No One Tells You This About Your First Investment
New to investing? Our Brand Manager shares her own experience and what she learned about patience, growth, and avoiding FOMO.
No one really tells you what your first investment feels like. You read about returns, diversification, compounding but when it’s your own money on the line, it’s a completely different story.
The charts don’t prepare you for that mix of excitement, confusion, and the occasional “Am I doing this right?” moment.
I know this because I’ve been there.
Back in 2020, when I made my first investment, I dove straight into stock-based mutual funds with zero understanding of how they actually worked. It was my rookie mistake. Not because I was careless, but because I didn’t yet know that every investment has a purpose. Some grow your wealth, some protect it, some give you flexibility when life happens.
At the time, I had just started my career at a Reksa Dana distribution platform. I was excited to try everything. I downloaded a few apps, scrolled through the top-performing funds, and thought, “Wow, if I invest Rp10,000,000, I could get Rp11,000,000 in a year!”
It sounded simple until the market dipped. Watching my balance drop for the first time gave me sleepless nights. That’s when I learned: investing isn’t just about numbers. It’s about knowing your goals and managing your emotions along the way.
Three things I learned from my first Reksa Dana investment
1️⃣ It can feel overwhelming.
Your portfolio goes green one day and red the next and when it stays red for a week, your heart skips a beat. Totally normal. Every investor has felt that way. The key is not to panic. Markets move in cycles, and short-term drops don’t define your long-term results.
2️⃣ Don’t expect instant results.
Investing is like planting seeds. It takes time and consistency to see them grow. The market may fluctuate, but over time it rises. The IHSG, for example, has gained nearly 30% in the past five years. Patience pays off far more than perfect timing.
3️⃣ Life happens.
Car repairs, job changes, family emergencies, they happen to all of us. That’s why an emergency fund matters. It gives you room to breathe when life throws a curveball, so you don’t have to sell your investments at the wrong time.
How to avoid rookie mistakes (the ones I made)
✅ Match your goals with the right portfolio.
My biggest mistake was using an equity mutual fund for my emergency fund. Stocks are great for long-term growth, but not for short-term needs. Emergency funds should live in stable, liquid products like money market funds not in something that swings with the market.
✅ Know your risk tolerance.
It’s not just about numbers. It’s about emotion. Ask yourself how much fluctuation you can handle without losing sleep. Your risk comfort will evolve over time, and that’s okay.
✅ Choose a transparent investment manager.
Pick a partner that helps you understand what’s happening with your portfolio not just show you numbers. The right manager will actively guide you and make sure your portfolio stays resilient through market changes.
The bottom line
Your first investment might feel confusing, even a little intimidating. But that’s part of the journey and you don’t have to go through it alone.
At Simpan, we help you:
✅ Understand your risk comfort and match your goals with the right portfolio
✅ Minimize the shock effect of market ups and downs, and avoid FOMO by actively managing your portfolio
✅ See and understand how your money is managed in a timely manner
So you can invest with confidence, not confusion.