Charli D’Amelio posted her first TikTok at 15. Fast-forward a few years and she’s earning millions from brand deals, appearances, and her own fashion lines. Addison Rae has a Netflix movie and endorsements worth eight figures. Bella Poarch, Khaby Lame, and Dixie D’Amelio are raking in seven-figure deals. And MrBeast? He reportedly made more than $80 million last year
It’s easy to scroll past these numbers and think: “Yeah, but that’s not me.” True. Most of us aren’t landing Dunkin’ sponsorships at 16.
But here’s the thought experiment: what if you treated their paychecks like a financial experiment—investing the same amount instead of spending it? How much could compounding grow your wealth over decades?
From Viral Fame to Real-Life Numbers: Investing for Beginners
Reported annual earnings (approximate):
- MrBeast – $82 million
- Charli D’Amelio – $17.5 million
- Addison Rae – $15 million
- Bella Poarch – ~$5 million
- Khaby Lame – ~$4 million
- Dixie D’Amelio – ~$3 million
Way out of reach? Sure. Let’s shrink it to something relatable:
- Median TikTok creator – ~$15,000/year
- Every day young adult – maybe $300/month to invest
The Power of Investing and Investment Strategy
If you invest consistently at 10% annual growth, here’s what your money could look like by age 65 if you started at 20, thanks to compound growth, where returns are earned on both principal and accumulated interest:
| Who / Monthly Investment Equivalent | Value at 65 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Every day Young Adult – $300 | ≈ $1.9 million | Small but consistent habit builds wealth |
| Median TikTok Creator – $1,250 | ≈ $8 million | Even modest creator success adds up |
| Average TikTok Creator – $5,000 | ≈ $32 million | Full-time creators could reach this if consistent |
| Bella Poarch / Dixie D’Amelio Tier – ~$35,000 | ≈ $224 million | High earners with brand deals & merch |
| Addison Rae Tier – ~$100,000+ | ≈ $640 million | Big deals, big reach |
| MrBeast Tier – ~$6.8 million | Trillions+ | Astronomical, but a fun anchor |
A $10,000 investment at 6% grows to $11,236 in two years with compound interest.
After 30 years, that same $10,000 at 6% grows to over $57,000 over the long term.
To determine future value, use the formula A=P(1+r/n)^(nt).
Why the Stock Market Matters
Most people think wealth is only for the famous—or for people who “get lucky.” That’s not true. Investing for beginners is really about starting with small, consistent amounts and letting time, compounding, and investment returns do the heavy lifting, even if you’re only putting away $300 a month.
For young adults and everyday beginners who want to build real wealth without celebrity income, this simple experiment shows how steady investing can grow ordinary savings into serious money over time—and why starting early matters if you want more freedom and security later.
Here’s what this experiment teaches us:
- Start small, start now. Start saving and start investing with what you can afford, because even $300 a month can compound into meaningful progress toward long-term financial goals over decades.
- Consistency beats perfection. You don’t need a windfall or viral paycheck—just a simple plan based on your income, with room for savings first and regular investing after that.
- Time is your superpower. The earlier you start, the longer your time horizon and the more your investment returns can compound. Even modest investments in your 20s can turn into millions by 65.
- Your goals don’t need to be viral fame. Whether your personal goals are a house, financial freedom, early retirement, or a worry-free future, your financial goals and investment goals should reflect your individual circumstances—not someone else’s lifestyle.
Your risk tolerance helps determine the right asset allocation for a diversified portfolio across asset classes like stocks and funds, so you don’t put all your eggs in one basket.on for a diversified portfolio across asset classes like stocks and funds, so you don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Final Word on Compound Interest
ou don’t need to post TikToks or sign sponsorship deals to secure your future. The lesson isn’t about the millions influencers make—it’s about what regular people can do with regular money, consistently invested over time.
Start today by building an emergency fund that covers at least three months of essential expenses, then begin with a small monthly amount in a savings account or investment account. Even a small monthly investment grows faster than you think: after one year, $10,000 at 4% earns $408.08 in interest. Your compound frequency and interest rate help determine how quickly that money grows. By 65, you won’t need a billion-dollar brand deal to feel financially free—you’ll have built your own security, independence, and options.
Think of this less as a personal “viral moment” and more as a simple plan: track monthly expenses, tackle credit card debt, and decide how much to pay yourself first from each paycheck.
New to the stock market? Wall Street Survivor gives you $100,000 in virtual money to practice trading in real time, plus free courses to learn investing the right way—with the option to create your own contest and challenge friends. It can help new investors explore securities and investment products, though real choices should reflect your individual circumstances and overall investment strategy. A mutual fund can also be a beginner-friendly option, and checking the expense ratio can help protect long-term returns on fund assets. Register now!
Rank of Top Stock Newsletters Last 3 Years, as of May 31, 2026
We are paid subscribers to dozens of stock and option newsletters. We actively track every recommendation from all of these services, calculate performance, and share our results of the top performing stock newsletters whose subscriptions fees are under $500. The main metric to look for is "Return vs S&P500" which is their return above that of the S&P500. So, based on May 31, 2026 prices:
Best Stock Newsletters Last 3 Years' Performance
| Rank | Stock Newsletter | Picks Return | Return vs S&P500 | Picks w Profit | Max % Return | Current Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  Alpha Picks | +110% | +83% | 76% | 1,571% | July, 2026 Promotion: See all their picks & get $124 off |
| Summary: 2 picks per month based on Seeking Alpha's Quant Rating; consistently beating the market every year since launch; tells you when to sell and they have sold almost half. See complete details in our Alpha Picks Review. Or get their Premium service to get their QUANT RATINGS on your stocks to better manage your current portfolio--read our Is Seeking Alpha Worth It? article to learn more about their Quant Ratings. | ||||||
| 2. |  Zacks Value Investor | +58% | +46% | 53% | 1,134% | July, 2026 Promotion: $1, then $495/yr |
| Summary: 10 stock picks per year on January 1st based on Zacks' Quant Rating; Retail Price is $495/yr and includes 6 different services including those below. Read our Zacks Review. | ||||||
| 3. | Zacks Top 10 | +31% | +19% | 74% | 170% | July, 2026 Promotion: $1, then $495/yr |
| Summary: 10 stock picks per year on January 1st based on Zacks' Quant Rating; Retail Price is $495/yr and includes 6 different services. Read our Zacks Review. | ||||||
| 4. |  Action Alerts Plus | +20% | +6% | 61% | 208% | Current Promotion: None |
| Summary: 100-150 trades per year, lots of buying and selling and short-term trades. Read our Jim Cramer Review. | ||||||
| 5. |  TipRanks SmartInvestor | +13% | +5% | 57% | 266% | Current Promotion: Save $180 |
| Summary: About 1 pick/week focusing on short term trades; Lifetime average return of 355% vs S&P500's 149% since 2015. Retail Price is $379/yr. Read our TipRanks Review. | ||||||
| 6. | Zacks Home Run Investor | +7% | +2% | 43% | 337% | July, 2026 Promotion: $1, then $495/yr |
| Summary: 40-50 stock picks per year based on Zacks' Quant Rating; Retail Price is $495/yr. Read our Zacks Review. | ||||||
| 7. |  Moby.co | +19% | 0% | 55% | 797% | July, 2026 Promotion: Get #1 Stock Pick Free |
| Summary: All it requires is an email address to get their #1 stock pick free; 60+ stock picks per year, segmented by industry; consistently beating the market every year; retail price is $365/yr but save try it for $99. Read our Moby Review. | ||||||
| 8. | IBD Leaderboard ETF | 11% | -1.8% | n/a | n/a | July, 2026 Promotion: NONE |
| Summary: Maintains top 50 stocks to invest in based on IBD algorithm; Retail Price is $495/yr. Read our Investors Business Daily Review. | ||||||
| 9. | Zacks Under $10 | +0.4% | -3% | 33% | 263% | July, 2026 Promotion: $1, then $495/yr |
| Summary: 40-50 stock picks per year based on Zacks' Quant Rating; Retail Price is $495/yr. Read our Zacks Review. | ||||||
| 10. | Dogs of the Dow Strategy | +6% | --7% | 50% | 34% | Current Promotion: None |
| Summary: Buy the 10 highest yielding dividends stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average on January 1st and sell on Dec 31st each year. | ||||||
| 11. |  Stock Advisor | +7% | -17% | 59% | 141% | July, 2026 Promotion: Get $100 Off |
| Summary: 2 picks/month and 2 Best Buy Stocks lists focusing on high growth potential stocks over 5 years; Retail Price is $199/yr. Read our Motley Fool Review. | ||||||
| 12. | Rule Breakers | +11% | -18% | 51% | 208% | Current Promotion: Save $200 |
| Summary: Rule Breakers is included with the Fool's Epic Service. Get 5 picks/month focusing on disruptive technology and business models; Lifetime average return of 355% vs S&P500's 149% since 2005; Now part of Motley Fool Epic. Read our Motley Fool Epic Review. | ||||||
| Top Ranking Stock Newsletters based on their last 3 years of stock picks covering 2026, 2025, 2024, and 2023 performance as compared to S&P500. S&P500's return is based on average return of S&P500 from date each stock pick is released. NOTE: To get these results you must buy equal dollar amounts of each pick on the date the stock pick is released. Investor Business Daily Top 50 based on performance of FFTY ETF. Performance as of April 5, 2026. | ||||||