Here's a simple, beginner-friendly plan you can start today: 1) Choose one broad, low-cost fund or ETF that covers a wide range of stocks (keeps fees small and reduces risk of picking a single stock). 2) Set up automatic monthly contributions so money goes in even if you forget about it. Start with an amount you won’t miss (for example, $300 per month). 3) If you have an employer plan and can get a match, contribute enough to receive the full match. 4) Review your plan once a year and keep contributing; avoid trying to time the market. Example: with $300 per month for 20 years and an average return around 7% per year, you could accumulate roughly $157,000. Actual results vary with market performance.

Automatic investing is the practice of scheduling regular, automated contributions to invest (for example, monthly) without needing to act each time. This helps you stay consistent, benefits from compounding over time, and reduces the temptation to time the market or skip investing.