What I’d Do With My First $500 If I Started Investing Today: My Step-by-Step Plan for 2026

If Anthony O’Neal had to start investing from scratch in September 2026, this is exactly how he’d do it. Anthony breaks down his simple 80/20 investing strategy, what he would do with his first $500, where to find extra money in your existing budget, and why waiting for the “perfect” time to enter the market could cost you years of growth. He also explains the order of accounts he would prioritize, how an emergency fund protects your investments, and how consistently investing just $107 a month could potentially grow into more than $250,000 over 30 years. This episode is a practical roadmap for anyone who wants to stop overthinking investing and start building real wealth with the money they have today.