What I Learned From Investing $100 a Month for a Year

By Beelinger Staff
Estimated read time: 4 minutes

I used to think investing was something you only did once you had “extra” money—whatever that meant. Then I decided to try an experiment: I would invest $100 a month, every month, for a year, no matter what.

Twelve months later, I can confidently say: it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for my financial future.

Why I Chose $100

It wasn’t an arbitrary number. It was small enough to feel doable but large enough to feel like a commitment. I skipped one dinner out or made coffee at home a few more times—and just like that, I found my $100.

I used Acorns to automate my contributions, so the money came out of my account before I could second guess it.

What Actually Happened

• I invested $1,200 over the course of the year.
• Thanks to market growth, I ended with around $1,280 (a 6.6% return).
• I didn’t miss the money nearly as much as I thought I would.

More importantly, I broke the myth that investing is complicated or scary. I now see it as part of my normal routine—like brushing my teeth or paying rent.

What I Learned

Here are the big lessons that stuck with me:

• Time > Timing: It’s not about perfectly timing the market. It’s about giving your money time to grow.
• Small Adds Up: $100 a month doesn’t feel like much, but it adds up fast when you stay consistent.
• Automation Wins: I never “forgot” to invest because I never had to remember.

Would I Do It Again?

Absolutely. In fact, I increased my monthly contribution to $150. I have bigger goals now, and more importantly, I believe I can reach them.

And it all started with one small decision: to stop waiting and start investing.

You don’t have to be rich to build wealth—you just have to start.