Let’s be real: investing can be scary, especially when all you’ve managed to save up are the tips from your college bartending gig. (Which, actually, is a great place to start!) Lucky for you, Head of Plynk Alicia Sundberg (she/her) is here to debunk the myth that you need tons of savings before even glancing at the stock market. In fact, with Plynk—an app built for the beginner investor—you need as little as $1 to get started, and it gives you the resources to help you decide where to put it.

Stashing money into an account—whether it's savings, investing, or both—can help you reach your goals and build the life you want. Just keep in mind that investing is riskier than traditional saving because there’s potential to lose money. But that risk is balanced with a higher potential for reward. Read on for Alicia’s tips, so you can help make your money work harder for you.

I finally have some savings built up. Should I leave it alone or invest it?

1. Create different savings “buckets”: Consider splitting your money up into 2 different buckets—cash that you’re saving for near-term expenses (0-5 years), such as a vacation, wedding, or emergency fund, and then cash that you’re saving for the longer term (5+ years away), perhaps for buying a home or retirement. Learn more about investing for different time horizons.

2. Invest within your comfort zone: For your near-term savings, it may be best to invest in less risky investments. And for your longer-term savings, you may be able to afford to take bigger risks. Plynk has easy-to-use tools that can help you find investments within your comfort zone.

3. Make it easy (and automatic): One of the best ways to make progress on your savings goals is to be consistent. You can set up monthly automatic transfers from your checking account to your different saving and investing buckets. If the transfer happens automatically, you’re less likely to feel the urge to spend it. As you add to your goals each month you could fill your bucket before you know it.

Get started and download Plynk today.**

**Article produced in collaboration with Digital Brokerage Services LLC.