Friends, I have wanted to (and promised to) write this post for years. While intimidation has kept it on the back burner (investing can be a complicated topic, and I wanted to get it right!), the desire to help and knowing I have something to share has kept it on the stove at all :) Why? There have been a million articles written on investing, but sometimes you just need to hear it from a “normal person” – someone you trust. I hope I can be that person. Investing doesn’t have to be as intimidating and scary as it can sometimes seem! So, here we are! My goal with this post is to begin to demystify the topic of investing for the beginner, to tell you a little bit about the difference it’s made in our life, and to give you the push you need to take the next step in your own investing adventure – whatever that might be! Now is as good a time as any to issue my periodic reminder: I am not a financial planner, and nothing I say here should be construed as financial advice. I’m a gal who loves personal finance, has spent lots of time thinking about it, and wants to pass on what she knows! Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? What does investing even mean? Generally, you can understand investing as any tactic or vehicle to grow your money. It usually means assuming some amount of risk. You can invest in things like a CD (low risk), bonds (moderate risk), or an individual stock (high risk). And you can invest through vehicles like 401ks, IRAs, or brokerage accounts. You can also invest in things like real estate, though for the purposes of this post, we’ll be sticking to financial assets