Put in what you have, what you can add each month, and how long you can leave it alone. Then change one number at a time and watch which one moves the result most. It's the years.
In 40 years you'd have about $270,000. $48,500 of that is money you put in. The other $221,500 is growth.
We compound monthly and add your contribution at the end of each month. The return is held steady every year, which real markets never do, so read the result as a direction rather than a promise. Nothing you type leaves this page.
Nobody sat me down and explained this when I was a student, and most of what FinMango does is try to get it in front of people before their first credit card rather than after. The rate gets all the attention. The years do the work. Run it yourself: $100 a month from age 20 ends up ahead of $300 a month from age 40, on about half the money put in. Start with whatever you have.
Scott Glasgow, founder, FinMango · More about Scott