Investors want an edge, a shortcut to wealth. What strategy works best? Who has the hot hand? How can I make money? Today, there is no shortage of podcasts, videos, blogs, vlogs, newsletters, posts, or tweets offering investment guidance. A Google search for investment advice yielded about a billion results. CNBC dedicates most of its programming to the stock market. Reddit and WallStreetBets are introducing a new generation of investors to the wonderful world of stock trading. Bitcoin speculators with laser beam eyes trumpet their financial success by buying and selling digital currencies. There are many ways to make money in the stock market, so how can you find the best one?
I’ve read hundreds of investment books about investing learning from the legends like Warren Buffett, Peter Lynch, William O’Neil, Bill Miller, John Rogers, and so on. They have different investment strategies, and all of them are successful. Regardless of their style, they’re profitable because they follow a disciplined process and think long-term.
However, the best investment strategy that yields the most fruit is saving money. If you can save your money, you can prosper financially. It’s not hard to save 5%, 10%, or 20% of your salary, but few people do it. Building your nest egg takes time and discipline. By saving a few hundred dollars every month, your nest egg may be worth a few million dollars by the time you’re ready to retire. For example, saving $500 per month and investing it in the stock market could be worth more than $1 million in thirty years. In forty years, it climbs to more than $3 million![1]
What if you don’t want to wait thirty or forty years? Let’s say you want to buy a new car in five years or a home in ten? Well, saving money is still the best way for you to reach these goals. For example, if you save $500 monthly for five years, it will be worth close to $39,000, enough to buy a new car. After ten years, it will be worth $102,000, enough for a downpayment on a $500,000 home.
I work with a young couple who save regularly and are now able to buy a new home. They started looking for their dream home about a month ago. Another client has contributed the maximum to his 401(k) plan for his entire career, and he can retire early.
Saving money takes effort. It’s not easy, especially when life gets in the way, but you need to find a way to save as much as you can. Money in the bank gives you the freedom to choose your path and lessen your dependence on others.
I’ve talked to numerous individuals about investing, and some people are spendthrifts, and money burns a hole in their wallet -money in, money out. People who live for today are like the grasshopper in The Ants & the Grasshopper from Aesop’s Fables[2]. Here is the story:
One bright day in late autumn a family of Ants were bustling about in the warm sunshine, drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer, when a starving Grasshopper, his fiddle under his arm, came up and humbly begged for a bite to eat.
“What!” cried the Ants in surprise, “haven’t you stored anything away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all last summer?”
“I didn’t have time to store up any food,” whined the Grasshopper; “I was so busy making music that before I knew it the summer was gone.”
The Ants shrugged their shoulders in disgust.
“Making music, were you?” they cried. “Very well; now dance!” And they turned their backs on the Grasshopper and went on with their work.
Moral: There’s a time for work and a time for play.
The Bible also comments on the ant in Proverbs 6:6-11: Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
Did you notice the last verse? It read: poverty will come on you like a thief. Saving money provides provision and a financial future. On the other hand, if you don’t save your money, there can be dire consequences. Also, if you don’t save money, you can’t buy stocks, bonds, Bitcoin, or any other investment.
To increase your odds of investment success, automate your savings. Set up a monthly draft to your savings account, brokerage account, and company retirement plan. If you get a raise, increase your savings by the same percentage: a 2% raise, a 2% increase in savings.
Money compounds over time, so the sooner you start, the better. If you’re not sure how much to save, start small and increase it over time. Don’t delay; start today! I know you can do it!
Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after savings. ~ Warren Buffett
May 22, 2021
Bill Parrott, CFP®, is the President and CEO of Parrott Wealth Management in Austin, Texas. Parrott Wealth Management is a fee-only, fiduciary, registered investment advisor firm. Our goal is to remove complexity, confusion, and worry from the investment and financial planning process so our clients can pursue a life of purpose. Our firm does not have an asset or fee minimum, and we work with anybody who needs financial help regardless of age, income, or asset level. PWM’s custodian is TD Ameritrade, and our annual fee starts at .5% of your assets and drops depending on the level of your assets.
Note: Investments are not guaranteed and do involve risk. Your returns may differ from those posted in this blog. PWM is not a tax advisor, nor do we give tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor for items that are specific to your situation. Options involve risk and aren’t suitable for every investor.
[1] $500 monthly investment at 10% before taxes and fees.