Let’s just say it: investing can sound like complete nonsense if you’re not already fluent in it.
If you're anything like me, when someone starts talking about interest rates, markets, currencies, or God forbid—compounding returns, your brain goes somewhere else entirely. Maybe you nod along politely while making a mental grocery list. Or maybe you feel that familiar panic creeping in, the kind that reminds you of being called on in math class when you absolutely did not do the homework.
Unless that paycheck comes back looking a little funny—then suddenly I’m doing mental calculus. Funny enough, calculus and algebra were actually my strengths in school. But managing money? Investing? Understanding financial systems? It felt like an entirely different language.
And if I’m being honest... it still kind of does.
So why am I doing this?
Because at my big age of 33, I’m ready to learn. Really learn.
Not just the surface-level stuff. Not just the nodding-and-smiling kind of learning while I secretly Google “What does ROI mean?” under the dinner table.
I want to actually build an investment portfolio—and more than that, I want to understand it.
A little context...
My fiancé, Kurtis, has a degree in Finance. He’s a day trader. He speaks this money language fluently. He lives and breathes numbers, charts, and candlestick patterns. So yes, I’ve been exposed to this world. The words aren’t completely foreign. And over time, he’s taught me a thing or two—how to read a chart, what to look for in a market shift, what the hell a stop-loss is.
But let me be real: Day trading is not for me.
So I tried to do it my way.
I made an appointment with a securities fund advisor at my bank—thinking I’d dip a toe in and get some “beginner” guidance.
Spoiler alert: That appointment almost sent me running for the hills.
Something about walking into a bank just makes me feel small. Like I’m automatically being judged by the way I talk, dress, or fumble through my financial questions.
And then she asked me, dead serious:
“What’s your net worth?”
I froze.
My mind went blank. My mouth went dry.
What is my net worth?
I wanted to joke. I wanted to say, “Ma’am, I’m just proud I don’t owe anyone money right now. Does that count?”
But the question stuck with me.
Because even though I didn’t have the answer that day, I realized I wanted to.
That’s where everything shifted.
I started asking myself:
How do I build this so-called “net worth”?
What even goes into it?
How do I start an investment portfolio?
What belongs in it?
Can I do this without a finance degree, a private wealth manager, or a love for spreadsheets?
And the answer is:
Yes. I can.
And so can you.
And one day, when someone asks me what my net worth is, I’ll answer with confidence.
Not just because I know the number—but because I finally understand what it means and how I built it.
Happy Readings,
Amelia