{"id":18917,"date":"2025-08-01T23:45:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T23:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=18917"},"modified":"2025-08-01T23:45:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T23:45:15","slug":"make-extra-money-with-simple-investing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=18917","title":{"rendered":"Make Extra Money With Simple Investing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload clicker_number\" style=\"position: absolute; height: 1px; width: 100%\" alt=\"ScoreCard Research\" data-count=\"148.72.132.87,148.72.132.87, 104.23.160.83\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\"><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever felt like building wealth is something reserved for Wall Street insiders, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n<p>When I started talking about investing with students and families over a decade ago, I kept hearing the same things: \u201cI don\u2019t have thousands to invest,\u201d or \u201cIt\u2019s too risky,\u201d or \u201cI wouldn\u2019t know where to start.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So I decided to fix that, and it changed my life.<\/p>\n<p>I created something called <em>The Perfect Portfolio<\/em>, a simple investment strategy that lets you grow your money without needing a finance degree or big startup capital. It\u2019s been featured in classrooms, used in family budgets and even helped me earn the <em>Top 100 Global Leaders in Finance<\/em> award.<\/p>\n<p>But this isn\u2019t about trophies. This is about helping regular people make their money work harder, even if they\u2019re starting with just $50.<\/p>\n<p>And yes, it still works in 2025.<\/p>\n<div class=\"adBorder\" id=\"thepe-36989563\">\n<h3>Is Your Bank Holding You Back?<\/h3>\n<p>Got $1,000 in checking? These\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/partners.thepennyhoarder.com\/1000-checking-account-make-4-moves-prt\/?aff_id=384&amp;aff_sub3=1000-checking-account-make-4-moves-prt\/&amp;aff_sub4=191809\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">smart moves<\/a> could help you reach your next big savings goal. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Is \u201cThe Perfect Portfolio\u201d?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s not magic. It\u2019s math, and a little bit of discipline.<\/p>\n<p>The Perfect Portfolio is a diversified mix of index funds, bonds and other assets designed to reduce risk and grow over time. You don\u2019t need to pick individual stocks or watch the market every day. Instead, you set it, fund it consistently, and let it do the work.<\/p>\n<p>There are three versions based on how aggressive you want to be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Aggressive: For those under 40 or with a long time horizon, this version leans heavily into growth stocks, international markets and real estate.<\/li>\n<li>Moderate: A balanced mix that includes U.S. stocks, bonds and a little international exposure.<\/li>\n<li>Conservative: Great for older investors or cautious savers, half the portfolio is in short-term bonds to preserve capital.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Each one can be built with low-cost ETFs using platforms like <a href=\"http:\/\/t.thepennyhoarder.com\/aff_c?offer_id=6160&amp;aff_id=2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SoFi<\/a>, Fidelity or Stash.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"high\" loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thepennyhoarder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/17113423\/dr-malcolm-adams-headshot-e1742225714576.jpeg\" alt=\"This is a portrait of Dr. Malcolm Adams, the person behind The Perfect Portfolio. \" class=\"lazyload wp-image-203967\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Dr. Malcolm Adams <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why This Strategy Still Wins in 2025<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s talk numbers.<\/p>\n<p>In 2023, the average U.S. 401(k) returned just 6.2%, according to Fidelity. Meanwhile, short-term bonds, often overlooked, returned over 4% with far less volatility.<\/p>\n<p>The Perfect Portfolio blends these safe, steady returns with higher-upside assets like small-cap stocks and real estate investment trusts (REITs). This way, you\u2019re not betting the farm on one sector or stock.<\/p>\n<p>Even better? You can start building your portfolio with just $25 to $50 a month. No more waiting until you \u201cmake more.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"adBorder\" id=\"thepe-1729950723\">\n<h3>Heard of These Money-Making Hacks?<\/h3>\n<p>Ready to find out how some folks effortlessly earn the big bucks?<\/p>\n<p>Millions of Americans ignore\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/partners.thepennyhoarder.com\/smarten-up-americans-prt\/?aff_id=384&amp;aff_sub3=smarten-up-americans-prt\/&amp;aff_sub4=191931\" rel=\"false noopener\" target=\"_blank\">these easy tips<\/a>\u00a0that could have you padding your wallet in no time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Real Talk: How Much Can You Earn?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If you invested $100\/month in a moderate version of The Perfect Portfolio starting in 2015, you\u2019d have about $16,000 today \u2014 and that includes the ups and downs of COVID, inflation and market volatility.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not day-trading money. That\u2019s real, stable, long-term growth, which is exactly what most of us need.<\/p>\n<p>And for folks who\u2019ve followed the plan for even longer, I\u2019ve seen it fund down payments, retirement accounts and tuition payments. That\u2019s the kind of wealth that builds peace of mind.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How You Can Get Started Today<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>You don\u2019t need fancy tools. Just pick a platform that lets you invest in fractional shares, automate your deposits, and start with one of these sample allocations:<\/p>\n<p>Moderate Version<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>25% U.S. Total Stock Market<\/li>\n<li>10% U.S. Large-Value Stocks<\/li>\n<li>10% U.S. Small-Value Stocks<\/li>\n<li>5% REITs<\/li>\n<li>10% Foreign Stocks<\/li>\n<li>40% Short-Term Bonds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can adjust the mix as your goals change, but the key is consistency. Invest monthly, rebalance once or twice a year, and let time do the heavy lifting.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Final Thought: Wealth Is a Habit, Not a Windfall<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I didn\u2019t create The Perfect Portfolio to impress other economists. I created it because I saw too many smart, hardworking people get left out of wealth conversations.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever said, \u201cI\u2019ll start investing later,\u201d I want you to know, <em>later<\/em> is right now. You don\u2019t have to be rich to start. But starting might be what helps you get there.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s what wealth-building should be: not intimidating, not elite, just smart, steady steps that anyone can take.<\/p>\n<p>Ready to build your own Perfect Portfolio?<\/p>\n<div class=\"adBorder\" id=\"thepe-1880219625\">\n<h3>Drowning in Expenses?<\/h3>\n<p>Maybe you\u2019re scrambling after your car broke down. Or you got a medical bill you weren\u2019t expecting. Or inflation has finally pushed your budget over the edge. Take a breath. You don\u2019t need to go it alone.<\/p>\n<p>When money is tight, <a href=\"https:\/\/partners.thepennyhoarder.com\/when-money-is-tight-sdyn-prt\/\/?aff_id=384&amp;aff_sub3=when-money-is-tight-sdyn-prt\/&amp;aff_sub4=191825\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">these resources<\/a> can help you manage unexpected expenses without stress.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong><em><br \/><\/em><\/strong><em>Dr. Malcolm Adams is an award-winning economist, entrepreneur, and educator who helps underserved communities build wealth through practical investing and workforce development. Read more from him at<\/em><em> The SS<\/em><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>        <!-- ACF Financial Disclaimer --><\/p>\n<p>        <!-- End ACF Financial Disclaimer --><\/p>\n<p>        <!-- Newsletter Signup Form --><\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-signup-wrapper-for-digioh\">\n<div class=\"col-xs-12 newsletter-wrap flex-row\">\n<div class=\"container flex-container\">\n<div class=\"col-xs-12 new-newsletter-form\">\n<p class=\"text-subheading\">Ready to stop worrying about money?<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-get-daily\">Get the SS Daily<\/p>\n<p class=\"email-privacy-policy-blurb-white\">\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>        <!-- End Newsletter Signup Form --><\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepennyhoarder.com\/investing\/perfect-portfolio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve ever felt like building wealth is something reserved for Wall Street insiders, you\u2019re not alone. When I started talking about investing with students and families over a decade ago, I kept hearing the same things: \u201cI don\u2019t have thousands to invest,\u201d or \u201cIt\u2019s too risky,\u201d or \u201cI wouldn\u2019t know where to start.\u201d So<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[185],"tags":[355,226,104,463],"class_list":{"0":"post-18917","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-investing","8":"tag-extra","9":"tag-investing","10":"tag-money","11":"tag-simple"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18917"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18917\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}