If you’ve already laid the groundwork for your financial future by learning the basics of saving, understanding passive vs. active investing, and getting familiar with ETFs, you’re ready for the exciting part: putting your money to work. This article walks you through how to start automating your investments into ETFs on a recurring basis—whether that’s weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
Quick Recap: Are You Truly Ready to Invest?
Before we dive in, make sure you’ve mastered these three foundational concepts:
✅ Why Saving Comes Before Investing (Mastering the 75/15/10 Rule)
✅ Active vs. Passive Investing – What’s Right for You?
✅ What Is an ETF? A Beginner’s Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds
Once you’re comfortable with these, you’re ready to make your first consistent, long-term investment strategy a reality.
Why Recurring ETF Investments Make Sense
Setting up recurring investments—also called dollar-cost averaging—allows you to:
- Remove emotion from investing
- Build wealth consistently over time
- Take advantage of market fluctuations (buy more shares when prices are low)
- Make investing a habit, not a chore
This is especially powerful when investing in broad-market ETFs that track major indexes like the S&P 500.
Best ETFs for Beginners to Start With
Here are three popular ETFs that track the S&P 500, giving you instant diversification with just one fund:
- SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) – The most widely traded S&P 500 ETF.
- VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) – Known for low fees and long-term performance.
- IVV (iShares Core S&P 500 ETF) – Another low-cost alternative with strong backing.
All three are passive, diversified, and relatively low-cost, making them great choices for long-term investors.
* Please note that this is not financial advice, as I am not your financial advisor. These are just examples. Please be sure that if you do invest, you take the time to research that these are right for you.
How to Set Up Weekly, Biweekly, or Monthly ETF Investments
Here’s a step-by-step process to get started:
1. Choose Your Brokerage
Most online brokers support automatic investing. Top platforms include:
- Public.com (Great automation and easy investing on the go)
- Fidelity
- Vanguard
- Charles Schwab
2. Set Your Investment Schedule
Decide how often you want to invest:
- Weekly: Great for those paid weekly or who want to build momentum.
- Every Other Week: Aligns with most biweekly paychecks.
- Monthly: Works well if budgeting monthly or automating transfers from savings.
3. Pick the ETF(s) You Want to Invest In
You can choose just one ETF or split your investments across several industries or ideas:
- 💼 Conservative? Start with VOO only.
- 🌱 Growth-focused? Combine VOO + a Nasdaq ETF (like QQQ).
- 🌍 Diversified? Add an international ETF (like VXUS or VEU).
4. Set Up Auto-Invest or Recurring Buy Orders
Once your account is funded:
- Go to the “Recurring Investments” or “Auto-Invest” section.
- Choose your ETF(s), frequency, and amount.
- Confirm and start building wealth on autopilot.
5. Stay the Course
Markets will rise and fall. The key to success is consistency, not timing the market.
Warren Buffet always said:
Investing time in the market, beats timing the market
Those waiting for the right time to invest and keep on the sidelines will ultimately lose out on all investment ups and downs that dollar cost averaging provides and ultimately, wins. As an investor, you are geared towards the long-term health of the market, not moments in time and quick gains.
How Much Should You Invest?
A good rule of thumb:
📊 Invest at least 15% of your income, as explained in the 75/15/10 Rule.
Start small if needed—even $100 per month can grow significantly over time thanks to compounding.
Final Tips for Long-Term Success
- Automate it and forget it—let your money grow in the background.
- Rebalance once or twice a year if you invest in multiple ETFs.
- Keep learning—follow market trends but don’t react emotionally.
- Stick to your time horizon (most beginners should be thinking 10+ years).
Ready to Take Action?
You’ve done the homework. Now it’s time to take the next step and turn knowledge into action.
Start today by picking an ETF like VOO or IVV, setting a weekly investment of $25–$100, and watching your financial future begin to take shape.
Have questions or need help choosing an ETF? Drop them in the comments—we’re here to help you invest smarter!
* Please note that this is not financial advice, as I am not your financial advisor. These are just examples. Please be sure that if you do invest, you take the time to research that these are right for you.
