I Invested My First $100 Without Feeling Dumb

Estimated read time: 6–7 min

“You should start investing.”
Cool. Can I do that before I finish my laundry and figure out what an ETF is?

That was me — sitting in my scrubs after a double shift, scrolling through “best investing apps for beginners” while eating cold leftovers and feeling like a fraud.

Because no one teaches you how to start small. They throw you into charts, Warren Buffett quotes, and Roth IRA Twitter battles. I just wanted to do something smart with my money… without needing to pass a finance quiz first.

If that’s you too? Pull up a chair. This is the real-life story of how I invested my first $100 — awkward moments, lightbulb realizations, and all.

🧠 First, Let’s Ditch the Guru Guilt

There’s a weird shame thing around money. Like if you didn’t start investing at 19 while selling vending machines on the side, you’re somehow behind.

False. You can be 27, barely hanging onto your savings account, and still start.

💡 Step 1: Make It Stupid-Easy

I knew I’d procrastinate if it was too technical. So I gamified it:

• 🪙 Round-ups: Every purchase rounded up and invested the spare change.
• 💸 $10/week auto-invest: Set it and forget it every Friday.
• 🧠 Pre-set portfolio: Picked a “Moderate” option and didn’t touch it.

📊 My First $100: The Breakdown

✅ Tools I Used

Tool: Acorns

• No spreadsheets or pressure.
• Pre-set portfolios to match your risk level.
• Includes retirement options and banking.
• Visually clean and beginner-friendly app.

Bonus: It gives you encouragements like “You invested $4.77 this week!” I felt like a mogul.

🛠 Grab the Cheat Sheet

📄 Download the Beginner Allocation Sheet

🐝 Beelinger Bonus Tools

• ✨ Download the Free Starter Kit — Trackers, cheat sheets, confidence in one click.
• 📬 See More Money Moves — Real stories, not lectures.
• 🔍 Explore Tools We Trust — Apps that fit real life, not fake guru advice.