Beginner’s Guide to Investment Strategies: Where to Start and Why

Getting into investing can feel overwhelming. Stocks, crypto, compound interest — it’s a lot. But here’s the truth:

You don’t need to be an expert to begin. You just need a plan that fits you, the right tools, and a bit of consistency.

Let’s walk through it step by step.

Why invest at all?

Saving protects your money. Investing helps it grow.

Savings accounts give you easy access and stability, but they don’t always keep up with inflation. Investing gives your money the potential to increase in value over time.

You don’t need a large sum to start. Even a few euros a week can make a difference, especially if you begin early.

Step 1: Build your safety net

Before you invest, make sure you have a buffer for unexpected expenses. Most experts recommend saving enough to cover 3 to 6 months of your regular costs.

Tip: Turn on Auto Round Up to grow your buffer automatically. Buy a coffee for €2.60, and we’ll move the remaining €0.40 to your Savings Account, where it can earn up to 2.26% interest, paid weekly.

Step 2: Invest regularly 

Trying to predict market highs and lows is risky, even for professionals. A better approach is to invest the same amount on a regular schedule.

This strategy, known as dollar-cost averaging, reduces the impact of short-term market changes and removes emotion from your decisions.

Tip: Use Organize Your Income to automatically send a portion of your paycheck to your Stocks investments. Set it once and let it run.

Step 3: Choose your investment type

Here’s a simple breakdown of your main options:

Stocks

When you invest in Stocks, you're buying a share of a company. That share can increase in value over time and may pay dividends.

• Good for long-term growth

• Easy to diversify with ETFs

• Start from just €1

Tip: With bunq Stocks, you get three months of commission-free investing. Manage it all directly in your app.

High-interest savings

Prefer a safer path? Focus on growing your savings with solid returns and full flexibility.

• Earn high-interest, paid out weekly

• No lock-ins, withdraw any amount up to twice a month

Tip: Open a Savings Account in seconds from the app. No paperwork, no extra steps.

Crypto

Crypto is volatile and high risk, but it can offer strong returns. If you’re just starting out:

• Stick to major coins like Bitcoin or Ethereum

• Only invest what you can afford to lose

• Use trusted platforms

Tip: Buy and sell top coins directly in the bunq app. No separate wallets or platforms needed. Start from €1 and activate Safety Shield to protect profits for 24 hours after each sale.

Step 4: Automate and stay consistent

The best investment strategy is the one you’ll actually follow. Make it automatic so you don’t have to think about it every week.

• Use Auto Round Up to round up daily payments

• Set up Organize Your Income for recurring investments

• Track everything in one place

Less stress. More progress.

Final thoughts

Whether you're building an emergency fund, investing for the long term, or exploring crypto, the most important step is getting started.

Open your Savings Account and explore the Stocks and Crypto tabs in the bunq app today. No paperwork. No waiting. Just smart, simple investing.

Disclaimer: bunq does not provide investment advice. Crypto & Stocks trading involves risk of loss. bunq b.v. trading as bunq is licensed by the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) in the Netherlands and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. Crypto is powered by Kraken and all Stocks trading is conducted through our partner, Ginmon.