If you are wondering how to invest $500, you have many options. You can pay off high-interest debt, invest in a small business, or even hire a Robo-advisor to manage your finances. This article provides some tips to make the most of your money. These are the most popular ways to invest $500. So consider one of them to get started today! But first, consider your investment goals. What do you want to accomplish with the money?

Paying off high-interest debt

Paying off a credit card with 18% interest is more beneficial than many other investments because you’ll eliminate years of interest payments. You can then funnel the $500 into more traditional investment options. However, the question is: how to invest the money? A financial expert suggests you build up a short-term savings of $500 and continue making minimum payments on your credit card. Then, if you need to use it for an unexpected expense, you can tap into the cash you’ve saved.

Investing in a small business

While investing $500 in a small business may not sound like much, this amount of money can give you multiple income streams and a chance to expand your skills. For example, you could sell used clothes or furniture on eBay, Poshmark, or consignment stores. You could also turn your side hustle into a full-time business. Another great way to invest in a small business is to join a dividend reinvestment plan. You’re effectively growing your money by investing your dividends in more stocks.

Investing in a 401(k)

While it may seem intimidating, putting aside a $500 investment into an IRA or 401(k) plan is easy. Moreover, it can provide a huge tax advantage down the road. In addition to increasing the size of your nest egg, you will also be able to maximize your employer’s match. For example, suppose your employer matches 3% of your salary. In that case, that amount will increase to 6%, so your goal is to maximize that match. You can also use automated transfers to IRAs and CDs to invest that money safely.

Investing in a Robo-advisor

A Robo-advisor is a digital investing platform that makes investment decisions for you. Many financial institutions offer this service to their customers. A Robo-advisor will ask you questions about your personal financial situation and then invest your money in an investment portfolio based on those answers. You can invest a single amount or contribute a certain amount every month. 

Investing in high-yield stocks

Investing in high-yield stocks can be a great way to earn extra money. The higher the dividend yield, the higher your income. To reach the $500 dividend goal, you would need to invest at least $200,000 in dividend stocks. The amount will depend on the dividend yield of each stock, but it’s possible to invest $500 a month and receive a six-figure income in one year. However, you should remember that a 4% dividend yield is no guarantee for the future.

To find stocks with high dividend yields, consider their dividend growth. The Morningstar DividendInvestor is an investment newsletter heir apparent to the traditional equity-income model. The newsletter targets companies that consistently raise their dividends and grow fast enough to keep up with inflation. The program is designed to minimize permanent losses of capital and income. 

Investing in a high-yield savings account

Before you search for the best high-yield savings account, you should have an emergency fund in place. You should have three to six months of living expenses for unexpected emergencies. Next, invest $500 into a tax-efficient retirement account, contributing 10% to 15% of your pretax income. Finally, pay off any high-interest debt. Once you have the money, you need to choose the best account. 

Investing in a target-date fund

Target-date funds are investments that correspond to the investor’s anticipated retirement date. They are often purchased through brokerage accounts linked to a bank account, and the minimum investment amount is $500 per month. While there are minimum investment requirements, these investments are an excellent option for people with limited time. Target-date funds typically do not require an active manager to keep track of the portfolio. They are ideal for people who do not have the time to monitor the financial performance of their investments.

Investing in real estate

It may sound impossible to invest in real estate, but investing as little as five hundred dollars a month can yield significant returns. There are many ways to make that amount work, including crowd-funding. Investing with Fundrise, for example, allows you to invest in multiple properties at once, diversifying your risk and providing you with access to several properties at once. Even if you only invest $500 each month, you can easily make over six-thousand dollars in a year by investing through this platform.