For Beginners
What it's about: Here’s the journey we’ve created for a newcomer. We’ve broken it all down in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. We give you everything you need to learn the basics, the resources to open an account, and the confidence to buy your first investment. All on your own!
Why it's important: Investing is awesome. It’s helped us reach our financial goals but we also felt the pain of trying to figure it all out and realized it doesn’t need to be complicated. So, we’re building a better way and sharing it with you.
Key takeaway: You can do this. We’re just here to help.
Here is a quick rundown and a handful of lessons to try out so you know what to expect.
1 Learn the lingo 9 lessons
When it comes to investing, there are a lot of fancy words thrown around. First, we’ll help you get comfortable with the lingo and basic concepts so you can understand what experts are saying in the news, on social media, and on Archimedes.
You’ll learn what it means to be an investor, how it’s different from speculating, and bust some of the misconceptions about investing
Speculating is often confused with investing. How can tulips and GameStop teach us the difference?
Let's step through some commonly used words in the world of investing.
It's a mistake to underestimate the cost of time. How much are we missing out on when waiting to invest?
We experience regret. How can Robert Frost help us make better financial decisions?
The future is filled with uncertainty. How should we think about risk when investing?
Nicolas Cage is an award-winning Hollywood actor. What are some financial decisions that cause the biggest stars to fall?
We'll come across advertisements for easy profits or to be able to buy proprietary investing ideas. Are any of them legit?
With so many stocks to invest in, how do we choose?
2 Open a brokerage account 7 lessons
Then, we’ll help you open a brokerage account. Opening up a brokerage account is a big deal, and there are many out there to choose from. While they each offer something unique, all of them give us access to the financial markets so that we can invest!
What is a brokerage account and why do we need one to start investing?
Finding the right one for your needs gives you a better investing experience -- from the account opening process and transferring money to buying and selling the investments you want.
We're ready to open a brokerage account. What do we need?
Investment income is taxable income. What should we expect at the end of every year?
We played on seesaws as kids. How can we make our money do more work with less effort?
Buying and selling on Craigslist can feel sketchy. Here are all the players involved when we buy and sell investments.
How can I pay for something I need today even though I don't have enough money?
3 Pick an ETF 7 lessons
Next, we’ll help you start slow with simple strategies and basic investments so you don’t feel like you’re in over your head or, even worse, risk losing all of your money.
Creating goals and using strategies are important for success. How do we know if our strategy is working and how do we set reasonable expectations?
Discover the easiest strategy through passive investing, where doing less is more.
Mutual funds and ETFs are two very common investments. What is the difference and how do we know which one to go with?
Take a deeper look at ETFs vs Mutual Funds, why they’re a good starting point, and a few common ones to consider.
Building out an income or dividend portfolio creates a steady flow of cash. What are some good examples of dividends ETFs and how do we compare them?
What are stocks and why do investors buy or sell them?
Governments and companies can borrow money. How can we make it an investment opportunity?
4 Buy an ETF 8 lessons
Once you have an account and pick your investments, you'll learn how to buy and sell them. You'll also learn some rules and taxes before you go crazy with trading. Otherwise, you're more likely to lose money from common pitfalls.
Discover no one can predict the future and that waiting for the “perfect time” to invest is a rookie move.
Learn about the different types of trade orders, how to place yours, and how long they take to process.
We sold an investment. How quickly does it happen?
We are expected to pay taxes when we make money. What does that mean when we make money from investing?
Avoid being wiped out by the tax consequences of trading too frequently -- like the 30-year old who owed $800,000 in taxes despite only making $45,000 of profit from day trading!
We started buying stock for our portfolio and we anticipate a bumpy ride in the future. What can we do?
We've heard of the movie "The Big Short." What is short-selling and does it apply to us?
What does “the market” mean? Who decides what the price of something is?
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What people are saying
"Investing always seemed out of reach for me. Wall Street intimidated me and I didn't know where to start since I didn't know who to trust. With Archimedes and their goal oriented paths, I've become empowered to start investing. Looking back, I can't believe I felt that this was out of reach for me!"
Valentina Mishkov
"Absolutely loved the way this app is set up and learned a lot. Lessons are quick, keep your attention & are easy to comprehend. Would recommend for a novice/average investor looking to get more involved."
Mia Raths
"This is a great app for any absolute beginners to investing. Super relevant, bite sized lessons and a very responsive dev team"
Allie Whitman
"😊😊😊 this app gave me a better perspective and made the thought of investing easier. Try it."
Cierra Bailey