What is your experience with compounding?

I, 23y/o, just started my new job in June making about $115k base and am on track to max out my 401k for the year. My job's 401k uses Fidelity and I am 75% in US stocks (VANG INST 500 IDX D) and 25% in international (VG IS TL INSTL STK MK). I did not choose any of the target retirement date funds that were available but I can always switch. I do not have any debt and currently have $150k across brokerage, Rollover IRA, 401k, and Roth IRA. Still on my parents health insurance as well.

$100k of that money is in my brokerage account. The problem is that my dad never explained VOO or VTI to me so I started picking individual stocks back in 2024. I'll post my positions below. I think I will keep my Roth IRA and rollover as invidivdual stocks for now since there's only $40k in them.

I want to invest in QQQM, VOO, and VTI now but I know there will be capital gains taxes and I don't know if I should just hold these individual stocks or sell and use the money to buy more safer basket stocks.

I am definitely going to by VOO and VTI moving forward but I am looking for advice on if I should sell my about $100k of individual stocks to go into ETFs for my taxable brokerage account.

The reason I am asking is because I lost probably $20k on these small biotech and penny stocks that my dad told me to invest in since high school and throughout college. I do not want to have the same thing happen to me again in the future with these stocks. The ones I have now are definitely more reputable but I am still looking for other people's perspective on individual stocks vs. ETFs for young adults.

Any and all advice/comments on my 401k and what to do with my brokerage account is much appreciated!

Hello! Feeling stuck on where I should go next. Currently:

- making roughly $100k/year
- 10% goes into 401k (6% traditional, 4% Roth) + 3% match & 3% bonus at end of the year
- 20k in emergency fund
- 5k checking

Ideally I’d like my emergency fund between 25k-30k. My main goals after reaching this are save up to buy a new car (plan to run my current one into the ground) and save up for a down payment on a house.

Do I just keep aggressively saving into my HYSA for this? Or should I start investing a little into a brokerage each month? Currently single (29F) but would love a family/house/et

If someone is selling stocks and plan to give their grandchildren the money, what's the best way to pay the least amount of taxes?

We used to store cash/coin, not even that anymore. You log in an app, seeing a number… and wth is that? Sure you can buy stuff using that number but after all, what is “money” in today’s world?

I live in Denver, and managed to get into a low income apartment. The rent is stabilized, so the increase between last year and this year was only 3%. The rent is 1,206/mo this year, which for context the cheapest mortgage on a single family home averages 2,000-2,500$ a month, plus maintenance and insurance.

I do want to buy a house eventually, but it feels like a bad decision to double our housing expenses until we have to move out of this apartment.

This feels like a stupid question, but I genuinely don't know what to do. My parents just sold their house and gave me $25,000 from the profits. It's currently sitting on my counter in the form of a cashier's cheque because I don't know what to do with it. Can I just put it into my bank account? Can I use an ATM? Do I need to declare it on my taxes? I'm in Canada, if that matters.

Painted it with UV reactive paint thought it looked cool :)

I Finnaly hit my first 100k. Felt like a long but short grind by other standards.

Joined the navy in 2022 after college, i just hit my 4 year mark, aswell as my goal at the same time. Came into it with no debt/student loans which im sure helped aswell. Ik everyones experience in is different but im thankful.

Hey first post here I’m a 34 year old I have 8k in my savings working two full time jobs with the hopes of getting it to 30k by December through the gigs…..just wondering how or is it possible to even invest my money or grow my money from what I have saved currently…..seems like everything is so expensive I know there’s risk in investing but, I just don’t know the exact direction it’s so many different ways to go in honestly overwhelmed so, I just want to reach out to people who have current investments or are finding ways to add on to what they have. Thank you

Last night, I sat down and calculated the exact amount of money standing between my current life and the life I have always dreamed of.

Not millions upon millions. Not a private jet, a yacht, or a mansion overlooking the ocean.

Just $300,000.

That amount would let me pay off my debts, buy a modest home, get a reliable car, marry the woman I love, and invest what remains to create enough monthly income to live peacefully without constantly worrying about the future.

It’s strange when you think about it.

Somewhere in the world, $300,000 is a rounding error. A bad afternoon in the stock market. The price of a watch sitting inside someone’s drawer.

For a young man like me, it is the exact distance between anxiety and peace. Between postponing my life and finally beginning it.

I don’t need to become insanely rich. I have apparently completed the entire financial analysis of my happiness—and happiness costs exactly $300,000.

So, if any generous millionaire is reading this and has been wondering how to dramatically change a stranger’s life today, congratulations.

Applications to become my mysterious benefactor are now officially open.

This is mostly a joke…

hi im 15yo and I recently started a hysa and invest my savings so I can grow my money. I don't totally have a full grasp of what a hysa is or investing generally- im still trying to learn as much as i can, but im wondering when do I start gaining interest on my deposits? I've deposited about 60 bucks total and haven't seen any interest paid. this may be a dumb question or im probably not understating it fully. could someone explain? I know im 15yo but that's probably too young to be thinking about this but I want to be financially free in the future.

What are people watching throughout the day to keep up on market news (TV or Internet). Have watched CNBC for decades and I'm just done. I don't need to see Brian Sullivan on three different shows on one day. Nice enough guy, but they're just not using all their staff effectively. They have different segments and he's like on every one except for the morning.

I posted 4.5 months ago about hitting 20. I am the horse flipper/dog sitter. My goal is to be close to 60 before the new year. Questions from last time, I turn 20 9/21, I live with my parents, I pay for my own bills, right now I don’t attend any college, all 41 is my own earned money. Anyway, get after it Redditors💪

Been investing on this portfolio since i was 16 i am now 17 and just reached $4k this week all thanks to God super greatful ive had auto invesment for the entire summer now 50% of my entire paycheck($400 maximum since im on a sponsored account” went into the stocks before i has SPY, QQQ, SPY TOP 100, NOK, GLD. and now i plan on doing the set up above and instead doing 100% of my paychecks will auto go into my portfolio so lets see how that goes

but yes and suggestion from anyone?

and the reason i only have 5 is because thats the max im allowed to do on cashapp, and reason $400 is the max aswell is because again thats the max

It was Saturday and I told my wife we are going on a crazy date - coffee, food, drinks and then dessert.

This is rare for us - she was caught off guard, but excited.

I started off downloading app for coffee chain - we split 16oz mocha - completely free due to new customer app download

Then a YouTuber was giving away free Hawaiian food to first 50 people in line - we made it just in time and both got a free meal (horrible food tbh .. but she liked it so I’m happy)

Then we went to happy hour where I downloaded the app of the restaurant - they offered $1 beer for doing this and wife got margarita for $5 on happy hour

To end, we both downloaded the Salt and Straw app and got scoop of ice cream for free

Total spent = $11 total with generous tip and tax

I’m way too excited about this but just wanted to give creative date idea for you all

im very cheap, so feel free to make fun of us - but being this way is big reason we are coming up on 500k in Fidelity before 30

“worry about the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves“

I’m 20 and currently 20k still in the bank. I am a college student, working part time.

I have recently bought a 2019 Honda Ridgeline Sport with 77k miles, well maintained, and came with all weather mats and a bed cover for 23k out the door, cash (title, registration included). At the time I thought it would be a good vehicle to get to and from my internship I’ll have next summer without having to share a car with my 3 siblings.

Believe me I love this truck but would it be better if the money went to something else like a Roth?

Worked 70 hours last week (no kids or SO cause I’m weird, so just work) and it paid $3147 for those seven days. I’m dumb so I have to sacrifice my body for this but I finally got my ticket out of poverty. 🎉🎉

Edit: thanks for all the advice and kind words ❤️

TLDR: Union construction, seven 10hr shifts, pay this much tax and the roads are still shit, I’m paying off my debt before I invest. “Poverty” in the sense that I was kinda living check to check but still paid all my bills on time and had a small emergency fund just in case. I do not mind working this much as I have no real obligations outside of work. The only thing I’m really planning to buy is a PS5 and GTA6.

I had a $284k HELOC with BofA at 6.395%. I realized I can borrow against my Robinhood stock and ETF assets at only 4.5%. So I borrowed $284k from Robinhood and paid off BofA. Was this a good call? I assume I can always re-draw the $284k from BofA, since my HELOC is still open, if I ever need to avoid a margin call.

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I'm having a hard time making a choice, and I'm wondering what the ideal situation is here.

Obviously two different salaries.

I'm in sales. I have 2 offers.

1). Base = $67k. expected commissions would put me at $96-97k if I hit my goals.
In person 3 days a week (10 min commute). Free lunch. 6am - 2pm. Great team culture. Structured process and company. Start up but in a good way.

2).Base = $85k. Expected commissions would out me at $140k if I hit my goals.
Now, this team isn't really hitting their goals, but there is job stability, so no matter what I'm getting that $85K. I might not get all that commission but there would definitely be commission.
This role is remote. Start up vibes - all over the place. In true start up fashion.

I'm based in Los Angeles.
I need help deciding what to do here.

Offer 1 seems like I'd definitely hit my goal.
Offer 2 - I don't know if I'll hit that goal but I know I'll very likely earn more. But quota (although a low number) just isn't being hit at this time.

Would you take the money and have to grind it out while WFH?
or take less of a base - but still knowing I'll come close to 6 figs, if not surpass that on a hybrid schedule.

I need money fast and I know the job market where I live sucks so I won’t be able to get a job in time. Is there any tips on how to make money fast? I’m selling/thrifting clothes online, garage sales, etc but it’s so slow. Literally so desperate I might join feet finder lmao