I Invested $100 in 5 Different Ways — Here’s What Happened After 4 Years
People often ask: “What’s the best investment I can make from my laptop?”
Four years ago, I decided to find out. I invested $100 into five different assets — individual stocks, REITs, cryptocurrency, gold, and index funds — and tracked the results.
Today, we’ll look at how each one performed, how hard it was to learn, how risky it felt, and what I’d do differently if I were starting again.
1. Individual Stocks
Investing in individual stocks means buying a piece of a company you believe in — like Apple, Microsoft, or Samsung. It’s exciting, but not easy.
- Learning curve: High. To invest well, you need to study financial reports, leadership, and market trends — not just guess.
- Passive income: Good. You can earn from both price growth and dividends.
- Tax efficiency: Great. In the UK, a Stocks & Shares ISA shields your profits from tax; in the US, a Roth IRA does the same.
- Risk: High. Stocks can soar or crash based on market shifts, news, or company performance.
Result:
My $100 went into Samsung — now worth $67.76, a −32% return. But if I’d picked Apple or Microsoft, that same $100 would be worth $170–$188 today. Nvidia? A huge $908.
Lesson: Stock-picking isn’t luck. Diversification and patience matter.
2. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
REITs let you invest in property without buying buildings yourself. You own a share in real estate portfolios — like offices, apartments, or hotels — and receive a portion of the rent.
- Learning curve: Moderate. Easier than buying property, but you still need to understand sectors and rental trends.
- Passive income: Great. REITs must pay out at least 90% of profits as dividends.
- Tax efficiency: Great. REITs held inside a Stocks & Shares ISA are tax-free.
- Risk: Medium. Diversified properties reduce risk, but real estate markets can dip.
Result:
My $100 in a commercial REIT dropped slightly to $98.59, but I earned $11.93 in dividends, giving me a 10.5% total gain.
Lesson: REITs are ideal for steady income, though market cycles still affect returns.
3. Cryptocurrency
Crypto — like Bitcoin and Ethereum — runs on decentralised blockchain networks. It’s open, transparent, and unpredictable.
- Learning curve: Moderate. You need to know how wallets, exchanges, and blockchain work.
- Passive income: Moderate. You can “stake” or “lend” coins for rewards, though risks are higher.
- Tax efficiency: Poor. Crypto profits are taxable, and it’s not eligible for ISAs or IRAs.
- Risk: Very high. Prices swing wildly; scams and hacks are common.
Result:
My $100 in Bitcoin grew to $652.24, a massive 552% return.
Lesson: Crypto can deliver huge gains — or wipe you out. It’s best treated as a small, speculative part of a portfolio.
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Gold is the timeless safe haven — ideal for protecting wealth during economic uncertainty.
- Learning curve: Low. You can buy physical gold (coins/bars) or invest via Gold ETFs.
- Passive income: None. Gold doesn’t generate income; it stores value.
- Tax efficiency: Good. Certain UK coins (like Gold Britannias) are exempt from capital gains tax; ETFs can be held tax-free in an ISA.
- Risk: Medium. Gold prices move slowly and protect against inflation, but growth is limited.
Result:
My $100 investment became $140.10 — a 40% return over four years.
Lesson: Gold won’t make you rich fast, but it helps preserve wealth and adds balance to a portfolio.
5. Index Funds
Index funds let you invest in hundreds of top companies through one fund — such as the S&P 500 — making them simple and powerful.
- Learning curve: Low. Just pick a fund and invest regularly.
- Passive income: Moderate. You earn dividends from the underlying companies.
- Tax efficiency: Great. ISAs and IRAs shield your returns from taxes.
- Risk: Low. Diversified across many sectors, reducing exposure to individual company failures.
Result:
My $100 in an S&P 500 index fund is now worth $179.57, a 79.5% return.
Lesson: Index funds are the easiest, most consistent way to build long-term wealth — and my personal favourite.
Final Thoughts
Here’s how my $100 investments performed after four years:
Investment Type | Final Value | Return | Risk Level |
Individual Stocks | $67.76 | −32% | High |
REITs | $110.52 | +10.5% | Medium |
Cryptocurrency | $652.24 | +552% | Very High |
Gold | $140.10 | +40% | Medium |
Index Funds | $179.57 | +79.5% | Low |
The clear takeaway?
Each investment has trade-offs. Crypto offers explosive growth but extreme volatility, while index funds provide slow, steady progress. REITs bring income, gold brings safety, and stocks bring opportunity — if you know what you’re doing.
But the biggest lesson of all is this:
Even a small investment like $100 can grow meaningfully over time — if you start early and stay consistent.
Time, not timing, is the real secret to wealth.
