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You Can Start Investing With $50. Here's Where I'd Start.

You don't need a lot of money to start investing. You need an account and a plan. This page gives you both.

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The simple version

The 2 index funds I talk about

In the video, I keep it simple. A broad U.S. total market or S&P 500 index fund gives you a small piece of hundreds of American companies in one purchase. An international index fund adds companies outside the U.S., so you aren't betting everything on one country.

Together, those 2 funds cover a lot of ground with very little effort. One more thing to watch: fees. Low fees matter, because every dollar you pay in fees is a dollar that isn't working for you. Many broad index funds charge well under 0.1% a year, and that number is easy to find on any broker's fund page.

This is how I think about getting started. It is education, not a personal recommendation. Your situation is yours, and index funds go up and down with the market.

Your plan

How to get started in 3 steps

1

Open an online brokerage account

Most take about 10 minutes to open online, and many have no account minimum. Look for no commissions on index funds or ETFs and no monthly fees.

2

Set up an automatic contribution, even $50 a month

Schedule it for payday so you never have to think about it. $50 a month is $600 a year you weren't investing before. Consistency matters more than timing.

3

Buy your index funds and stay consistent

Pick your U.S. fund and your international fund, buy them with each contribution, and leave them alone. Investing is a long game. Boring is good.

Anthony O'Neal

I'm Anthony O'Neal.

I help families stop living paycheck to paycheck and start building wealth. #1 national bestselling author and host of The Table with Anthony O'Neal.

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The Only 2 Index Funds You Need to Start With $50 in 2027
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