Ok there are a few things here that I want to celebrate from the get-go.

First up, well done for doing a budget! Many people avoid this more than seeing the Dentist or Gynecologist. They would rather live in a mild panic that they are going to run out of money than sit down and actually make a plan for their income...Which I assure you gives you much more peace of mind once its done, as you have a clear picture of what the hell is going on, and can make a gameplan accordingly.

Secondly, sounds like you have ripped out things that you don't need/want to spend on. I had an Evergreen Money Club member only this week use our live Action/Accountability Session on Tuesday evening to unsubscribe from over $2,000 worth of stuff (!) she no longer needed. A reminder that all the little things in our life add up.

I guess I can sense you’re stressed by this, but having some money to deploy to long term goals is amazing. And instead I want you to be really excited that you have enough funds to live AND put away for future you. That is brilliant! And of course, we all have different seasons that we go through, so right now you may not be able to contribute as much as you want to. But, you can contribute SOMETHING and that is amazing. Don’t let yourself think that it's not enough, it is a perfectly good place to start from and you can always build from this when your income goes up or your expenses go down.

To answer your question of should this go into savings instead of investing... My honest answer is I don't know. Do you have emergency savings? If not, then yes... It should go into savings first. As a general rule we want that to have a few months worth of expenses before we kick off any investment strategy (and good quality Income Protection so we know we are covered should something bad happen and we can’t earn an income for a period of time).

But if you have both those things covered and you feel confident that you could invest that money and not need to rip it back out again for an unexpected bill or life event that you hadn't budgeted for, then investing it for your long term goals is a great idea!

Here's why:

• Building the Habit: Investing any amount helps create a habit, making it easier to increase contributions later when your budget loosens up. Consistency is more important than the initial amount. Obviously check and see if your investment platform of choice has a minimum amount that needs to be invested to start it and what the fees are to decide how regularly you are contributing to it. Set it up as an automation so you don't need to think about it.
• Micro-Investing Platforms: There are plenty of micro-investing apps that let you invest small amounts regularly, without hefty fees. You can start with as little as $5 or $10, meaning your $100 will go a long way.
• Low-Cost ETFs & Index Funds: These investment options are designed for smaller budgets. They spread your money across hundreds of companies, reducing risk and providing diversification—even with a small amount.
• Compounding Growth: Even small contributions can add up. A $100 fortnightly investment, with a 9.13% average annual return, could grow to over $363,109 in 30 years. That is a LOT of money...It’s all about starting now and letting time work its magic.

Investing small is still investing.

Have a money dilemma?

Money dilemmas can be a nightmare! They can leave you up all night ruminating about what to do, have you feeling alone and isolated or just plain ol' stuck. So, we are here to help. I am going to tackle one a week and give you my unbiased, no BS general thoughts on how to tackle your conundrum. We would love for you to send yours (or someone you know) in. 

Obvs all of this is general advice only... especially important to note any and all of the comments above do not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information, you should consider the appropriateness of the information provided and the nature of the relevant financial product having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.