During the pandemic, I opened a Webull account mainly to buy crypto. Ironically, it wasn’t even a true crypto exchange, but it gave me an easy way to get started. Before long, I decided to try buying stocks too.
Like a lot of new investors, I started following stock YouTubers and buying companies they were hyping. Some investments did really well, while others taught me hard lessons. That experience eventually led me toward ETFs, especially dividend-paying ETFs.
A friend of mine kept encouraging me to build these investments inside a Roth IRA so the gains could grow tax-free. It’s a smart strategy, but at the time I wanted access to my money before turning 59½. I liked the idea of being able to sell investments if I ever needed cash.
Over the past five years, I’ve slowly continued investing little by little. What surprised me most is how addictive investing can become in a positive way. Instead of buying random things that lose value over time, I started buying ETFs. To me, it feels like planting seeds and watering them while watching them slowly grow.
I began looking at ETFs almost like a better place to store extra money than a traditional savings account. They have the potential to outpace inflation, and because the investments are not locked inside a retirement account, I still have access to the money if I ever truly need it.
The interesting part is that in five years, I haven’t needed to touch it.
My dad was concerned because, like many people, he worried I could lose money in the stock market. That fear is common, especially for people who have seen markets crash or who were taught investing is dangerous. But I started looking at it differently. Markets naturally go up and down, and temporary declines are part of the process. In my mind, I only truly lose money if I panic and sell when prices are low. Meanwhile, as long as I continue holding quality investments, time gives them the opportunity to recover and grow.
That mindset completely changed the way I think about money, saving, and investing.