Monthly Investing Challenge – June 2026 Update
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Welcome back to another update on my monthly investing challenge.
The aim of this challenge is simple. I invest and trade using real money and publish the results each month—good or bad. No hindsight, no pretending every decision was perfect and definitely no deleting the losing trades.
- Portfolio Value: $648.64
- Monthly Return: +2.40%
- Return On Contributions: +8.11%
- Best Performer: USD/JPY (+27.15%)
Challenge Progress
| Month | Starting Portfolio | End Portfolio | Monthly Return | Overall Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | $200.00 | $223.77 | +11.89% | +11.89% |
| May 2026 | $400.00 | $434.22 | +8.55% | +8.55% |
| June 2026 | $600.00 | $648.64 | +2.40% | +8.11% |
The challenge started with just $200 in April and I’ve added $200 each month. This allows me to compare how different investments perform while gradually building the portfolio over time rather than investing a large lump sum all at once.
Because I add new money each month, the percentage return is based on the total amount contributed so far rather than a single lump sum invested at the start.
Portfolio Results
| Category | Name | Start Value | Current Value | Current Month Change | Current Month % | Overall Change | Overall % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Stocks | Johnson & Johnson | $150.00 | $161.96 | +$9.03 | +6.02% | +$11.96 | +7.97% |
| S&P 500 ETF | State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | $150.00 | $158.42 | +$3.52 | +2.35% | +$8.42 | +5.61% |
| Popular Stocks | Microsoft | $150.00 | $137.54 | -$11.02 | -7.35% | -$12.46 | -8.31% |
| Forex Trades | USD/JPY | $150.00 | $190.72 | +$26.41 | +17.61% | +$40.72 | +27.15% |
| Portfolio Total | $600.00 | $648.64 | +$14.42 | +2.40% | +$48.64 | +8.11% | |
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson quietly continues doing exactly what I hoped it would do.
It isn’t exciting and it probably won’t double overnight, but I like having a stable dividend company sitting in the portfolio. Sometimes boring is exactly what long-term investing needs.
S&P 500 ETF
The S&P 500 ETF continues to steadily climb and remains one of my favourite investments.
If someone asked me where I would suggest a beginner starts investing, an index fund would still be very close to the top of the list. It removes a lot of the stress of trying to constantly pick winning companies.
Microsoft
Microsoft was the weakest performer this month and currently sits around 8% below my purchase price.
This is exactly why individual shares can be uncomfortable. Even high-quality companies have periods where they underperform.
Lesson:
One of the biggest investing mistakes is believing every investment should immediately go up. Markets don’t work like that.
USD/JPY Trading
USD/JPY continues to be the strongest performer within the challenge and now sits over 27% above where it started.
While I am pleased with the result, I also know that trading can humble you very quickly. Staying disciplined is far more important than celebrating one good month.
Personal Thought
I’ve noticed recently that my trading has become much calmer. I’m forcing fewer trades and waiting for better setups instead of trying to trade everything that moves.
Biggest Lesson This Month
One thing that continues to stand out is how different investing and trading really are.
- Dividend investing rewards patience.
- Index funds reward consistency.
- Individual shares test your conviction.
- Trading rewards discipline but punishes emotion.
Having all four in the challenge has actually made me appreciate how different each approach feels.
Looking Ahead
Nothing changes next month.
I won’t suddenly start chasing higher returns because one area has performed well.
The plan remains exactly the same:
- Stay patient.
- Stick to the investing plan.
- Don’t force trades.
- Keep documenting the journey honestly.
Final Thoughts
The portfolio now sits at $648.64, an overall gain of $48.64 since the challenge began.
Will every month be positive?
Definitely not.
That’s exactly why I’m publishing these updates. Investing isn’t about perfection. It’s about building good habits over time and letting compound growth do the heavy lifting.
Related Articles
- Index Funds for Beginners
- From Saving to Investing
- The Dangerous Side of Revenge Trading
- Average True Range (ATR) Explained
- Moving Average Explained
Two books that actually helped me
I believe that a lot of it is habits, mindset, and not letting your own head get in the way. Two books I’ve read that genuinely made a difference:
- Atomic Habits by James Clear — the best thing I’ve read on building good habits and dropping bad ones. Directly useful when you’re trying to get into the routine.
- The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters — for managing your own reactions, nerves, and frustration. I had to read this a few times in all honesty to get it but I found it genuinely useful, especially for mindset when trades were going very wrong.
Neither is investing-specific, and that’s the point. It’s everything around it that trips most people up early on.
Leave a Reply