I was one of those people who wanted to enter the investment game but had no idea how to get started, what companies to use or even if it was  possible to invest with little money. Recently, I discovered you can. If you have wondered the same things then have a seat! You are in the right place.

My twelve year old asked me not long ago if she could buy some Walmart shares. My answer was that of a typical teacher mom. “Sure you can. We just need to figure out how”. I kept my word and started digging around. I found out, you must be 18 to purchase or sell stocks, bonds, ETF’s (An Exchange Traded Funds)….But if you are younger, a parent or guardian can open a custodial account for you and get the ball rolling!
My digging proved fruitful and I want to share what I found with all of you. Before I go further, just know, I cannot, wiill not, shall not give financial advise. As a matter of fact, I NEED it! If you have proven tested, professional advise to share,  we are a thirsty crew and welcome you!
My goal with the following information is to simply inform you about what investing tools are available on the cheap. Future blogs will cover other tier brackets of investing. If you are still hanging with me let’s get into some of the sites I found and what you need (money wise)  to enter the investment game. Let’s go!
I came across several robo investor sites. I didn’t even know that existed! Before you ask, no I do not live under a rock. I just had no clue, but now I do.

A robo investment, which is what we will focus on, is simply computers doing the investing work for you. Companies set up the computers to buy, and sell mostly stocks (some bonds) through algorithms. Because computers are doing most of the work, the cost to run these companies is usually cheaper than going to an actual building with human brokers to help you.
There are some pros and cons to robo investing. Check them out below:

Pros:
You can begin investing right away.
You can use the bulk of your money to start investing because you do not have to pay a lot of fees or a large minimum deposit.
If you have no idea how to pick a stock or bond (I’m in that boat) the computer picks for you.
You can check on and control your investments from you phone, tablet, ect. or be totally hands off.

Cons:
If you need human interaction with a broker, some of the sites do not provide them or may require a fee or larger investment deposit to access a human.
You often do not have the option to pick individual stocks or bonds (You basically get a prepackaged investment meal).
Some begin to charge a fee when your account reaches a certain dollar amount.
Lastly, some do require a minimum amount to get started.

If the cons don’t scare you, then here a few low cost robo sites to get you started. Remember, knowledge is power so let’s do our research together before giving up our hard earned coins!

Betterment- They require zer0, yes 0 to open your account.
What their site says:
Betterment charges one low annual fee of 0.25% for our digital plan. This fee includes access to our tax-efficient investing features, online investment advice, and customer support 7 days a week. There is no minimum to invest and there are no additional trading, transfer, or rebalancing fees.

Link to Betterment: https://www.betterment.com/

Wealthsimple – requires Zero for the minimum balance.
Link to Wealthsimple- https://www.wealthsimple.com/en-us/

Wealthfront – requires $500 to open you account. They also offer additional services.
Link to Wealthfront- https://www.wealthfront.com/

There is one more free site I want to tell you about. It is robinhood.com
Robinhood is not, I repeat, is NOT a robo investor. I tossed them in because they require no money,or minimum to open your account. So what’s the catch you ask? You have to pick your own stocks! Hopefully you would go in knowing what stocks you want to purchase. You do ALL the work. There is no computer to save you. It is legit free, but you are banking on your own wisdom and eeny, meeny,miiny, moe is not the best method for choosing your investments (Don’t ask me how I know).
Link to Robinhood – https://share.robinhood.com/nerissj2  (Thank you for using my affiliate link!)

M1 Finance – is also a free automated investment platform.
Link to M1 Finance – https://www.m1finance.com/

Here is one of my favorite Youtubers droppin’ some financial wisdom. Check out two of Wealth Hacker’s videos below.

Hopefully the 5 I have mentioned will get you curious enough to investigate them and begin investing. Stop back here and share with all of us your findings, Ah Ha moments, and sound advice. Just FYI I did choose one and my fingers are crossed. I’m not a high risk kinda gal. I started small… some would call it miniscule! We all have have to start where we are comfortable. Happy investing and reshaping your financial landscape. As we wait for our investments to grow, remember, I wish you unshakeable faith, wealth beyond measure and laughter ’til it hurts.

Kim J