How to Invest 100 Dollars [And Grow it to $1,000+ Fast]

The Millennial Money Woman blog post "How to Invest 100 Dollars"

Disclosure: This post may receive compensation from partners listed through affiliate partnerships, at no cost to you. This doesn’t influence our ratings, and the opinions are our own. Learn more here.

Today you’re going to see my favorite investing strategies in action.

Specifically, I’ll show you how to invest 100 dollars so you can maximize your return on investment.

Let’s get started.

In this article

Can You Start Investing With 100 Dollars?


Yes! You don’t need thousands of dollars.

And by “investing” I don’t just mean that you should invest in the stock market.

There are many other ways you can invest your money, such as:

Don’t wait for the right time to come – because there will never be a right time. Start now.

And that’s the secret to investing.

You owe it to yourself to begin today and not hold off investing for another day or month or year.

17 Best Ways to Invest 100 Dollars Right Now


There are so many different and diverse ways to invest 100 dollars.

And in this post, I’ll show you the best ways to invest $100, ranging from stocks to crypto and even real estate.

Let’s dive right in.

Invest in Rental Homes

1. Invest in Rental Homes


Thanks to modern technology and fractional share investing, you can now invest in rental real estate for as little as $100.

The most popular rental real estate company to invest with is Arrived Homes.

In fact, Arrived is so popular that it often sells out its rental homes within hours of releasing them!

And it gets better: Arrived Homes is free to sign up 👇

Arrived Homes is actually one of the first companies to offer fractional investing in the rental space.

With Arrived Homes, you can:

  • Invest with just $100
  • Earn money passively
  • Diversify your portfolio
  • Hedge against inflation
  • Benefit from property appreciation

Arrived, which is headquartered in Washington state, now offers the opportunity for anyone to invest in real estate in less than 5 minutes!

Here is how you can invest your $100 in rental real estate:

  • Join Arrived Homes (it’s free)
  • Fund your Arrived Homes account
  • Start browsing the different properties
  • Select which property(ies) you want to invest in

It’s that simple.

So, if you see a property that you like and want to invest in, you should probably act sooner than later.

Below are some examples of the offered properties:

Arrived Homes Offered Properties Example

Since the tenants of each property pay a monthly rent, you also receive a portion of the rent in the form of quarterly checks.

Additionally, if you decide to hold this property for the recommended 5 to 7 years, then you can also earn a profit from the home’s capital appreciation.

Below are some recent stats from Arrived Homes:

Arrived Homes Recent Statistic

While Arrived Homes is still fairly new (founded in 2019), the platform’s track record so far has been pretty impressive.

Some downsides to Arrived Homes include:

  • Illiquidity (up to 7 years)
  • No secondary market (yet)
  • Fees tend to be a little higher (1% to 2%)

So, if you’re serious about earning passive income and a profit in the future – then Arrived Homes might be the best next investment for your $100.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

Arrived Homes gives anyone access to investing in rental real estate properties for just $100. Not only can you earn passive quarterly income but you can also earn a profit once the property is sold.

Recommended Reading: Arrived Homes Review

Invest in Real Estate Investment Trusts

2. Invest in Real Estate Investment Trusts


Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a part of the high roller world of real estate investing?

Thanks to modern Fintech, you no longer need $10,000s to get started in real estate investments.

In fact, you can start investing in real estate for as little as $10 with platforms like Fundrise 👇

Fundrise is a company that invests in private Real Estate Investment Trusts (aka REITs), which is a pretty popular type of alternative investment.

Some examples of these real estate industries include hospitals, apartment complexes, office buildings, etc.

Fundrise Real Estate Assets

Fundrise currently (end of 2021) is offering 240 private real estate deals across the country for investors like you and me.

Here’s why investing with REITs is a great option:

Fundrise Returns of Investments into eREITs and eFunds

And the good news is that over the past few years with Fundrise, investors have seen a steady increase in their return on investment, as indicated by the chart above.

Plus, real estate typically acts as a hedge (or something that balances out) the rising pressures of inflation.

Take a look at some of the pros and cons below of why you want to consider investing in private REITs:

Pros Cons

Start investing in real estate for as little as $10

Could be riskier than the stock market

High dividends and income potential

Typically higher fees than if you invested in the stock market

Typically higher returns than in the stock market

Less liquidity than in the stock market

While the points above are simply a few guidelines, you definitely want to do your own research before you start investing with platforms like Fundrise.

However, if you take a look at the comparison below, Fundrise has outperformed stocks and US REITs in the following categories:

  • Average income return
  • Return of the worst quarter
  • Number of positive quarters
Fundrise Annual Return of Client Accounts

While there are different entry levels for Fundrise, you can start your investing journey with $10 if you choose the starter pack.

Fundrise Minimum Initial Investment

Investing in real estate has been made extremely easy for you in today’s world, thanks to modern technology.

Recommended Reading: Fundrise Review

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

Real estate is a great way to diversify your portfolio and real estate investments also act as a hedge against inflation. Over the past several decades, real estate has seen prices increase steadily (apart from 2008).

Just remember to take all the pros and cons into consideration before you start investing.

Micro-Invest

3. Micro-Invest


If you are new to investing, you may want to consider micro-investing.

Acorns is one of the most popular micro-investing apps out there and it’s free to download 👇

Acorns helps you select your investments and then helps manage these investments on an automatic basis.

It’s easy to get started investing with Acorns – and it takes seconds to open your account.

Here’s why Acorns could be a good fit for you:

  • $0 to open an account
  • $5 needed to begin investing
  • Offers automatic investment rebalancing
  • Management fees cost between $1 to $5 per month
  • Offers excellent customer support every day from 6 am to 7 pm PST

How long does it take to set up your Acorns account?

It’s ridiculously easy.

When I opened my Acorns account, it took me all but 5 minutes.

And you can invest your spare change (we’re talking pennies) thanks to the Acorns Round-Up Feature.

Here’s an example:

  • You buy ice cream for $4.25
  • Acorns rounds up your purchase to $5.00
  • Acorns “holds” the $0.75 (spare change) in your account
  • Once all of your spare change totals $5.00, Acorns automatically pulls that amount into your Acorns account and invests it

The Round-Up feature is so unique because you literally make use of every last penny.

And, when something is out of sight, it’s out of mind, which helps you build your wealth faster over the long term.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

Micro-Investing is one of the best ways to start building your wealth and healthy financial habits.

Through platforms like Acorns, you can invest even a few pennies, which can and will make a difference in your financial picture – down the road.

Invest in Crypto

4. Invest in Crypto


Are you wondering how to make money with 100 dollars in a short amount of time?

If yes, then you may want to consider investing in crypto through a crypto platform like Gemini 👇

Gemini is one of the largest cryptocurrency trading platforms in the US, offering around 100 cryptocurrencies.

While investing in cryptocurrency can be very profitable, it’s also a pretty risky endeavor because crypto is so volatile.

Since that’s the case, I would suggest doing your research (as always!) and getting informed using some of the following resources:

  • Books
  • Courses
  • YouTube videos

Want to know something crazy?

If you had invested just $100 into Bitcoin back in 2010, that $100 would now be worth more than $48 million.

$48 million+ Your net worth today if you had invested $100 in Bitcoin in 2010

Keep in mind that back in 2010, Bitcoin was not very well known.

Because investing in Bitcoin has now become mainstream, massive gains with just $100 are less common.

But, investing in crypto remains the best way to invest 100 dollars.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

Cryptocurrency is highly volatile, but you can make some serious returns if you’ve done your research (or if you’ve simply just been lucky!). If you had invested $100 back in 2010, you would be a deca-millionaire today.

Just remember to always do your research and make sure you understand what you’re investing in before you make a financial commitment.

Build a Blog

5. Build a Blog


If you are wondering how you can build an additional income stream and follow the slogan, “invest $100 make $1,000 a day,” then you should consider building a blog.

But don’t let the small size fool you.

Some bloggers can make bank…

Highest Paid Bloggers

Tim Sykes

$1,000,000+ Per Month

Melyssa Griffin

$200,000+ Per Month

Sarah Titus

$200,000+ Per Month

So yes, blogging can be an extremely lucrative career.

If you:

  • Enjoy writing
  • Are a patient person
  • Are considered an expert
  • Are passionate about something
  • Enjoy connecting with your audience 

…Then blogging may be the right choice for you.

However, if your goal is to make $365,000 per year with your $100, then you can make your dream a reality with patience.

A blog can give you:

  • Passive income
  • Increased flexibility
  • Full-time work potential 

In fact, about 10% of American adults maintain a blog (that’s about 31 million Americans!).

There are around 31.7 million bloggers in the US

Clearly, the popularity of blogging has been increasing quite substantially over the years.

But, that also means blogging has become increasingly more competitive as well.

Blogging allowed me to embrace my inner passions:

  • Writing
  • Personal Finance 

Plus, the added flexibility and the time I am now able to spend at home are so valuable all because I started my blog.

If you’re ready to build a blog, start by selecting a great hosting platform like Bluehost 👇

Bluehost is considered one of the best (and most reliable) website hosting platforms and is the way that you can start your business venture.

Now, take some time to think about where to invest $100:

  • Do you have an awesome idea for your next blog?
  • Do you specialize in a particular niche topic? 
  • Do you like connecting with your readers?
  • Do you enjoy writing at length? 
  • Do you like using social media? 

If you said yes to any of these questions, then I highly encourage you to consider starting a blog.

And who knows… you might be listed as one of the top-earning bloggers in a few years from now.

So, how much money can you earn with a blog?

You have unlimited earning potential.

Bloggers Earning Statistics

So how do you generate $1,000’s in passive income with just a $100 investment?

  • Sign up with Bluehost
  • Pick a domain name
  • Build your website
  • Create content
  • Learn SEO

The key, however, is working consistently and diligently every single day.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

One, if not the best way to invest 100 dollars is to start your own blog.

It’s going to take time, so be patient with yourself and with your blog’s progress, but the return on your investment (take it from me) will be 100x in a few years’ time.

Buy Quality Books

6. Buy Quality Books


It seems like most self-made millionaires know so much about so many things.

My mentor, who is a serial entrepreneur can talk to me about:

  • Bacteria
  • Fiber optics
  • World War II
  • Italian fine wine
  • Business & economics
  • The engine of a race car

…And so much more.

How does he have so much knowledge?

He learns many life lessons through the art of reading.

85% of self-made millionaires read 2+ books per month

When you read, you can explore the minds of ancient heroes long after they’ve passed away.

Books, I find, tend to open so many doors because you have so much information and access to great peoples’ minds, right in the palm of your hands.

Books offer advice on:

  • Personal development
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Investments
  • Business
  • Family
  • Life

You can always apply something from these books to your life.

Especially if your goal is to become financially independent, then books can be an excellent (and low-cost!) resource to building your long-term wealth.

In fact, check out my latest book, How to Get Rich from Nothing, which goes over:

  • How to become financially literate
  • The life lessons I’ve learned from my millionaire mentor
  • How to build the life you want, without sacrificing too much today
  • How to build an investment portfolio that’s customized to your needs

Reading leads you to so many opportunities.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

The majority of millionaires read 2 to 3 books per month because there is so much knowledge and information to be gained from reading a book. Not only can you learn from someone else’s experience, but you can also save yourself time by figuring out what worked and what didn’t work for some of the most successful people who have walked this planet.

And even if reading 2 to 3 books a month sounds intimidating, then just aim for reading 10 to 15 minutes daily.

Even this practice can change your life for the better.

Invest in Relationships

7. Invest in Relationships


Millionaires become – and stay – so successful because of their professional network.

In many cases, your future success depends on your network.

Networking can help you with:

  • Training
  • Referrals 
  • Prospects
  • New mentors
  • Increased credibility
  • Improved social skills
  • Potential to advance your career

So if you have a spare $100 and want a high return, then consider investing that money into your network.

Consider the following as “investments:” 

  • Invite your mentor for coffee
  • Build a new relationship over lunch
  • Buy a potential referral source a small gift of appreciation

Why do I speak so much about mentors specifically?

93% of self-made millionaires attribute their success to a mentor

If you use your $100 and invest it in your mentor or soon-to-be mentor, you show that you care for them and that you you want to build the relationship.

Mentors are the ultimate shortcut in life.

That’s one of the many life lessons that I detail in my book, which I learned from my millionaire mentor.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

A wise mentor once told me that your wealth is determined not by your income but by the network you have. This means investing, growing, and nurturing your relationships.

In the end, your future success is based on the people that you know now and the people that you will meet in the future.

Boost Your Credit Score

8. Boost Your Credit Score


Believe it or not, a good credit score comes with many benefits, including:

  • Lower car insurance rates
  • Lower credit card interest rates
  • Increased number of housing options
  • Lowers the cost of other types of insurance

But what exactly does a “good” or “bad” credit score entail?

FICO score ranges

Typically, your credit score will be based on your FICO® score, which ranges from 300 to 850.

If you maintain a credit score that’s 700 or more, you’re in pretty good shape.

Several different factors go into determining your credit score, including:

Credit Score Factors

Payment history

Paid on time

Length of time accounts are open

The longer, the better

The amount of balance (debt) you owe

The less, the better

Number of times you open new credit cards

The less, the better

Number of times you close credit cards

The less, the better

Number of credit inquiries on your account

The less, the better

Credit utilization ratio

The lower, the better

However, not every factor is equal.

I’ve created a pie chart below with the factors impacting your credit score below:

Factors Determining your FICO Score

As you can see from the chart above, 35% of your credit score is determined by your account history.

Sometimes, however, life throws us curveballs (doesn’t it always?!), and due to events like:

  • Divorce
  • A job loss
  • Student loans
  • The recent pandemic

….(I could go on all day), our credit score is sometimes impacted negatively, so it’s up to us to figure out how to improve our credit score fast.

Don’t have credit card debt, but still have a bad credit score?

It’s time to implement another proven strategy.

In this case, consider opening up a credit builder loan with Self to help boost your credit.

It sounds super complicated, but it’s really not.

Here’s an example of a credit builder loan:

Credit Builder Loan Example

Credit builder “loan”

$500

Where your $500 is held

In a CD in your name (which you can’t access until you pay off the $500)

The monthly “loan” payments you pay the lender

$50/month

Number of months you pay the loan

10 months

Do you pay interest toward your loan?

Yes

What happens when you pay off your $500 loan?

The lender releases the money held in the CD to you

Keep in mind that as you make your $50 payments toward your $500 loan (in the previous example), your lender will report your payments to the 3 credit bureaus:

  • Equifax
  • Experian
  • TransUnion

If you successfully pay off your loan, you can expect to see an increase in your credit score in the next few months (remember, credit score increases are not immediate).

So, do you want to increase your credit rating?

Then consider checking out the credit builder, known as Self 👇

With Self, you can apply for a loan and make payments as little as $25 per month toward your loan.

Self Credit Builder How it Works

Just remember that it is in your best interest to pay off your credit builder account on time.

With Self, your loan can take many different sizes:

  • $520
  • $545
  • $1,000
  • $1,663

And, you can decide to pay back your loan between 12 to 24 months – and you choose the amount of money each month you pay back on your loan.

Below are some of the fees you will have to take care of:

Fee Type Amount

Administrative Fee

$9 to $15

Late Fee

$1.25 to $7.50

Interest

Varies

The Self credit builder is a great option to build back your credit and save money in the long run – and you can do that for typically less than $100.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

Improving your credit score can be a great strategy to lower your interest rates, save more money, and be open to more opportunities in the future. If you don’t have credit or are just rebuilding your credit, one option could be to consider a credit builder loan, which is essentially a loan to yourself.

The reason why credit builder loans are beneficial is that whenever you make a payment, your financial activity is reported to the credit bureaus, which can boost your credit score (as long as you pay in full and on time).

Buy Cheap Life Insurance

9. Buy Cheap Life Insurance


If you have a family and don’t have life insurance yet, you’re leaving yourself – and your loved ones – open to a lot of financial risks.

This is possible if you buy term life insurance.

I recommend term life insurance in many cases – especially to millennials and young professionals who:

  • Have kids
  • Are married
  • Are in a lot of debt
  • Are the breadwinner
  • Already have a family
  • Are planning on a family

Buying term life insurance is not as painful as you might think.

I recommend checking out the free Policygenius term life insurance policy calculator 👇

As you can see, Policygenius is a broker – it’s not a life insurance company.

Policygenius has access to many top life insurance carriers like:

  • AIG
  • Lincoln
  • PacificLife
  • Prudential
  • Brighthouse
  • TransAmerica

After inputting your age, health status, etc. (it took me less than 60 seconds), Policygenius will show you some quotes to match you up with your overall profile.

policygenius monthly quote cost examples

While these quotes are likely not final, they should provide you with a better idea of how much you can expect to spend for a life insurance policy.

I should also note that you did not have to input your email address to run these quotes – and that’s something I appreciated. Thank you Policygenius!

In other words, if you are the beneficiary of a $1 million life insurance policy, you will not have to pay any taxes on the $1 million death benefit.

So especially if you have kids, massive debt, or a spouse/partner that depends on you for income, your next step should be running free life insurance quotes and considering which option is best for you.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

Term life insurance buys peace of mind and financial protection for your family. It is the cheapest and simplest type of life insurance. It’s typically the best form of life insurance for young professionals who are planning to start or already have a family.

If you haven’t had the chance to sign-up for term life insurance yet, then at least run a free quote with Everyday Life so that you know roughly how much you can expect to spend.

It’s not that much, relative to the financial protection you are giving your family.

Start an Emergency Savings Account

10. Start an Emergency Savings Account


If there is one thing that the recent COVID pandemic has taught us, it’s that the only constant in life is change (especially if we’re talking about the stability of your job!).

That’s why it’s so important to start an emergency savings fund.

Although $100 may not be enough to fully fund an emergency account, it’s definitely a good start.

The cash in your emergency savings account should be used only for emergencies.

Some examples of emergencies could include:

  • An unexpected job loss
  • A costly vet visit
  • A flat tire

To make sure you have enough cash in your emergency savings fund, a general guideline is to stash between 3 to 6 months’ worth of basic living expenses.

Let me break this down into a quick illustration:

Basic Living Expenses Illustration

Basic monthly living expenses

$2,000

3 months’ worth of emergency savings

$6,000

6 months’ worth of emergency savings

$12,000

So let’s back up a bit and figure out what “basic living expenses” (the $2,000 number in the chart) means.

As an example, some of my basic living expenses include:

  • Groceries
  • Mortgage
  • Utility bills
  • Health insurance bills

Going out to eat and shopping for clothes (unless you absolutely need the clothes) are probably not considered basic living expenses.

When do you need 3 to 6 months’ worth of living expenses?

The answer is: It depends.

Below are some guidelines to help you better determine whether a 3-month or a 6-month emergency reserve is better for your situation:

3 Months’ Emergency Reserve 6 Months’ Emergency Reserve

You have a relatively stable job

Your job is relatively unstable

You don’t have kids

You have kids

You don’t have a partner who depends on you for income

You are the primary breadwinner and your partner depends on you for income

You’re in relatively good health

You’re not in the best health

You’re easily employable should you lose your current job

You might have difficulty finding a new job

There’s not much competition for your current job

You have high-interest debt obligations

While many additional considerations go into whether you should have a 3-month or 6-month emergency reserve, these guidelines should give you a good idea of where you might stand.

Once you know how much you should be saving toward your emergency savings fund, it’s time to figure out how to set one up.

Here’s a trick I learned to help you get the biggest bang for your buck:

Check out the best high-yield savings accounts – these are the ones that offer much higher interest rates (for free).

My go-to high-yield savings account is Raisin 👇

Raisin offers competitive high-interest rates, which could help you earn a little bit of extra money on your stashed sinking fund cash.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

An emergency savings account can be a great way to give you peace of mind by setting aside 3 to 6 months’ worth of basic living expenses in a cash account that you should only use for emergencies (like a job loss).

To get the biggest bang for your buck, open up a high-yield savings account with Raisin to earn more interest on the cash you stash.

Your bank accounts will thank me later.

Draft Your Basic Estate Documents

11. Draft Your Basic Estate Documents


While your mortality is probably not at the top of your mind, it’s something that you should address sooner than later, even if you don’t have a ton of money – yet.

In fact, did you know that 60% of Americans don’t have a basic Will in place?

4 in 10 U.S. adults have a will

If the recent COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it should have been that life is never guaranteed.

How do you plan for the unexpected?

This can be done through estate planning.

It’s not fun and it’s probably pretty uncomfortable to talk about, but you have to address this topic for the sake of your loved ones.

Why?

Estate planning is critical to ensure your property and money go to your intended beneficiaries.

And that’s a scenario you probably don’t want to happen.

It really doesn’t matter how much money you have – you should create a Will (at minimum), regardless of your wealth.

In fact, 77% of Americans believe that estate planning is critical, regardless of your financial situation.

77% of Americans believe that estate planning is critical, regardless of your financial situation

Some basic estate planning documents you should consider drafting include:

  • Basic Will
  • Living Will
  • Health Care Proxy
  • Guardianship documents
  • Durable Power of Attorney

…And since we don’t all know lawyer-talk, I’ve broken down these terms into plain English below:

Term Definition

Basic Will

You declare who should receive your money, car, jewelry, watch, home, etc.

Living Will

You decide whether you want to be kept alive artificially (like through tubes) or if you want the doctors to “pull the plug”

Health Care Proxy

You give a person the right to make healthcare decisions on your behalf

Guardianship Documents

You give another person the right to take care of your minor children if something ever happened to you

Durable Power of Attorney

You give someone else the power to act in your place until you pass away

Believe it or not, you can draft some, if not all, of these documents for $100 or less.

One of the top estate planning firms you might want to consider hiring to draft your estate documents is Trust & Will 👇

Trust & Will is an estate planning website that helps you start your documents for as little as $39 – so not only is estate planning one of the best ways to invest $100, but you would still have some money left over!

Trust & Will will ask you simple questions that help customize your estate plan.

Trust & Will Guardians Question

Make sure you consider each question before continuing to the next part because your estate documents will be set up based on your answers.

However, estate planning attorneys typically cost $1,000’s, so this should be an option only for when your estate is considerably complex like:

  • You are in a second marriage
  • You have kids from previous marriages
  • You own a business or have business interests
  • You own properties in different states or countries 

Remember to tackle your estate plan today – because you’ll spare additional stress and grief for your loved ones, should something ever happen to you.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

Estate planning might not be at the top of your mind, but it’s something that you should consider doing sooner than later. Not only will it help bring peace of mind to you, but estate planning can also relieve your loved ones from additional stress while grieving.

Proper estate planning is how you can ensure your assets go to the people you want to receive your property.

Invest in Your 401k

12. Invest in Your 401(k)


Want to know how to start investing with 100 dollars?

Then investing in your 401k could be the right option for you.

If you’re lucky and your company:

  • Offers you a 401k plan
  • And offers you an employer match

…Then I sure hope that you’re enrolled in your 401k – because there is free money on the table for you.

And who doesn’t want free money?

In plain English?

An employer matching program means there is free money for you!

All you have to do is contribute to your 401k plan (at a minimum of 3% to 4% of what you earn per year), and your employer will contribute as well.

Here’s a scenario as an example:

401(k) Example Scenario

Gross Annual Salary

$50,000

Annual 401(k) Contributions

3% of your salary (or $1,500)

Employer Match Promise

100% match up to 4% of your salary

Employer Actual Match

$1,500 (or 3% of your salary)

In the example above, your employer promises to match any 401k contributions that you make, up to 4% of your annual salary (and 4% of $50,000 is $2,000).

So, if you contribute another $500 (for a total contribution of $2,000), then your employer would also match that $500 contribution you made.

So what does a $100 investment have to do with contributing to a 401k plan?

If you contribute $100 to your 401(k), then your employer could match your $100, so you’ve effectively already doubled your investment!

You didn’t have to break a sweat, and you still earned double your original $100 investment.

I’d say that’s a pretty good bargain.

HR is supposed to know the answer to questions like these.

How to set up a 401k plan:

  • Contact your HR department to help you set up and open your 401k plan
  • Carefully read through the investment choices to select your investments
  • Select the amount of money you wish to contribute periodically 
  • Sit back, and relax – your 401k deductions will be automatic

To better understand your 401k eligibility, contact your HR department.

After you’ve set up your 401k, make sure to monitor your investments.

While I’m not saying you should monitor them daily – or even monthly – it’s not a bad idea to review your investments twice a year or even once every quarter.

Especially for Millennials, where there may be less of a chance of receiving Social Security benefits in the future, you definitely want to maximize the return on investment you can get from your retirement plans. 

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

Investing your money in your 401k – especially if you’re eligible for an employer matching contribution – is likely the best way to invest 100 dollars and guarantee the doubling of your investment.

Even with “just” a $100 contribution to your 401k account, this is a virtually guaranteed method on how to double 100 dollars within a very short time frame, thanks to your employer matching contributions.

You just turned your $100 into $200.

Get Investing Software

13. Get Investing Software


Are you interested in the stock market, the economy, and investing, but just don’t know where to start researching?

Trust me – I’ve been in the same position.

When it comes to investing, it feels like you’re reading a different language.

In fact, 60% of Americans (or close to 3 in 5) say that they’re intimidated by the stock market and don’t even know where to start investing.

3 in 5 Americans say they are intimidated by the stock market

Starting your investing journey can seem very overwhelming, but there is good news.

You don’t need an MBA or a graduate degree in economics to understand money.

Below are some fantastic books that I’ve read and loved:

  • Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
  • A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel
  • Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle
  • One Up on Wall Street by John Rothchild and Peter Lynch

Plus, consider checking out How to Get Rich from Nothing, which is written by yours truly (me!).

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

Books offer endless opportunities for knowledge and information. If you want to build additional skills and learn from some of the greatest thinkers – past and present – then consider spending time reading.

Now, we don’t all have endless amounts of time, so while reading multiple books a month might be a stretch for some, there are other ways to gain more investing information.

And one of those strategies could be by signing up for a newsletter, like the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, which is curated by a team of experts 👇

For just $1.90 per week, you can subscribe to the Motley Fool Stock Advisor and obtain access to:

  • Monthly updated stock pics
  • Stock pick recommendations
  • Library of expert stock insights

While I personally don’t pick and choose stocks every month for my portfolio, I still think this is a great subscription service, especially for people who want to learn more about the stock market and maximize portfolio returns.

And to be fair, the Motley Fool’s expert team has outperformed the stock market (specifically the S&P 500) over the past few years, as you can see below.

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor Returns November 2021

If you want thorough research right at your fingertips, then the Motley Fool Stock Advisor could be a great place to start.

Take Online Courses

14. Take Online Courses


Do you believe that what they teach you in school is not enough?

I sure stand by this statement.

School taught me:

  • English
  • Biology
  • Calculus
  • Geometry
  • Chemistry
  • Trigonometry

However, reflecting on my middle school and high school experience, I never really learned concepts that could have accelerated my career trajectory.

Like how to do my own taxes, or why it’s important to pay off credit card debt.

That’s where it’s important to learn things outside of the classroom.

Thanks to technology we have information at our fingertips.

And your computer is a gateway to knowledge that can change your life – and your income – for the better.

Want to know the best part?

There are hundreds of online courses that cost less than $100.

One of the best learning platforms is called Udemy 👇

Whether you want to learn more about probability and statistics or if you want to take a full MBA course taught by a top business school professor – Udemy has it all (and typically for less than $100).

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

What you learn in school can only teach us a limited amount of information. It’s up to us to go beyond the classroom and unlock the skills we need to build better, happier, and healthier lives. You can access this information today thanks to a plethora of online courses.

Open your mind to new experiences and lessons and apply these lessons to your everyday life.

Watch how your trajectory will turn.

Real Estate Crowdfunding

15. Real Estate Crowdfunding


One investing trend that has become increasingly popular over the past few years is real estate crowdfunding.

So basically, you’re playing the role of the bank.

…Now, you might be wondering why the bank isn’t involved?

So before you start rubbing your hands together in anticipation of money, just know that you will be entering a riskier deal… but that’s why I recommend you start investing with just $10.

And you can, thanks to the real estate crowdfunding platform GROUNDFLOOR 👇

GROUNDFLOOR connects people with cash (you) to people who need the cash and promise to repay your loans with interest.

Below is an illustration of how GROUNDFLOOR’s investment process actually works:

How GROUNDFLOOR Works

If you’re planning to invest your cash through GROUNDFLOOR, then your money will likely be used by borrowers for projects like:

  • Flipping
  • Renovation
  • New construction

The average GROUNDFLOOR investor earns a 12% return on their investment (which is not bad, considering the stock market yields you on average about 7% to 10%).

12% - The average annual return for the investment platform GROUNDFLOOR

With real estate crowdfunding platforms like GROUNDFLOOR, you can invest in different types of “tranches” – which are basically levels of risk.

You have the option to invest in tranches labeled from A (with the least risk / least reward) to G (with the most risk / most reward).

GROUNDFLOOR Recently Repaid Investments

Some of the riskier properties could be those that are neglected or in very poor condition and would require a lot of repair work.

Before you invest in real estate crowdfunding platforms, it’s critical to evaluate the pros and cons first:

Pros Cons

Portfolio diversification

High loan default rate

Potential for high profits

Illiquid investments

Potential for passive income

Long term investments

Remember to do your research before you commit to an investment.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

If you start your real estate crowdfunding journey with just a $10 investment, there is very little risk to you – and who knows, you might be able to grow that cash into a sizeable chunk down the road.

Your journey starts now.

Invest in the Stock Market

16. Invest in the Stock Market


Thanks to dollar cost averaging and compounding interest, you can invest $100 today and start building long-term wealth.

As Albert Einstein once said:

"Compound interest is the 8th wonder of the world."

Here’s how you can take advantage of compound interest:

Start investing in the stock market.

The best overall investment platform for your $100 investment would likely be M1 Finance (it’s free to download) 👇

M1 Finance offers multiple different investment portfolios for your specific situation:

  • No fees for buying or selling
  • There are no management fees
  • You can start investing with $100
  • You can select your own investments
  • You can open your M1 Finance account with $0
  • M1 Finance automatically manages your portfolio

Plus, if you sign-up with M1 Finance, you could get up to $500 if you deposit $1,000+ within 14 days!

Talk about a deal.

On the contrary, M1 is for the long-term and passive investor.

Opening your M1 Finance account is a pretty straightforward (and fast!) process as well.

Here’s a 5-step guide on how to invest $100 with M1 Finance:

  1. Download the app
  2. Fund your M1 account
  3. Choose your investment strategy
  4. Start investing
  5. Sit back and relax

The good news is that you don’t have to be an experienced investor if you use M1 Finance.

M1 gives you the chance to invest $100 by either:

  • Selecting a “pre-made” investment model
  • Selecting your own stocks and ETFs
m1 finance "the pie"

If you’re not comfortable selecting your own investments, M1 Finance can help choose your strategy by offering you a selection from some expert-made investment portfolios (aka “pies”).

What if you invest your $100 using M1 Finance and never invest a single penny again?

Take a look at the illustration below to show you what you can expect when you start investing in the stock market, earn an average of 7% per year, and leave your money invested for 40 years.

Example Investment

Investment time Frame

40 Years

Initial Investment

$100

Annual Return

7%

Additional Deposits

$0

Final Portfolio Value

$1,497

If you had simply left your $100 sitting in cash, then inflation will likely eat away at your money’s purchasing power.

Investing really can be made easy – it doesn’t have to be that complex.

fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

I am a big believer in investing in the stock market, and I think this is one of the best ways to invest $100.

If you are serious about investing, then consider starting your journey by opening up a free account with M1 Finance and selecting low-cost index funds to build your financial foundation.

Build Your Social Media Following

17. Build Your Social Media Following


Did you know the average influencer on social media can earn between $30,000 to $100,000+ per year?

30000 to 100000 The average annual income of social media influencers

Now, you might be wondering:

How many followers do I need to become an influencer?

Here are the 5 types of influencers:

Influencer Type Number of Followers

Celebrity

1 million+

Macro Influencer

100,000+

Professional

20,000+

Micro Influencer

1,000+

Nano Influencer

<1,000

Want to know the best part?

You don’t need millions or even 100,000’s of followers.

The quality of your audience matters more than the quantity.

And once you have a quality audience followership on any platform, then you can start making money.

Quality matters.

So how do you attract a quality audience?

By creating high-quality content.

If you feel lost and have no idea what you’re doing on social media…

Then I recommend following the instructions in X Mastery 👇

Why do I recommend X Mastery?

If you’re looking for the best way to invest 100 dollars, then this guide will help you build a high-quality audience (and thus, also a high-income potential audience).

X Mastery will teach you how to:

  • Produce incredible content
  • Sell your products, website, service, etc. online
  • Engage with your social media audience and better understand their needs

This course shows you (in detail) the same methods I used to gain over 260,000 followers.

By building an awesome audience, my social media game now helps me: 

  • Network with others
  • Promote my business
  • Sell my online courses faster
  • Increase my website’s popularity
  • Gain faster traction with my website
  • Gain candid feedback from my audience
fiona smith the millennial money woman

The Bottom Line:

If you want to earn cash and build an online business, then building your social media following is key.

Courses on building your social media account can give you a new skill set that can double the return on your investment.

Related: How to Make Money on Twitter

FAQs

Here are 10 ways to grow your $100 investment now:

  • Invest in yourself
  • Invest in your 401(k)
  • Invest in online courses
  • Invest in your relationships
  • Invest in your own business
  • Build a passive income stream
  • Build an emergency savings fund
  • Invest in a micro-investing platform

One of the easiest ways to grow $100 in stocks is if you diversify your investments, which means you invest in many different stocks to reduce your risk exposure.

One way to do this is if you invest in passive and low-cost index funds, such as the S&P 500 index fund.

While you’re only investing in 1 single fund, that fund will be investing your money in the 500 largest and most stable US companies (like Apple, Google, etc.).

Here are 5 ways to invest 100 dollars right now:

  • Invest in your network
  • Invest in your education
  • Pay off high-interest debt
  • Invest in the stock market
  • Invest in building a business

The best 100 dollar investment you can make today includes the following options:

  • Invest in your education
  • Build up your emergency savings fund
  • Pay off your high-interest debt (like credit card debt)
  • Invest in the stock market and buy low-cost index funds
  • Contribute to your 401(k) plan (especially if you can still earn more through an employer match)

Investing 100 in stocks is absolutely worth it, as long as you plan to leave the investment in the stock market and let it grow.

Consistently investing in the stock market over very long periods (we’re talking decades) can be very lucrative in the long run.

The Bottom Line: How to Invest 100 Dollars


Ultimately, it’s not about the amount of money you have to invest – it’s about your:

  • Will 
  • Discipline
  • Determination

Pro tip: Compound interest makes your money work for you in the long run.

That’s why it’s important to:

  • Start investing today
  • Start investing consistently
  • Start investing for the long-term

How you treat a $10 investment will determine how you will treat a $1,000 investment.

Keep building your way up to $1,000.

And when you’re ready, check out my article on the best ways to invest $1000, where I tailor the investing strategy closer to this milestone number.

Investing 100 dollars could mean:

  • Investing in yourself
  • Investing in relationships 
  • Investing in your business
  • Investing in furthering your education

…And so much more.

The point is this: Start today. Start now.

There will never be that “perfect” time to start investing.

Your bank accounts will thank me later.

Join 30,000+ People That Get My Weekly Tips via Email

Every Saturday morning, you’ll get 1 actionable tip to help you save more money, increase your income, and multiply your wealth 👇

No spam. Just the highest quality tips on the web.

Join 30,000+ others and get access to exclusive tips, strategies, and resources that I don’t share anywhere else 👇

fiona smith the millennial money woman

Unlock the Secrets to Financial Freedom

Join 30,000+ others and get access to exclusive tips, strategies and resources that I don’t share anywhere else 👇

You can unsubscribe at any time.