“How Should I Invest $100?”

Got a hundred smackers burning a hole in your pocket that you’re thinking of investing? Great! But how?

What’s the best way to invest your first $100?

It’s a common question. And one you’ve landed in the right spot to get a good answer for. Cuz, below, I’m gonna tell you EXACTLY how to invest your first $100 in the markets.

How NOT To Invest Your First $100 in the Stock Market

Before sharing how to invest your first $100, I’m gonna tell you exactly how NOT to invest it.

First, don’t throw it at a stock tip you got from your brother-in-law, co-worker or college roommate.

Also, don’t dump it into a stock that people are hyping on some online message board. Or Twitter. Or Reddit.

And for heaven’s sake, don’t drop your $100 on some obnoxious, hypey, “can’t miss pick” touted in the financial media, a free report or online ad.

Are these picks guaranteed to fail? Of course not. Even the chimp throwing darts at the stock chart gets lucky every now and then.

But if you wanna be serious about investing and make money over the long haul in the stock markets, then luck can’t be the foundation of your investing strategy.

Are we clear on this? Good! Let’s switch gears and talk about how you SHOULD invest your $100 then.

How To Invest Your First $100 in the Stock Market

If you’re looking for the name of a specific company like Apple, Tesla or whatever we’d recommend putting $100 into, you’re going to be disappointed here (and, if you are, go back and read the last section a few times).

I ain’t giving you a tip on some stock to invest your money in. I’m not even going to give you the name of a specific index fund or ETF (though that would be closer to the right answer when you’re first starting out as an investor).

Nope, your first $100 investing in the market should be…

… invested in books that will give you a good foundation in how to invest in the stock market.

Invest in yourself first. Invest in your education.

This, more than anything, is gonna set you up for a long term success as an investor. I know, it’s not as fun or sexy as telling folks you own shares of some hot little biotech firm. But, trust me; it is 100% the best way to set yourself up for a life of successful investing.

Investing Book Recommendations

What books should you invest in? Glad you asked! Here’s a short list of some of the best books to start out with when first learning how to invest…

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns by John Bogle

One Up on Wall Street: How To Use What You Already Know to Make Money in the Market by Peter Lynch 

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S Clason 

How To Make Money in Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times and Bad by William O’Neil 

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham 

You can buy all of the above with your $100 and still have some dough to spare. But you don’t have to buy them all. Start with at least 1 before you blindly throw $100 of your hard earned dollars into the market.

It’ll be the best investment you can make.