Three years ago I had $28,000 in student loans and no idea how to pay them off. I downloaded FinTrack, built a zero-based budget, and committed to the debt avalanche method. I sacrificed a lot of luxuries — eating out, streaming services, weekend trips — but today I made my final payment. AMA about the journey! I'll share my exact template in the replies.
Great question! I started with $50/month in a Fidelity account buying FZROX (zero expense ratio). Two years later I bumped it to $200 and haven't looked back. Start simple, stay consistent.
Robo-advisors are great for beginners — lower cognitive load. Once you understand the basics after 12–18 months, consider migrating to a self-directed brokerage. Betterment → Fidelity was my journey.
The best investment is the one you actually make consistently. Whether it's $50 into VOO or a robo-advisor, just start. Time in market beats timing the market every single time.
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