Why you should start investing today (not tomorrow)

There is no perfect time to start investing. No perfect age, no market at the right level, no sufficient savings. What does exist is a real, quantifiable cost for every month that passes with your money idle. This article shows you exactly how much waiting is costing you.

  • €10,000 in a current account loses ~€2,000–3,000 of purchasing power in 10 years due to inflation
  • The worst historical moments to enter the market would have been profitable if you held for 10 years
  • 70% of the best market days happen within 14 days of the largest falls
  • Investing €50/month for 30 years at 7% produces more than €58,000
  • Time in the market systematically beats timing the market

Idle money loses value every year

Average inflation in the eurozone over the last 20 years has been approximately 2–3% per year. That means €10,000 kept in a zero-interest current account is worth in real purchasing power terms:

In 5 years: ~€9,000–9,500 real
In 10 years: ~€8,200–8,600 real
In 20 years: ~€6,700–7,400 real

You don't lose money nominally — you still see €10,000 on screen. But every year you can buy less with those €10,000. Keeping money in cash isn't neutral: it's losing silently and continuously.

The worst times to invest would have been profitable

This is the most useful thought experiment for overcoming the fear of entering the market 'at the wrong time'.

If you had invested €10,000 in the S&P 500 just before the 2000 crash (at the dot-com bubble peak), today — 25 years later — you'd have more than €70,000.

If you'd invested in October 2007, just before the 2008 financial crisis, today you'd have more than €55,000.

If you'd invested in February 2020, just before the COVID crash, today you'd have more than €25,000 (in just 4 years).

The key isn't entering at the right moment — it's holding. The market rewards patience almost without historical exceptions.

Why 'waiting for a correction' is usually a mistake

The most common argument for not investing now: 'I'm waiting for a dip'. The problem is this reasoning has a hidden cost.

Suppose the market rises 10% this year. You decide to wait for a 15% correction you think is coming. If that correction arrives in 18 months, you'll have missed 18 months of 10% return to 'save' a 15% fall that might recover in weeks.

Vanguard studies show that lump-sum investing beats dollar-cost averaging in approximately 2 out of every 3 periods analysed. And DCA systematically beats not investing. The market spends more time rising than falling.

How to start with €50/month

You don't need minimum capital to start. With modern brokers you can buy fractions of ETFs from €1. A realistic plan for beginners:

  1. Open an account with a regulated broker (eToro, Trade Republic, DEGIRO).
  2. Set up a monthly recurring buy order of €50 in a global ETF (VWCE or MSCI World).
  3. Don't look at the portfolio more than once a month. The biggest enemy isn't the market — it's you when you panic.

€50/month for 30 years at 7% = €58,000. From just €18,000 contributed in total.

The age argument: there's no wrong age

If you're 25, time is your greatest asset — compound interest works for decades. If you're 45, you still have a 20-year time horizon — enough for the market to work in your favour. If you're 60, part of your portfolio can stay in equities while another part migrates to more conservative assets.

What doesn't change at any age: leaving money in a current account losing value to inflation is always the worst available option. The question is never 'is it a good time to invest?' — the question is what percentage of risk is appropriate for your time horizon.

Frequently asked questions

Is it a bad time to start investing?

Nobody can time the market consistently. For long horizons, time in the market has historically mattered more than timing.

Should I wait for a correction?

Waiting often means missing gains that exceed the drop you were waiting for. Regular investing removes the dilemma.

How can I start with little money?

With a low-cost broker, fractional shares and a monthly automatic contribution to a global index fund.

Is it too late to start at 40 or 50?

No. You have fewer years of compounding, but still 15–25 years or more to grow your savings.