You've both said "we should start investing" more than once. Then the washing machine broke, and you agreed to wait until there's a proper amount.
In short: start with an amount you'd both still pay in a bad month, put it into something broad and low-cost, and leave it there for years. Starting early matters more than starting big. Starting small also has a second benefit: you learn how you both react to a drop while it's a small loss on paper, not a large one.
- Safety net first
- Agree on the goal and the year
- Small amount, every month
- Broad and low-cost
- Agree what you'll do in a drop
This is education, not investment advice. Returns aren't guaranteed, and the 6% below is a made-up average for the example.
A worked example
Made-up but realistic: two partners who could each pay in €50 a month, €100 together. Either they start now, or they wait five years "until there's more", then pay in the same €100. Both stop counting at year 20, with a 6% yearly average.
| Paid in | Worth at year 20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Start now | €24,000 | €46,435 |
| Start in 5 years | €18,000 | €29,227 |
€17,208
Those first five years only cost €6,000, but the money paid in early had the longest time to grow. Waiting for a bigger amount rarely makes up for that, because the bigger amount usually arrives later than planned, or never.
What a drop looks like when it's small
After a year, the couple has paid in €1,200 and it's worth about €1,240. If markets fall 20%, it shows about €992 for a while. That's unpleasant, but it's affordable, and it's the cheapest way to find out whether either of you wants to sell when the number goes red.
The steps
1. Safety net first
One month of essentials, then a full emergency fund, and no expensive debt. Money you may need within the next five years doesn't belong in investments (what to save for first).
2. Agree on the goal and the year
Name each goal and when you'll need the money. A deposit in three years is savings. Retirement or a child's future in fifteen years can be invested. One goal, one pot: mixing a short goal into long investments is how people end up selling at the bottom.
3. Pick an amount you'd both still pay in a bad month
€50 each is enough to start. The number matters less than paying it in every month without having to decide again.
4. Choose something broad and low-cost
A fund that spreads money across many companies and countries (often called an index fund or ETF) means you don't have to pick winners. Compare the yearly costs: in the example, a 1% higher yearly cost turns €46,435 into €41,275 by year 20, so €5,160 goes to fees.
5. Pay in on payday
Set the transfer right after the bills, so investing comes from the plan, not from what's left at the end of the month (paycheck vs spendable).
6. Agree on the drop rule before the first drop
Write one sentence together, for example: "We don't sell because of a drop; we look once a year." It's much easier to agree on calmly than in a bad week.
The traps
- Investing the emergency fund. A drop and a job loss can come at the same time.
- Checking daily. Daily moves are noise. Once a year is enough for a long goal.
- One partner deciding alone. If only one of you understands the plan, the other one is more likely to panic in a drop. Decide the amount, the goal and the drop rule together.
- Chasing last year's winner. Last year's best fund is often not next year's. Broad and cheap is boring on purpose.
Try your own numbers
In the free investment calculator, enter €0 as starting money, €100 a month, 20 years and a 6% return: the middle line shows about €46,435. The grey band around it shows how wide real outcomes can be, which is a useful thing to look at together before you start.
One thing to do today
Ask each other one question: "What amount could we both still pay in during a bad month?" That number is your starting point.
Where Volora fits
In Volora, the investment account can be its own wallet, with the monthly payment recorded as a transfer and a goal linked to the wallet to show progress. Volora doesn't connect to banks or brokers, so you update the balance yourselves, for example once a quarter. In a shared space, both of you see the same wallet on your own phones; the person who creates the space needs Premium and Google Drive.