Many young people, and not only them, would like to invest but don't know where to start. We hear this often during our meetings. That sense of being lost is fuelled by social media, where "gurus" pop up every day offering a miracle recipe: crypto, trading, property... Everything sounds effective, but it's rarely explained clearly and simply.
The reality is different: getting started doesn't require complicated formulas, just small, consistent, informed steps. Often the right solution is also the simplest one.
What's the right tool if you're starting from zero?
A recurring investment plan (in Italy known as a PAC, Piano di Accumulo del Capitale) is one of the most suitable tools for those starting from scratch, and it has two advantages that make it particularly useful:
- It teaches consistency and patience: by paying in small amounts regularly, for example €50-100 a month, capital builds up gradually.
- It gets the investor used to the market gradually: you avoid the risk of putting everything in at a single point in the market.
Consistency beats chasing the big win
There's no need to chase the "big win". The key is consistency. With an automatic plan, you avoid being driven by emotions and protect yourself from the risk of freezing everything during moments of uncertainty. Morningstar data shows that a plan of €100 a month, kept up for 20 years with an average annual return of 5%, can grow to over €40,000. Regularity, in other words, becomes your best ally. If you're wondering whether to do it yourself with an app or with an advisor, we compare the two approaches here.
It's no coincidence that, according to Assogestioni, in 2024 recurring plans accounted for almost 35% of total flows into Italian mutual funds, confirming that they're now a tool chosen by many savers.
A concrete example
Imagine Giovanni, a young worker who decides to set aside €150 a month into a recurring plan linked to a balanced fund. After 10 years, Giovanni will have paid in a total of €18,000. If the fund's average annual return were 4%, the capital could grow to around €22,000. After 20 years, the same steady commitment would bring the total paid in to €36,000, but with a 4% return it would reach over €55,000.
This example makes two things clear: the power of compound interest and the impact of time. It doesn't matter how much you start with — what matters is starting early and keeping the discipline. Every euro invested becomes a building block of a bigger project, and regularity over the long run turns saving into wealth.
Of course, returns aren't guaranteed and depend on how markets perform and which instrument you choose. Still, the diversification and gradual nature of a recurring plan make this approach one of the most balanced, and well suited even to those with little experience.
Glossary
- Average return: the percentage growth an investment achieves on average each year. Example: +5% a year on €10,000 = +€500.
- Compound interest: the "snowball" effect. Gains generate new gains, growing the capital over time.
Investing doesn't mean knowing everything straight away or having large capital: it means starting. If you feel overwhelmed by too many options, remember that choosing "the perfect product" isn't what matters — starting a simple, sustainable path is. Often, the most effective decision is simply to start today.
