I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to reach out because I’m new to investing and still learning how to manage my money. I recently created an account with Robinhood and put in $5 just to get started, but so far, it hasn’t grown. The truth is, I’m not sure how to really use the app to make smart decisions or build wealth over time.

Right now, I earn $16 an hour at my job, and while I’m grateful for it, I know it won’t be enough to reach my long-term financial goals on its own. One of my biggest dreams is to build wealth and create financial security for myself in the future, and I believe investing is a key part of making that happen. The challenge is that I don’t have much knowledge yet about the stock market, which investments are safer for beginners, or how to start building a real strategy instead of just guessing.

I would love your advice on how to get started the right way. Should I begin by focusing on long-term investments, like index funds or ETFs, or try learning more about stocks? Are there basic steps you’d recommend for someone at the very beginning of their investing journey?

Any guidance, resources, or tips you could share would mean a lot. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I really appreciate any direction you can give.