[INVESTING · REAL WORLD]
This is the second month of trying to actually stick to something instead of just thinking about it.
Summary
- Stayed consistent this month, which is the main win.
- Still feels uncomfortable putting money in regularly.
- Started paying more attention to what I’m actually buying, not just buying for the sake of it.
- It’s slower than expected, but that’s probably the point.
Monthly Challenge – Results
| Category | Name | Start Value | Current Value | Change | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Stocks | Johnson & Johnson | $50 | $47.06 | -5.88% | Minor loss, slow but steady |
| S&P 500 ETF | State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | $50 | $56.69 | +13.38% | Solid increase, more than what I expected. |
| Popular Stocks | Microsoft | $50 | $59.77 | +19.55% | More volatile but a big increase in a month! |
| Forex Trades | USD/JPY | $50 | $60.25 | +20.5% | Higher risk, higher movement. Good increase for the month |
Month 2 – Still Feels a Bit Awkward
Good month, up $23.77 which is an 11.89% increase if my maths is right! I’ll be honest, this still doesn’t feel natural. I am used to Forex trading so the consistent approach is a bit different. Outside of the challenge, it would be typical to have a stocks and shares ISA in the UK and then put money into the ETF. This way is definitely not efficient but hopefully good to see what is actually possible.
Putting money in each month sounds simple, but when it’s your own money and you’ve got other things going on, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
There’s always that thought in the back of your head:
- “Should I wait?”
- “Is this the right time?”
- “What if it drops after I put it in?”
That hasn’t really gone away.
I’ve just carried on anyway.
What Actually Happened This Month
The main thing is I stuck to it.
No big strategy changes, no trying to time anything, just:
- put money in
- pick something that fits what I’m trying to do
- leave it alone
That sounds basic, but it’s a lot harder to do consistently than it looks.
The hardest part isn’t understanding investing. It’s sticking to something when nothing exciting is happening.
What I Noticed
A couple of things stood out this month.
1. It’s Easy to Drift
I caught myself looking at random things again. Not because they fit what I’m doing, just because they were moving. That’s probably the biggest risk for me personally. I look at the charts too much!
2. Consistency Feels Boring
There’s nothing exciting about putting money into the same type of thing each month. Not usually any big wins, no big changes. Just slow progress. But that’s also what makes it work (I think).
3. I Still Don’t Fully Trust It Yet
This is probably the honest part. I understand the idea of long-term investing, but actually trusting it is different. That probably only comes with time. It is due to my account size as well. If I had a lot more capital then the gains actually mean something.
What I’m Trying to Do Differently
Nothing complicated.
- stick to the same approach
- avoid jumping between ideas
- focus on consistency over trying to be clever
That’s it for now.
Where It’s At Now
It’s still early.
No big results, no big changes.
But I’m still doing it, which is probably the main thing.
Right now the goal isn’t returns. It’s building the habit properly.
Final Thought
This isn’t about getting it perfect.
It’s just about not stopping.
If I can keep this going for a few months without changing direction every week, that’s already better than what I was doing before.
If you’ve tried something like this before and actually stuck to it, fair play, it’s harder than it looks.
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