$50 a week invested for 20 years

Want more scenarios like this? Explore the weekly hub and monthly hub, then run your own numbers in the calculator.

Small weekly investing can snowball. Use the calculator to test conservative and optimistic return assumptions.

Try the Money Growth Calculator

How to estimate the result

There are three main inputs that decide the outcome: how much you invest, how long you invest, and your average return. Compounding makes the later years do more work than the early years.

Quick setup in the calculator

  1. Set initial investment to $0 (or your current balance).
  2. Convert $50/week to a monthly amount (roughly $50 × 52 ÷ 12 ≈ $217).
  3. Set years to 20 and test a few return rates (e.g. 5%, 7%, 10%).

Then compare how much difference a few percentage points makes over 20 years.

Biggest lever: time

If you can add 5 more years (25 total), compounding usually increases the result dramatically — often more than trying to “catch up” later.

FAQ

Is $50/week worth it?

Often yes. Consistency + time can create surprisingly large outcomes. The exact result depends on returns and how long you keep investing.

Should I use weekly or monthly contributions?

Weekly can help you stay consistent. For long-term modelling, converting to a monthly amount is usually close enough.

What return rate should I use?

Try a conservative rate (e.g. 5%), a mid-range assumption (e.g. 7%), and an optimistic one (e.g. 10%). Then focus on the range, not a single number.

Does this include fees or tax?

No. Use the result as an estimate. Fees, taxes and inflation can materially change the real-world outcome.

Where can I learn the formula?

See /how-compound-interest-works.html for the compound interest formula and explanation.

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