When I first started investing, I made it WAY more complicated than it needed to be. I thought I needed to find the next crazy stock, own a bunch of different ETFs, and constantly be changing something in my portfolio. Looking back, I probably would’ve been better off just keeping things simple 😭 So for anyone on Blossom who’s just getting started, here are a few of the main types of ETFs I wish I understood when I started: 1) S&P 500 🇺🇸 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the US. A simple way to get exposure to companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, and more. US: $VOO / $SPLG Canada: $VFV / $ZSP 2) Total US Market 🇺🇸 Want broader US exposure? Total-market ETFs include large, mid, and small-cap companies instead of only the S&P 500. US: $VTI Canada: $XUU / $VUN 3) Global / All-in-One 🌎 One of the simplest approaches for someone who doesn’t want to manage a bunch of different allocations themselves. Canada: $XEQT / $VEQT / $ZEQT One ETF can give you exposure to thousands of companies across Canada, the US, and international markets. 4) Dividends 💰 For investors interested in companies that regularly return cash to shareholders, dividend ETFs bundle a bunch of dividend-paying companies together. US: $SCHD / $VYM / $DGRO Canada: $VDY / $XEI Just remember: a high dividend yield doesn’t automatically mean a better investment. Total return still matters. 5) Growth / Tech 💻 If you want additional exposure to growth and technology companies, there are ETFs for that too. US: $QQQM / $VUG Canada: $QQC / $TEC Just remember: adding one of these on top of an S&P 500 or all-in-one ETF means you may be increasing your exposure to companies you already own. The biggest thing I wish I understood earlier: More ETFs ≠ more diversification. Owning $VFV + $QQC + $XEQT might look diversified because you own three ETFs, but there can be significant overlap between their underlying holdings. Sometimes the simplest portfolio is the one you’re actually able to stick with. Pick an approach you understand, invest consistently, keep learning, and give compounding time to do its thing. Not financial advice — just what I wish someone explained to me when I started. ☺️
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4 Comments
Blossom @blossom · 1d
Akif @iamakif · 1d
The overlap line at the end is the part most people skip right past. Worth adding that the Canadian sleeve is where it bites hardest, five big banks are roughly 23% of XIC on their own.
Tyson Dever@tys0n · 1d
Valuable insight!! Thanks Tim!
Nicole @investinginsweatpants · 1d
Tim, this is really helpful. Thank you!
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