Will Investing $100 a Month Really Make a Difference in Your Net Worth? (2024)

FAQs

Is investing $100 a month worth it? ›

On average, the stock market yields between an 8% to 12% annual return. Investing $100 per month, with an average return rate of 10%, will yield $200,000 after 30 years. Due to compound interest, your investment will yield $535,000 after 40 years. These numbers can grow exponentially with an extra $100.

If you have $25,000 in a high-yield savings account with a 5% annual percentage yield, or APY, that could amount to about $100 per month in income.

Your Retirement Savings If You Save $100 a Month in a 401(k)

If you're age 25 and have 40 years to save until retirement, depositing $100 a month into a savings account earning the current average U.S. interest rate of 0.42% APY would get you to just $52,367 in retirement savings — not great.

This chart shows that a monthly contribution of $100 will compound more if you start saving earlier, giving the money more time to grow. If you save $100 a month for 18 years, your ending balance could be $35,400. If you save $100 a month for 9 years, your ending balance could be about $13,900.

According to Ramsey's tweet, investing $100 per month for 40 years gives you an account value of $1,176,000. Ramsey's assumptions include a 12% annual rate of return, which some critics have labeled as optimistic given that the long-term average annual return of the S&P 500 index is closer to 10%.

It might seem like $100 a month isn't a lot, but it can add up over time. You can also split it into smaller amounts and use it on multiple things, especially if those things don't cost much individually. “We advise diversifying $100 monthly in retirement,” said Adam Garcia, the owner of The Stock Dork.

$300,000 can last for roughly 26 years if your average monthly spend is around $1,600. Social Security benefits help bolster your retirement income and make retiring on $300k even more accessible. It's often recommended to have 10-12 times your current income in savings by the time you retire.

Explanation: By investing $100 per month from age 25 to 65 at an 11% interest rate, the total amount accumulated is $1,176,000. This calculation assumes that the $100 is invested each month and left untouched for 40 years, allowing compound interest to grow the investment over time.

Investing just $100 a month can actually do a whole lot to help you grow rich over time. In fact, the table below shows how much your $100 monthly investment could turn into over time, assuming you earn a 10% average annual return.

You plan to invest $100 per month for five years and expect a 6% return. In this case, you would contribute $6,000 over your investment timeline. At the end of the term, your portfolio would be worth $6,949.

What if I invested $100 a month in S&P 500? ›

If you're still investing $100 per month, you'd have a total of around $518,000 after 35 years, compared to $325,000 in that time period with a 10% return. There are never any guarantees in the stock market, but with the right strategy, a little cash can go a long way.

Experts suggest investing 15% of your income each month, and more if you can afford to. However, if 15% is out of your budget right now, you should still invest what you can afford. Look to reduce your expenses to free up more money and invest more when it's feasible.