Advice To Millennials: Starting Your Investing Journey

I was born in 1979 – a year that places me at the tail-end of Generation X but still makes me cool enough to give advice to Millennials about investing. My mom worked in a bank and encouraged me at an early age to save and invest. I started investing in mutual funds at 18 and, a few years later once I had $25,000 invested, took mom’s advice again and opened a self-directed RRSP account at TD. That’s where my DIY investing journey began, and I haven’t looked back.

Millennials came of age during the global financial crisis. They watched as their parents lost half their retirement savings when the stock market crashed in 2008. Couple that with historically low interest rates and it’s not surprising to hear that Millennials are weary of investing and unsure where to park their savings.

Indeed, TD recently issued a report, which found that 36 percent of Millennials don’t know if it’s the right time to invest, while 22 percent say it’s definitely not the time. Furthermore, 37 percent say they don’t invest at all.

All of these misconceptions lead to analysis paralysis – over-thinking a situation so much that a decision or action is never taken.

I know the feeling. I sold my mutual funds and opened a self-directed account shortly after the great stock market crash; when fear was very much still heightened and markets as volatile as ever. Looking back it was a great time to invest, but at the time I was scared that I made a huge mistake.

I learned to ignore short-term volatility and realized that the long-term direction of the stock market always points up. That means starting an automated savings plan and staying invested in good times and bad. Seven years after I started DIY investing I’ve got a fairly good grasp of my temperament and how to tune out market noise and stick to my plan.

My advice to Millennials who are on the fence about investing:

1. Get started

Nearly half of Canadian Millennials surveyed by TD who don’t currently participate in self-directed investing admit that it’s because they don’t believe they have enough money.

Believe me, I understand there are a million financial priorities competing for your hard-earned dollars. But everyone, and I mean everyone, can scrape together a small amount to put into savings.

Calvin MacInnis, senior vice-president at TD Direct Investing, says the first step to investing is simply to start, regardless of how much capital you have.

“With time on your side, a long investment horizon can help mitigate the risks of market volatility, and you also reap the benefit of compound growth and the prospect of multiplying returns,” he said.

You know the saying: the best time to plant an oak tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.

2. Put your money to work

It’s not enough to set-up automatic contributions to your retirement plan. If that money just sits in cash or a high-interest savings account, you’re missing out on the opportunity to participate in stock market growth that can compound and literally pay dividends for decades.

Paralyzed by all the different options available to a DIY investor? You don’t need an MBA in finance to put your money to work. TD Direct Investing’s WebBroker platform, for example, features a range of videos, webinars and seminars to help new and seasoned investors make informed decisions when managing their portfolios.

Related: My review of TD Direct Investing’s WebBroker platform

When in doubt, keep it simple. Whether it’s a portfolio of ETFs, e-Series funds, or dividend payers, find the investing approach that works for you and stick to a simple formula each time you add money.

3. Get comfortable

When it comes to investing, there are many benefits to being in the driver’s seat and steering the direction of your financial future. However, despite having easy access to technology, 24 per cent of Canadian Millennials surveyed who don’t participate in self-directed investing think it’s confusing to navigate online investing technologies.

That makes sense. If you’re not comfortable going online, moving your money around, and making a trade, DIY investing is going to be a challenge.

“Look for a platform that is user-friendly, intuitive and includes educational resources to help get you started, especially when you’re looking to place your first trade,” said Mr. MacInnis.

TD recently upgraded its WebBroker platform and not only is the new design much easier to navigate; it also offers useful information when it comes to tracking the performance of your investments, including capital gains and losses, dividends, and interest.

Final thoughts

Becoming a DIY investor has been empowering and it has allowed me to take more control of my finances, lower my investing costs, and help me understand who I am as an investor.

Along the way I changed strategies – moving away from picking individual stocks and instead adopting a two-ETF investing solution. My self-directed retirement portfolio has grown from $25,000 to $130,000.

It’s been a great ride, but I wouldn’t be this far along had I not started saving early, put my savings to work in the stock market, and get comfortable with both my investment platform and investing approach.

Millennials, what are you waiting for?

Please note this post has been brought to you in partnership with TD, all thoughts and opinions are my own.