Lungile Macuacua, Portfolio Analyst at 1nvest, & Glenn Grimley, Head of Stash at Liberty Group

Every generation faces financial challenges. For young South Africans today, these include student debt, rising living costs, family responsibilities and an uncertain economic environment. Against this backdrop, it is understandable that many young people delay investing, retirement planning or taking out insurance until they feel more financially secure.

The problem is that waiting comes at a cost.

In fact, when it comes to building long-term wealth, the most expensive financial mistake many young South Africans make is not investing too little but starting too late.

Time is the one asset you cannot replace

One of the most common reasons young people give for not investing is that they do not have enough money.

This thinking overlooks a critical fact however, according to Lungile Macuacua, Portfolio Analyst at 1nvest,

“The scarcest resource in building wealth is not capital, it is time. Unlike money, time cannot be earned back later. The earlier you start investing, the more opportunity your money has to benefit from compounding and long-term market growth.”

Compounding allows investment returns to generate additional returns over time. The longer investments remain invested, the greater the potential impact.

Consider two investors who each contribute R1 000 per month to a diversified portfolio earning a real return of approximately 4.8% per year. One starts investing at age 25 and continues until retirement at age 65. The other waits until age 35 before starting.

By retirement, the first investor accumulates approximately R1.45 million in today’s money. The second accumulates around R800 000.

A decision to wait just ten years results in a difference of approximately R650 000. Even delaying by five years can reduce retirement wealth by roughly R360 000.

The lesson is simple – waiting is rarely free.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment

Many aspiring investors believe they need a bigger salary, more financial knowledge or better market conditions before they can begin.

The reality is that there is rarely a perfect time to start investing.

“Many investors spend years waiting for the perfect moment to enter the market,” says Macuacua. “Historically, time in the market has proven to be far more valuable than trying to time the market. The sooner you begin, the greater the potential benefit of compounding over the long term.”

Waiting until you can invest R5 000 per month in five years’ time may be less effective than investing R500 per month today and allowing it to grow over a longer period.

You don’t need to be a stock-picking expert

For many years, investing was perceived as something reserved for wealthy individuals or financial experts. That is no longer the case.

According to Macuacua, one of the biggest misconceptions among first-time investors is that they need to become stock-picking experts before they can start investing.

“A diversified ETF can provide exposure to a broad range of companies, sectors or even global markets through a single investment. That allows investors to focus on consistency rather than prediction.”

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide exposure to diversified portfolios across hundreds of companies and multiple markets, often at a lower cost than traditional actively managed investments.

For young investors, Macuacua recommends three simple principles; invest regularly rather than trying to find the perfect entry point, diversify across sectors, companies and markets to reduce risk, match investments to your time horizon, with longer-term goals generally better suited to growth assets such as equities.

“For young investors, the most powerful strategy is often to invest consistently in diversified portfolios and allow compounding to work over time.”

Investing has never been more accessible

One of the reasons many young people delay investing is the belief that they need a substantial lump sum before they can get started.

According to Glenn Grimley, Head of Stash at Liberty Group, accessibility is one of the most important developments in modern investing.

“One of the biggest misconceptions is that you need a large lump sum before you can start investing. In reality, building wealth is often about consistency rather than size. Small amounts invested regularly can become meaningful over time because of the impact of compounding.”

Tax-free investment solutions such as Stash by Liberty have been designed to help investors start small and build good investment habits. Investors can contribute affordable amounts and choose investment options aligned to their goals and risk appetite. Those seeking capital preservation may prefer a cash-based option, while those investing for longer-term goals may consider greater exposure to equities through a JSE Top 40 Shares portfolio.

“Start with an amount you can comfortably afford every month. Automate your contributions and choose investments that align with your goals and risk appetite. The objective is not to find the perfect investment. It is to build consistency and allow time to work in your favour,” says Grimley.

Wealth creation and wealth protection go hand in hand

While investing is a critical component of financial success, it should not happen in isolation.

Young adults are increasingly taking on debt, supporting family members and making significant financial commitments earlier in life. Protecting future earning potential and ensuring loved ones are financially secure is equally important.

Many young adults focus exclusively on growing wealth but overlook the importance of protecting it. An unexpected illness, disability, loss of income or death can derail years of financial progress if the appropriate protection is not in place.

Life cover, disability cover and income protection form part of a broader financial strategy that protects long-term wealth creation from unexpected setbacks.

Start before you feel ready

For young South Africans looking to take control of their financial future, the starting point does not need to be complicated.

Start investing, even if the amount is small. Automate your contributions. Protect your ability to earn an income and support those who depend on you.

Youth Month serves as a reminder that some opportunities only exist for a limited period. When it comes to investing, time is one of them. The good news is that you do not need to be wealthy to begin building wealth. You simply need to start because while markets recover, salaries increase and circumstances change, one thing however never comes back and that is time.

ENDS