A Gift to You: The 2 Top Stocks for Beginner Investors

Welcome back to another edition of "Rolling in Dough" Newsletter, where we serve up the simplest ways to save more, spend less, and build wealth with regular insights, consumer psychology hacks, and tiny tips to do today. I hope to make your financial journey a little fun, simple, and totally doable, where ever you are on your wealth journey.

😩 “Who All Gonna Be There?”

I get asked all the time – I want to start investing but I don’t know where to start, or I’m overwhelmed.

Or, I’m already investing and doing a little something something, but not sure if I’m doing it the best way.

You know I always say, that building wealth does not have to be complicated or confusing...

You just need the right mix of ingredients for that simple ‘recipe’ for wealth, to make your dough grow to millions, step by step.

So, here’s two ingredients – two stocks – to help you out as you build wealth with the stock market.

This is not individual, investment, tax, or legal advice.

It will, however, help keep things simple for beginners and for people looking to learn more about the stock market and build a good solid foundation.

💰️ #1: The ‘All-in-One Sampler’ Stock: S&P 500 ETF

One of my favorite things to eat is the Triple Dipper at Chili’s.

I mean, where else am I going to get so many amazing mini-meals in one for that price!?

If I can’t make it to Chili’s (or watching my wallet lol), I love making Charcuterie Boards – all my different favorites – meats, cheeses, olives, fruits, crackers, dips, you name it – together on one board.

Lots of great training for THE BIG DAY aka Thanksgiving, where it’s a little bit of everything on the table.

The S&P 500 ETF is the Chilis Triple Dipper, the Charcuterie Board, the Thanksgiving Plate – the Beans, Greens, Potatoes, Tomatoes, (You Name It) – of the stock market.

If investing feels complicated, an S&P 500 ETF is like hitting the "simple" button.

This Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), or basket of stocks, is one investment that spreads your money across the top 500 companies in America all at once (think Apple, Amazon, Nike, and 497 more—big players).

Why it’s smart:

• You’re not putting all your money into one company, so there’s less risk.

• It’s steady and reliable—historically, it’s delivered about a 10% annual return over time.

• You don’t need to pick individual stocks. The ETF does it for you.

It’s like somebody making a Thanksgiving plate for you with the best of the best and a lil bit of everything you love.

Look for options like VOO or SPY, which are beginner-friendly and foundation-friendly, and keep fees low so more of your money works for you.

Want to learn more about ETFs & the stock market: Read Here >, or Watch Here >

Yasss!

🥧 #2: The ‘Treat Yourself’ Stock: Invest in What You Know

You know how when you eat a good meal and then later, you get a sweet tooth?

Like the meal was fire, and fulfilling, buuut you just gotta have something sweet to top it off, to reallllyyy feel satisfied.

So if the S&P 500 ETF is the meal, this stock choice is that dessert – that Sweet Potato or Pecan Pie slice after the big Thanksgiving plate.

One of the best stocks for a new investor is a company you’re ‘sweet on’, or, actually care about.

🛍️ Love ordering from Amazon on Prime Day?

🥡 Those Uber / Uber Eats receipts racking up?

📱 Obsessed with Apple products?

👟 Sneakerhead trying to get the latest shoes every Nike drop?

Start there. Buy a share of Amazon (AMZN), or Uber (UBER), or Apple (AAPL), or Nike (NKE), or whatever your thing is.

Why? Because you’ll naturally keep up with the company.

You’ll follow the news, notice what’s working (or not), and start connecting the dots between world events, company updates, and your portfolio.

It’s like giving yourself a cheat code to become a super investor later.

So, treat yourself.

Pick a company you know, love, and believe in—and let your money grow while you support what you already shop for, and build that ‘muscle’ for staying up to date on stocks you invest in.

You can just rinse and repeat as you invest in more companies – you’ll already know a lot of where to go, what to look for, etc.

Here’s some food for thought: If you would’ve invested $8 a day in the S&P 500 over the last 22 years, you could’ve had $250,000, a quarter of a million dollars.