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How-To · 6 min read

How to start investing with £100

Investing sounds complicated because the industry benefits from it sounding complicated. For a first £100, the whole process is boringly short.

1. Open a tax-advantaged account

In the UK, that's a Stocks & Shares ISA. In the US, a Roth IRA. Anywhere else, look for the local equivalent. It's the wrapper that saves you tax on gains for life.

2. Buy a global index fund

One line: a low-cost fund tracking a global equity index (e.g. FTSE All-World, MSCI ACWI). That's already thousands of companies in a single purchase.

3. Automate a monthly top-up

£25, £50, £100 — whatever's sustainable. Set the standing order and the auto-invest and forget it exists.

4. Do nothing for a decade

The best investors are the ones who don't check. Compounding needs time, and time only works if you stop touching the pot.

Key takeaways

  • Wrapper first, fund second, automation third.
  • One global index fund beats stock-picking for beginners.
  • Time in the market beats timing the market.