The Biggest Money Mistake You're Probably Making (And How to Fix It)

Let’s be honest—most of us never got a real financial education. We learned how to calculate the area of a triangle and maybe memorized the periodic table, but nobody pulled us aside and said, “Here’s how money actually works.”

So we do what we can. We work, we save, we try to be responsible. Maybe we even cut back on little things like eating out or buying coffee because we were told that’s the “smart” thing to do.

But here’s the hard truth:

Just saving money isn’t enough.

The Big Mistake: Saving Without Building Wealth

Now, don’t get me wrong—saving is important. Having an emergency fund? Non-negotiable. Keeping money aside for short-term goals? Also smart.

But if your entire financial plan is just stacking cash in a savings account, here’s what’s actually happening:

1. Your money is losing value. Thanks to inflation, the cash you save today will buy you less in the future. A dollar sitting in your account now won’t stretch as far five years from now.

2. You’re capping your potential. Most high-yield savings accounts max out around 4% interest. Meanwhile, the stock market has historically averaged 8-10% per year. Over time, that difference is massive.

3. You’re playing defense, not offense. Saving is about protecting what you have. Investing is about growing it. To build wealth, you need both.

   
   

So… What Should You Be Doing?

If you want to get ahead financially, you need to start investing. That doesn’t mean gambling on crypto or trying to time the market. It means putting your money to work in a way that actually builds wealth over time.

The easiest way to do that? Investing in broad-market or all-in-one ETFs.

Wait… What’s an ETF?

ETF stands for Exchange-Traded Fund, and it’s basically a basket of different investments (stocks, bonds, etc.) that you can buy in one shot. Instead of picking individual stocks and hoping for the best, ETFs let you own a little bit of everything—which helps lower your risk and simplify investing.

If you’re thinking, “Okay, but I still don’t totally get it,” no worries. I’ll be putting out a future blog post all about ETFs—what they are, how they work, and how to use them to build wealth without stress.

How to Get Started (Without Overcomplicating It)

If you’re new to investing, keep it simple:

1. Open a TFSA, RRSP, or RESP. These are tax-advantaged accounts that help your investments grow more efficiently.

2. Choose a low-cost ETF that tracks the market. Something like VFV (tracks the S&P 500) or VEQT (a globally diversified stock ETF) is a good starting point.

3. Automate your contributions. Set up a monthly transfer and forget about it. No need to check the market daily or stress about timing.

That’s it. No need to overthink it. The earlier you start, the more time your money has to grow.

The Shift From Saver to Investor

If you’ve been diligently saving, that’s a solid first step. But if you want to actually build wealth and create financial security, investing is the next level.

This isn’t about making quick money—it’s about building long-term financial stability, without stress or constant decision-making.

So if you’re feeling stuck in the “just saving” cycle, consider making the shift. The sooner you start, the better off Future You will be.

And if you’re not quite sure how to begin, stay tuned. More posts are coming to break this down in even simpler terms—because managing money shouldn’t feel overwhelming.

-Marcus

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