Author Note: Marcus Feld has run a personal-investor lab at Vevya since 2019 — funding real broker portfolios, opening robo-accounts, and benchmarking the platforms we feature, so our recommendations come from actual accounts, not press releases.
Quick Answer: You don’t need more money to start investing — you need fewer decision points and a 30-minute onboarding flow. Here is the exact sequence that works: open a Roth IRA at M1 Finance (or Fidelity), deposit $100, buy one broad-market index ETF, and stop. That’s it. The hard part isn’t the money. It’s the first deposit, which is why this guide walks through every step with the actual interface choices you’ll face.
Step 1: Choose the Right Account Type (Roth vs. Traditional)
If you’re under 35 and not in the highest tax bracket, a Roth IRA is almost always the right answer. You pay tax now on the money you’re putting in (which is small — a few hundred dollars a year), and your growth compounds tax-free. A Traditional IRA defers the tax. For the vast majority of people starting in 2026, the math favors Roth. Fidelity, Schwab, M1, and SoFi all offer Roth IRA accounts with no minimum for index ETFs.
Step 2: Open the Account
It should take under 15 minutes. You’ll need your SSN (or ITIN), a photo ID, and a checking account to link. M1 Finance and Fidelity both let you complete the process entirely in-app. SoFi requires a SoFi checking account first. Avoid platforms that require a phone call to open — that friction is where most new investors quit.
Step 3: Fund the $100
Link your checking account. Wait for the ACH transfer (1-3 business days). The $100 lands. Don’t feel bad that it’s small. The platform will show a balance, a pie allocation, and a performance chart. All of that exists to make you feel like an investor. None of it matters until you actually buy something.
Step 4: Buy One Index ETF
For the first $100, buy one of these: VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market), ITT? No — I mean VTI, or a robo-pie that already holds VTI under the hood. One position. One broad market. That’s the entire first step. It’s not exciting, but it’s the highest-conviction single investment most individual investors will make.
Contrarian take: most first-time investors I’ve helped make the exact same mistake — they open the account, buy one ETF, feel like an investor, then close it within 18 months and move to a “better” app. The compounding doesn’t care about the app. It cares about the years you stayed in. A $100 position at M1 that’s still there in 10 years is worth far more than a $5,000 position at SoFi that gets closed after 2.
| Step | Time | Cost | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Choose Roth IRA | 5 min | Free | Don’t pick Traditional unless I explicitly told you to |
| 2. Open account | 10 min | Free | Skip platforms that need a phone call |
| 3. Fund $100 | 1-3 days | Free (ACH) | Don’t use wire — overkill for this amount |
| 4. Buy 1 ETF | 5 min | $6-15 mo (robo) or $0 (DIY) | VTI or M1 Pie. One position. Don’t overthink. |
What to Do in Months 2-6
Set up a recurring auto-invest of $50-$100/month. M1, Fidelity, and SoFi all support this. Do not time your deposits. Do not check the balance weekly. Set a reminder to check once per quarter. The single best habit I can teach is: the auto-invest runs without your permission. That’s the point.
The Math Behind the Advice
A $100/month auto-invest at 7%/year average return: in 10 years you’ve contributed $12,000 and the account is worth roughly $17,500. In 20 years: $24,000 contributed, roughly $52,000. In 30 years: $36,000 contributed, roughly $120,000. The last 10 years of compounding do more than the first 20. This is the whole game, compressed into one table. Start at any amount. Stay at that amount. The time in the market is the only lever you fully control.
M1 Finance — open a free account Affiliate link — no cost to you.
Fidelity — open a free account Affiliate link — no cost to you.
Disclaimer: Content on Vevya is educational only and is not financial, investment, or tax advice. Some links are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Investment products carry risk — including possible loss of principal — and past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research and consult a licensed advisor before investing.
#Investing #PersonalFinance #Money