolio is broken.

Before you make any changes, ask yourself:

“Am I doing this because my portfolio no longer matches my plan, or because I’m scared?”

That question can save you from a lot of bad investing decisions.

Sometimes, the right move is to leave your portfolio alone.

Sometimes, the right move is to keep investing consistently.

And sometimes, if your allocation has drifted enough, rebalancing can make sense.

But the decision should come from your plan.

Not panic.

Rebalancing is not about being perfect.

It’s about staying aligned.

Before you rebalance, ask yourself:

Does my portfolio still match my goals?

Does it still match my timeline?

Does it still match the amount of risk I’m comfortable taking?

If the answer is yes, you may not need to do anything.

If the answer is no, rebalancing can help you get back on track.

The goal is not to avoid every market drop.

The goal is to build a portfolio you understand, trust, and can stick with for the long run.

If you want help organizing your investments, choosing the right accounts, and building a simple long-term strategy, you can grab my free $1M Investing Roadmap.

It’ll help you see the steps more clearly so you’re not guessing your way through investing.

Get My $1M Investing Roadmap Here

“I know I should be investing… I just don’t want to mess it up.”

And I completely understand that feeling.

Because when you’re starting out, every decision feels bigger than it actually is.

Should I invest now or wait?
Should I buy VOO or VTI?
Should I add dividends?
What if the market drops right after I start?
What if I choose the wrong thing?

That fear can make people sit in cash for years.

Not because they don’t care about building wealth.

But because they care so much that they don’t want to make a mistake.

The problem is, waiting too long, overcomplicating your portfolio, chasing trends, and stopping when the market drops are often the mistakes that hurt beginners the most.

So instead of trying to build the perfect portfolio from day one, I’d focus on avoiding these simple mistakes first.

1. Waiting for the “perfect time” to invest

This is one of the biggest traps.

A lot of people wait because they think they’ll start investing when the market feels safer.

When the economy looks better.

When the headlines are less scary.

When they finally feel 100% confident.

The problem is, that perfect moment usually never comes.

And while you’re waiting, your money misses out on time in the market.

What I’d do instead:

I’d start small.

Even $25, $50, or $100 a week can help build the habit.

The goal in the beginning isn’t to be perfect.

The goal is to get started and become consistent.

Because consistency beats trying to time the market.

2. Buying too many ETFs or stocks

A lot of beginners think more investments means more diversification.

But that’s not always true.

Sometimes people buy 10, 15, or 20 different ETFs and don’t realize many of them own the same companies.

So instead of being more diversified, their portfolio becomes more confusing.

What I’d do instead:

I’d keep it simple.

I’d start with 1–3 core ETFs that each have a clear purpose.

For example, one broad-market ETF could be the foundation.

Then, depending on your goals, you might add a growth ETF or dividend ETF.

But I would not collect random tickers just because someone online mentioned them.

Every investment should have a job.

3. Chasing high yields or trendy ETFs

This is another mistake I see all the time.

Someone sees an ETF with a high dividend yield and thinks:

“Wow, this must be better.”

But high yield does not always mean high quality.

Sometimes a yield looks high because the fund is riskier, more volatile, or has dropped in price.

The same thing happens with trendy ETFs.

They look exciting when everyone is talking about them.

But by the time beginners buy in, a lot of the hype may already be priced in.

What I’d do instead:

I’d focus on proven, broad ETFs first.

4. Ignoring fees

This one seems small, but it matters.

Expense ratios are the fees you pay to own a fund.

And even though they may look tiny, they can quietly eat into your returns over decades.

A beginner might think:

“What’s the difference between 0.03% and 0.75%?”

Over one year, maybe it doesn’t feel like much.

But over 20 or 30 years, those fees can add up.

What I’d do instead:

I’d look for low-cost ETFs.

Many of the top broad-market ETFs already have very low fees.

Cheap does not mean bad.

In fact, some of the best long-term ETFs are simple, boring, and low-cost.

That’s a good thing.

5. Leaving too much cash sitting at 0%

I understand why people do this.

Cash feels safe.

You can see it.

You can access it.

It doesn’t move up and down like the stock market.

But cash has its own risk too.

Inflation slowly eats away at its value.

So if your money is sitting in a checking or savings account earning basically nothing, it may feel safe, but it’s still losing purchasing power over time.

What I’d do instead:

I’d keep my emergency fund in a high-yield savings account or money market fund.

Then I’d invest the rest consistently.

Cash has a job.

It’s for emergencies, short-term goals, and peace of mind.

But I would not want all my long-term money sitting in cash doing nothing.

6. Stopping contributions when the market drops

This is where investing gets emotional. 😖

When the market drops, many beginners get scared and stop investing.

But market dips are normal.

They are part of the process.

The problem is, when you stop contributing during downturns, you may miss the opportunity to buy shares at lower prices.

What I’d do instead:

I’d keep auto-investing.

Not because it feels good in the moment.

It usually doesn’t.

But because long-term investors need to think differently.

When prices drop, your future contributions may buy more shares.

That can help your future self.

7. Investing before having an emergency fund

I love investing.

But I would not put every dollar into the market if I didn’t have cash set aside first.

Because life happens.

Cars break down.

Medical bills come up.

Jobs change.

Unexpected expenses happen.

And if all your money is invested, you may be forced to sell at the worst possible time.

What I’d do instead:

I’d build a 3–6 month emergency fund before going too heavy into investing.

That emergency fund gives you breathing room.

It protects your portfolio.

And it helps you stay calm when life gets expensive.

The lesson I wish more beginners understood

Investing is not just about finding the best ETF.

It’s about building the right habits.

Starting before you feel ready.

Keeping your portfolio simple.

Watching fees.

Putting your cash to work.

Staying consistent during market drops.

And protecting yourself with an emergency fund.

None of these things sound fun, but these are the basics that can change everything.

If I were starting over, these are the things I woudl focus on.

I’d try to be consistent.

I’d build my emergency fund.

I’d choose a few simple ETFs.

I’d automate my contributions.

And I’d give my money time to grow.

Because most people don’t need a complicated investing strategy.

They need a simple plan they can actually stick with.

I included this beginner investing mistakes guide inside my $1M Investing Roadmap, along with simple resources to help you understand ETFs, portfolio allocation, account order, and how to start investing step by step.

Grab the roadmap and use it as a starting point to avoid the common mistakes that keep so many beginners stuck.

Get my $1M investing roadmap here

“You’d have nothing left after paying your bills.”

“Where’s rent?”

“These numbers don’t add up.”

And I get why people were confused.

But the point of the video wasn’t to say that everyone making $60,000 should magically have thousands of dollars sitting in four different accounts overnight.

The point was much simpler.

Give every dollar a job.

Because most people don’t struggle with investing because they don’t earn enough.

They struggle because every dollar sits in one checking account, and there’s no clear priority for what happens next.

The Goal Isn’t To Fill Every Bucket Immediately

Think of your finances like a series of buckets.

You don’t fill them all at once.

You fill them in order.

For most people, I’d prioritize them like this:

1. Your Emergency Fund (High-Yield Savings Account)

Before worrying about investing, build some financial breathing room.

Unexpected expenses are guaranteed.

Medical bills.

Car repairs.

Job loss.

Without an emergency fund, those surprises often end up on a credit card.

This is why I typically recommend building 3-6 months of essential expenses in a high-yield savings account first.

2. Your Roth IRA

Once your emergency fund is on track, your next priority is usually your Roth IRA.

Why?

Because if you’re eligible, your investments can grow tax-free, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free too.

That’s an incredible benefit.

If you can’t max it out right away...

That’s okay.

Start somewhere.

Consistency matters far more than perfection.

3. Your Taxable Brokerage Account

Once you’ve built your emergency fund and are consistently contributing to your Roth IRA, any additional long-term investing can go into a taxable brokerage account.

This gives you flexibility because there’s no annual contribution limit.

This Is Why I Love Budget Buckets

Most budgets only focus on expenses.

I like budgets that also tell your money where to grow.

Instead of asking:

“Can I afford this?”

You’re asking:

“Which bucket should this dollar go into next?”

That simple mindset shift makes saving and investing feel much less overwhelming.

Everyone’s Numbers Will Be Different

Someone making $60,000 won’t have the same budget as someone making $100,000.

Someone living in San Francisco won’t have the same expenses as someone living in a lower-cost city.

That’s exactly why I created a simple Budget Allocation Calculator.

It lets you enter:

• Your monthly after-tax income

• Your monthly expenses

Then it automatically shows different budgeting frameworks, including:

• 50/30/20

• 75/10/15

• 30/20/50

It also estimates how much you may want to keep in:

• Your checking account

• Your emergency fund (HYSA)

• Savings & investing

(I’ll include a screenshot below so you can see what it looks like.)

The goal isn’t to follow one formula forever.

The goal is to have a starting point that helps you intentionally direct your money instead of wondering where it all went.

Financial Peace Comes From Priorities

The biggest lesson isn’t about percentages.

It’s about knowing what your next dollar should do.

Build your emergency fund.

Invest consistently.

Increase your investments as your income grows.

When every dollar has a purpose, building wealth becomes much less stressful.

Get My Free Budget Allocation Calculator

If you’d like the spreadsheet shown above, along with my:

• Budget Allocation Calculator

• Portfolio Allocation Guide

• $1M Investing Roadmap

• Other investing resources

Get my budget allocation sheet

The same is true with investing.

When I first started investing, I wasn’t looking for shortcuts.

I wanted a strategy I could stick with for decades.

That’s why I keep coming back to the same handful of ETFs. They’re simple, diversified, and built for long-term investing.

These are seven ETFs I’d happily own for the next 20 years.

These are seven ETFs I’d happily own for the next 20 years.

• VOO – S&P 500

• QQQM – Nasdaq-100

• VUG – U.S. Growth Stocks

• VGT – Technology Stocks

• VTI – Total U.S. Stock Market

• VT – Total World Stock Market

• VXUS – International Stocks

Each ETF serves a different purpose. Some give you exposure to the entire U.S. stock market. Others focus on growth, technology, or international diversification.

The goal isn’t to find the “best” ETF.

The goal is to understand what each one does so you can build a portfolio that matches YOUR goals, risk tolerance, and timeline.

I’ve found that the investors who are most successful over the long run usually aren’t the ones constantly chasing the newest investment.

They’re the ones who choose a simple strategy, stay consistent, and let time do the heavy lifting.

Want This ETF Guide?

If you’d like a copy of this ETF comparison sheet, along with my portfolio allocation guide, account strategy guide, and other investing resources, you can download them all for free inside my $1M Investing Roadmap.

I put it together to help beginner investors stop feeling overwhelmed and start building wealth with a simple, long-term investing plan.

Get this ETF guide here!

VTI or VOO?

SCHD or QQQM?

Should I own international stocks?

How much cash should I keep?

But they’re solving the wrong problem.

Before you decide what to invest in, you should decide what you’re investing for.

Your portfolio should match your goal.

Someone who wants to maximize growth shouldn’t invest the same way as someone hoping to generate passive income or retire in the next 10 years.

That’s why I put together the simple table below.

Instead of giving everyone the same portfolio, it helps you match your investments to your objective, time horizon, and risk tolerance.

👇 Use it as a starting point - not a rulebook.

Don’t overcomplicate investing.

A simple portfolio that you consistently contribute to is almost always better than constantly chasing the next “best” investment.

Want this portfolio builder (plus my complete investing framework)?

Get my sheet here!

Not because I didn’t understand investing.

But because watching your portfolio lose money is NEVER fun.

Even today, after years of investing, I don’t enjoy opening my account and seeing red numbers everywhere. Nobody does.

But over time, I’ve learned something important:

Market drops aren’t the problem.

Your reaction to them is.

Whenever the market drops, I start getting the same questions:

“Should I sell?”

“Should I stop investing?”

“What are you doing with your own portfolio?”

The truth is, market corrections are uncomfortable for everyone.

But over the years, I’ve developed a simple playbook that helps me stay focused when headlines get scary.

Here are the strategies I personally think about when markets fall.

1. Do Nothing (Sometimes the Best Move Is No Move)

Most investors lose money because they react emotionally.

Markets fall.

Fear takes over.

They sell.

Then the market recovers without them.

If you’re invested in diversified index funds, sometimes the best decision is simply staying the course.

2. Keep Buying

When prices drop, your dollars buy more shares.

That’s why I continue investing on a regular schedule regardless of what the market is doing.

It’s not exciting.

But consistency beats prediction.

3. Rebalance

When stocks fall, your portfolio allocation changes.

Rebalancing forces you to buy what’s down and sell what’s up—something that feels uncomfortable but can be beneficial over the long run.

4. Stop Watching the News

Financial news profits from your attention.

Your portfolio profits from your patience.

Those two things are often in conflict.

5. Use Market Drops as Feedback

Corrections reveal your real risk tolerance.

If you’re losing sleep over a 10% decline, that’s useful information.

Use it to improve your investing plan.

6. Consider Covered Calls

For investors who own at least 100 shares of a stock or ETF, covered calls can potentially generate income even during volatile markets.

They’re not appropriate for everyone, but they’re one of the strategies I teach because they can turn a stagnant portfolio into one that’s still producing cash flow.

Here’s The Cheat Sheet

Whenever markets get rough, these are the reminders I come back to

The Most Important Lesson: Zoom Out

This is where most investors struggle.

When you’re living through a correction, it feels like the market will never recover.

History tells a different story.

Look at the annual returns of the S&P 500 over the last 40 years.

You’ll notice something interesting.

There are plenty of red years.

But the long-term trend is still up.

Now look at the market by decade:

Every decade had scary headlines.

Every decade had reasons people thought “this time is different.”

Yet long-term investors who stayed invested were generally rewarded.

What I’m Doing Right Now

I’m continuing to invest.

I’m staying diversified.

I’m focusing on the next 10–20 years instead of the next 10–20 days.

Because successful investing usually isn’t about making decisions during market drops.

It’s about avoiding bad ones.

Want all of this in one place?

I put together a free $1M Investing Roadmap that walks through the exact framework I teach beginners.

Get it here!

But that’s rarely where I start.

Before we talk about investments, I usually ask:

“Which account are you using?”

Because where you invest can be just as important as what you invest in.

The right account can help you keep more of your money through tax advantages.

The wrong one can quietly cost you thousands of dollars over your lifetime.

That’s why one of the first things I teach new investors isn’t what to buy.

It’s where to put your next dollar.

Because not all accounts are created equal.

Some accounts can help you reduce taxes, grow your money more efficiently, and keep more of what you earn.

Others can’t.

That’s why I put together the account-priority chart below.

If I were building wealth from scratch today, this is generally the order I’d follow:

Now let’s walk through each step and why it matters.

Step 1: Build Your Cash Foundation

Before investing aggressively, make sure you have cash available for emergencies.

I know this isn’t the exciting part of investing.

Most people want to skip straight to stocks and ETFs.

But having cash set aside can prevent you from making costly decisions later.

Imagine the market drops 20% and your car suddenly needs repairs.

Or your water heater breaks.

Or you lose your job.

Without cash reserves, you may be forced to sell investments at exactly the wrong time.

That’s why I recommend keeping your emergency fund in a High-Yield Savings Account or money market fund.

The goal isn’t maximizing returns.

The goal is making sure your money is available when life happens.

Step 2: Capture Your Employer Match

If your employer offers a 401(k) match, this is usually where I’d start.

Why? Because it’s one of the few times you’ll receive an immediate return on your money.

Let’s say your company matches 50% of your contributions up to a certain amount.

That’s an instant return before your investments even have a chance to grow.

Yet I’ve met countless people who spend hours researching investments while completely ignoring their employer match.

Don’t leave FREE money on the table. 👀 Take advantage of it first.

Step 3: Fund Your Roth IRA

The Roth IRA is one of my favorite wealth-building accounts.

You contribute money that has already been taxed.

But once that money is invested, it can grow tax-free.

And if you follow the rules, qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free too.

Think about that for a moment.

Imagine investing consistently for the next 20, 30, or 40 years and never owing taxes on those gains when you withdraw them.

That’s incredibly powerful.

For many investors, the Roth IRA becomes one of the most important accounts they ever own.

Step 4: Use an HSA (If You’re Eligible)

The Health Savings Account might be the most underrated account available.

Most people think of it as a healthcare account.

Many investors think of it as a wealth-building account.

Why? Because it offers a rare combination of triple tax benefits:

• Tax deduction when you contribute

• Tax-free growth

• Tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses

That’s often referred to as a “triple tax advantage.”

There aren’t many accounts that offer all three.

If you’re eligible for an HSA, it’s worth understanding how powerful this account can be.

Step 5: Continue Investing Through a Brokerage Account

Once you’ve taken advantage of the tax-advantaged accounts available to you, a brokerage account becomes the next stop.

This is where a lot of long-term wealth gets built.

A brokerage account gives you flexibility.

No contribution limits.

No income restrictions.

No special rules around when you can invest.

Just a place to continue putting your money to work.

Many investors eventually build substantial portfolios inside brokerage accounts after filling up the tax-advantaged buckets first.

Focus on the Order Before the Investments

Most people spend all their time asking:

“What’s the best stock to buy?”

A better question is:

“Am I using the best account available to me first?”

Because sometimes improving your account selection can have a bigger impact than improving your investment selection.

The goal isn’t just to earn great returns.

It’s to keep as much of those returns as possible.

That’s why understanding account priority is one of the most important investing lessons you can learn.

Want this sheet?

This account-priority chart is just one section inside the roadmap.

You’ll also get resources on:

• Budgeting

• Emergency funds

• Credit building

• Roth IRAs

• HSAs

• ETF investing

• Financial freedom planning

If you’re trying to figure out where to put your money and what steps to take next, it’s a great place to start.

Get it here

“How much do I need invested to generate passive income?”

That’s where dividend investing and the 4% Rule often get connected.

Many people assume dividends are the only way to create income from a portfolio.

The reality is a little different.

What Is Dividend Investing?

Some companies share a portion of their profits with shareholders.

These payments are called dividends.

If you own dividend-paying stocks or ETFs, you may receive regular cash payments without having to sell your investments.

That’s why dividend investing is so popular among people pursuing financial independence and retirement.

Enter the 4% Rule

The 4% Rule helps answer a different question:

“How large does my portfolio need to be to support my lifestyle?”

The idea is simple:

If you’ve built a diversified investment portfolio, you may be able to withdraw approximately 4% per year while still giving your investments a chance to continue growing over time.

For example:

$1,000,000 invested
× 4%

= $40,000 per year
= $3,333 per month

It’s not a guarantee, but it provides a useful framework for estimating how much you may need invested before your portfolio can start helping fund your lifestyle.

How These Two Ideas Work Together

This is where many investors get confused.

They think:

“If I want passive income, I need enough dividends to cover my expenses.”

Not necessarily.

The 4% Rule isn’t focused on where the income comes from.

It’s focused on the total income your portfolio can potentially provide.

That income may come from:

• Dividends

• Interest

• Capital appreciation

• Strategic withdrawals

In other words, dividend investing can be one piece of the puzzle—but it’s not the entire puzzle.

Why Dividend Investing Is Still Popular

Many investors like dividends because they can actually see cash being deposited into their account.

That can make investing feel more tangible and help people stay invested during market ups and downs.

For some investors, that’s a meaningful benefit.

The Bigger Takeaway

Dividend investing answers:

“How can a portfolio generate income?”

The 4% Rule answers:

“How much do I need invested for that income to support my lifestyle?”

Both concepts are useful.

But the real goal isn’t simply collecting dividends.

The real goal is building a portfolio large enough to create freedom, flexibility, and financial independence.

Watch the Full Video

In this video, I break down:

✔ How dividend investing works

✔ What the 4% Rule actually means

✔ How much you may need invested to generate passive income

Don’t forget to get my FREE $1M investing roadmap

If you want a step-by-step plan for building wealth, creating passive income, and working toward financial independence

Get it here!

-Steve

That’s why I wanted to create this free 5-Day Investing Challenge.

Over 5 days, I’ll walk you through:

• How to actually open your accounts

• How much you need invested

• Which accounts to open

• What to invest in

• How investors generate income from their investments

Just a step-by-step walkthrough designed to help you go from “I know I should be investing...”

to

“My accounts are open and my money is invested.”

If you're sitting on $50K+ in cash and haven't started investing yet, join my free 5-Day Investing Challenge below.

JOIN MY CHALLENGE