Two totally different things. You get componding interest
in a bank account. With a mutual funds, the vale of the fund
can go up or down. You save money in a bank account in
case of emergency. Investing into a mutual fund is for a
long term investment, such as retirement. Contact Schwab
and inquire about starting an investment in their S&p 500
index fund (SWPPX). They will let you start investing with
only $100. Good luck.
google it
I understand what compounding interest is; the magic of compounding, of course! When you deposit a certain amount of money and it stacks on itself annually, more depending on the amount deposited at the beginning and the amount deposited monthly, or annually, if any.
However, I don't understand what mutual funds are. I'm reading on it now and I'm being told instances such as "starting when you're 20, depositing $50 a month until you're 65 and you'll be a millionaire". I don't understand. Do you?