‘No one gets rich while sleeping.’ Gerard Bos doesn’t either. ‘But by investing, I can quite easily grow my savings.’ A few years ago, Gerard also tried investing. That attempt failed. ‘I did not know enough about investments. And I also did not realise that it helps to have a long‑term goal. So I stopped again.’
‘Half a year ago, I saw the interest I earned on my savings,’ Gerard says. ‘It was very low. That’s why I wanted to start investing again. But I also felt a threshold. When you search online, you get overwhelmed with possibilities. Then it is helpful if you can ask someone questions.’
Gerard got in touch with Anneke Heesbeen (Dutch only) from the personal Instagram account Beter Belegd. ‘In an introductory call, she asked: what are your goals? I told her that in the next 30 years I want to build a pot of money so I can retire earlier.’ He followed a 2‑hour training session with her on Teams.
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"Following finfluencers","richBody":{"value":"Anneke is part of the growing group of ‘finfluencers’, people on Instagram who show how they manage their money. ‘I started investing myself by reading and learning a lot,’ she says. ‘I came from a sad situation where, as a single mother, I had to rebuild everything. I am clearly not a financial adviser. I share my own experiences. People sit next to me or watch my investment portfolio on screen. So far I have put in 8,000 euros, and I want to invest an extra 250 euros every month.’
More and more young people are investing. Still, Anneke also sees some hesitation. ‘I think many people still think: just act normal, don’t do anything crazy. In commercials you hear: you can lose your deposit. A justified warning, but it may also scare people. It can really help if you get informed: what are the risks and opportunities? Can I choose to invest with less risk?’
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"Getting started easily with ETFs","richBody":{"value":"Gerard now invests in ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds). ‘They have the advantage that they offer good diversification. It costs me little time, which is nice because I have a full‑time job.’ With an ETF, it is fairly easy to invest in, for example, the 500 largest companies in America, the S&P 500. If you wanted to buy all those shares yourself, it would be much more complicated. There are also ETFs in bonds, commodities, and themes such as sustainability.
According to Anneke, a misunderstanding about investing is that you need to spend a lot of time on it. ‘That you need to log in to your investment account every day and change things when, for example, elections take place. You can be as active as you want. But it is quite possible that someone who makes one transaction per month earns more than an active investor.’
Everyone can invest, Anneke says. ‘Information can be found everywhere. You can already start with small amounts you can spare. As long as it feels comfortable. Don’t make it too complicated – that’s how I started. Long‑term investing, I think that is wise. For example, for an extra pot of money over 20 or 30 years. As a supplement to your pension or for a great world trip. Investing is not about earning quick money.’
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"Listening to podcasts during exercise","richBody":{"value":"But how do you actually start? It is quite simple, Gerard explains. ‘I opened an account and deposited my first 200 euros. I try to deposit 200 euros every month. But you can also start with 50 euros. One important tip Anneke gave me: only use money you can spare. And I keep separate savings, about 5,000 euros. That is my buffer for unexpected situations. After the course, she also gave me many tips for articles and podcasts. I listen to the podcasts during fitness, so it hardly costs me any time.’
His investments are going in the right direction, Gerard says. ‘I am in profit, but I have only just started. I am now 26. In about 30 years, I hope to enjoy life even more. Not that I don’t enjoy it now, but my plan is to stop working a bit earlier.’
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"Is investing something for you?","richBody":{"value":"Are you thinking about starting to invest? These tips can help you:
This article lets investors share their experiences with investing. It is not investment advice. Want to learn more about investing? Visit the page of the ING Investment Office.
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"Good to know","richBody":{"value":"Investing involves costs and risks. You may lose (part of) your deposit.
*This translation is intended for the customer’s convenience only. In the event of any inconsistency between the English translation and the original Dutch version, the original Dutch version shall prevail.