![\"Financial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2326aa40-2284-11f1-a9f7-991c0d249508.png\")
There’s no such thing as too small to matter. (Source: Instagram\/Ben Nash) <\/p>\n There’s no such thing as too small to matter. (Source: Instagram\/Ben Nash) <\/p>\n
Most people think the reason they\u2019re not investing is because they don\u2019t have enough money<\/a>. But that\u2019s not the real issue.<\/p>\n The mistake most people make<\/a> is thinking the amount they\u2019re not investing is too small to matter, so it gets pushed to a tomorrow that never seems to come around. But when you skip small amounts early, you\u2019re not just missing a few extra dollars this year – you\u2019re giving up decades of compounding.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re 20 today and invest just $5 daily for only one year, then leave that money to grow until age 65, your money would grow to around $117,000 based on the Australian long term sharemarket return of 9.8%.<\/p>\n RELATED<\/p>\n That\u2019s over $100k made from investing just $1,825 over only one year, but invested early enough to let compounding work for you.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re working on bigger numbers, the impact is even more. In the same position, investing $500 weekly over only one year would grow to around $1.67 million.<\/p>\n This shows the opportunity, along with the real cost of not investing. Miss just $5 daily and you cost yourself over $100k just this year alone, and with bigger numbers the cost is well into the $1m+ territory.<\/p>\n If you want to get these sorts of results this year and lay the foundation for your future money success, there are five key traps you want to avoid.<\/p>\n Most people think investing should start once they\u2019ve saved up a decent chunk of money.<\/p>\n That might sound sensible, but it can often end up being an excuse to delay. For most people, the smarter move is to invest a small regular amount into simple assets – something like a market-tracking index fund, and then letting time and consistency do the heavy lifting.<\/p>\n The mistake here is thinking you need to be more advanced before you get started – usually it\u2019s getting started that makes you more advanced.<\/p>\n This one is most common with even the smartest people. You listen to podcasts, read articles, follow market news, and convince yourself this means progress. And in some ways it is, but it\u2019s not progress in the area that actually matters – your actual results.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need the perfect setup to get started. You just need a sensible approach that fits your goals and timeframes – then you need to give it time. The markets don\u2019t reward perfection, they reward time.<\/p>\n Cash savings has a role – you need it for bills, emergencies, and your short term plans.<\/p>\n Story continues <\/p>\n But once you\u2019ve got enough to cover this spending, too much cash can quietly become a problem. It might feel safe, but cash savings are going backwards after you factor in taxes and inflation – with most of the damage happening in the background while you think you\u2019re being smart.<\/p>\n This is where a solid bank account budgeting system<\/a> can help. When your money is organised, it gets easier to separate the money you need now from the money that should be working for your future.<\/p>\n 4. Deciding between investing and your mortgage <\/p>\n For lots of Aussies, the real question isn\u2019t whether to invest – it\u2019s whether to invest or throw every spare dollar at your home loan.<\/p>\n Sometimes paying down your mortgage is the right call, but if you\u2019ve got a long term timeframe the financial impact of saving vs paying off your mortgage<\/a> can have a huge impact on how your money grows over time.<\/p>\n The biggest mistake here isn\u2019t choosing one over the other, it\u2019s leaving the decision unmade and drifting for years.<\/p>\n 5. Ignoring tax and structure <\/p>\n Your investment returns matter, but how much of those returns you keep after the ATO takes their slice matters more.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re serious about building your assets and wealth over time, you should be thinking about how to invest tax efficiently<\/a>. That doesn\u2019t mean building a complicated structure from day one – it just means making sure you\u2019re not leaking money unnecessarily as you build.<\/p>\n Things like investing with franked dividends, debt recycling<\/a>, using tax structures to invest, and even leveraging tax deductible super contributions<\/a> can all make a meaningful difference to your after tax investment returns – and accelerate your progress at the same time.<\/p>\n Most people underestimate the cost of waiting, because how much you\u2019re thinking about investing feels too small to matter.<\/p>\n But even $5 a day is big enough to make a real difference. For a 20 year old, that\u2019s over $100,000 in future wealth missed in just one year – if you start investing sooner and give your money time to grow.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why one of the biggest investing mistakes isn\u2019t picking the wrong investment – it\u2019s not getting started – today.<\/p>\n Start small, keep it simple, set up your system, and then give compounding enough time to do its thing.<\/p>\n Ben Nash is a finance expert commentator, podcaster, financial adviser and founder of Pivot Wealth<\/a>. You can learn more about how to be smart with your money through Ben\u2019s book Replace your Salary by investing<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you want some help with your money and investing, Ben has created a free seven-day challenge<\/a> you can use to get more out of your money you can join here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Therefore, you should consider whether the information is appropriate to your circumstances before acting on it, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a finance professional.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There’s no such thing as too small to matter. 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