Recently, two different people told me essentially the same thing: “I never invested because I never accumulated enough money.” It’s a common belief, but also a deeply flawed one.

Let me be clear: there is no magic threshold required to begin investing. You don’t need $10,000. You don’t need $5,000. You don’t even need $1,000.

Starting Small

When I first started investing back in 1985, I initially put less than $1,000 in the market through mutual funds. I didn’t come from money, and I didn’t wait until I had “enough.” I simply began with what I had. Over time, I continued adding small amounts when I could. I wasn’t trying to get rich quickly—I was building a foundation. And that’s the part people often overlook.

The reality is wealth building is a process. You don’t become an investor by making a single big move. You become an investor by forming the habit of consistently putting money to work, no matter how modest the amount.

Wealth=Time and Compounding

Let’s say someone invests $100 a month—which may be less than the cost of dinner out for two. Over 30 years, assuming an average annual return of 8% (less than the long-term average of the S&P 500), they’d accumulate more than $135,000. That’s not hypothetical. It’s math. It’s compounding. And it works whether you’re investing thousands or just starting with tens.

The notion that you need to wait until you “have enough” is dangerous because it delays the most important ingredient in investing: time. The earlier you start, the more your money has a chance to grow. Starting small beats never starting at all.

Part of the problem is perception. Financial media often highlights people making six-figure trades or investing windfalls. That makes regular folks feel like what they have is too small to matter. But every seasoned investor I know started small. They started with what they had, learned the ropes, and let time do the heavy lifting.

Today, it’s easier than ever. There are no-commission brokers, fractional shares, and low-cost index funds that let you invest with almost any amount. If you can set aside $25 or $50, you can start building a portfolio. If you can commit to doing that regularly, you’re ahead of millions who never take the first step.

So, if you’ve ever said, “I don’t have enough to invest,” I urge you to rethink that. You don’t need to start big—you just need to start.

Bottom Line

There’s no special dollar amount that unlocks the door to investing. The key is getting in the habit, even if the amounts feel small. The market doesn’t reward perfection—it rewards consistency. And the sooner you start, the greater your odds of long-term success.