Investing when you’re young is one of the best ways to see solid returns on your money. That’s thanks to compound interest, which means your investment returns start earning their own return. Compound interest allows your account balance to snowball over time.
How that works, in practice: Let’s say you invest $200 every month for 10 years and earn a 6% average annual return. At the end of the 10-year period, you’ll have $33,300. Of that amount, $24,200 is money you’ve contributed — those $200 monthly contributions — and $9,100 is interest you’ve earned on your investment.
There will be ups and downs in the stock market, of course, but investing young means you have decades to ride them out — and decades for your money to grow. Start now, even if you have to start small.