While other people were figuring out what part-time job to work at the age of 18, I was busy learning about investing.
I used my savings of $1,000 to get into trading, but then I realised I was not comfortable with taking high risks, so I started to pivot into investments. Trading taught me more about investing, which you can say accelerated my understanding and confidence.
I started investing because it gave me the potential to make additional income while I was doing something else.
However, my sister Sara, who’s three years older than me, was more sceptical. She often said investing felt overwhelming because she didn’t know where to start. With so many options and steps—like setting up a broking account—it just seemed too complicated.
A book, and then some persuasion
She had been working for a while, so it frustrated me to see her procrastinate on something so important. After a lot of (loving) nagging from me, she finally took an interest in investing after reading I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi.
The book gave her a clear and relatable introduction to how investing works. With my earlier experience, I offered to help her get started—like any good brother would. Like most sisters act when their brothers are just trying to help, Sara whined a lot while I taught her how to set up her brokerage account.
Still, I was genuinely happy to see her begin her investment journey. Personal finance and investing have since become a shared passion that brought us closer.
Eventually, we started sharing our financial journey on social media, which grew into the platform and community we now run together.
We realised we were truly making a difference when people began reaching out to thank us for our content. That kind of feedback has become a huge source of motivation for us.
So, to anyone still feeling sceptical about investing, here’s our advice: Stop procrastinating and just start! It is not as difficult or time-consuming as it seems on the outside. And if you’re feeling unsure, there are many tutorials and videos online to guide you through every step—you don’t even need a brother to help you out.
This article is part of TSS Confessions, a weekly column where we delve into personal finance topics that are unscripted and genuine real accounts from people.
Sara and Aaron (The Weeblings) are a sibling content creator duo who share a passion for personal finance and investments. They often post beginner-friendly tips on investing in stocks and REITs, as well as insights into spending habits. You can follow them on their website, The Weeblings, Instagram and TikTok here.
