Growth of $100/Month Over Time
Assuming 7% average annual return (historical stock market average):
| Years |
Total Contributed |
Portfolio Value |
Growth |
| 1 |
$1,200 |
$1,243 |
$43 |
| 5 |
$6,000 |
$7,159 |
$1,159 |
| 10 |
$12,000 |
$17,308 |
$5,308 |
| 15 |
$18,000 |
$31,696 |
$13,696 |
| 20 |
$24,000 |
$52,397 |
$28,397 |
| 25 |
$30,000 |
$81,480 |
$51,480 |
| 30 |
$36,000 |
$121,997 |
$85,997 |
| 35 |
$42,000 |
$178,795 |
$136,795 |
| 40 |
$48,000 |
$259,803 |
$211,803 |
$100/month for 30 years → $121,997. That is $85,997 in growth from doing nothing except investing consistently.
Best All-in-One ETFs for $100/Month
For Growth (100% Equity)
| ETF |
MER |
Holdings |
10-Year Avg |
Best For |
| XEQT |
0.20% |
9,000+ global stocks |
~9% |
Long time horizon (10+ years) |
| VEQT |
0.24% |
13,000+ global stocks |
~9% |
Long time horizon (10+ years) |
For Balanced (60-80% Equity)
| ETF |
MER |
Stocks/Bonds |
10-Year Avg |
Best For |
| XGRO |
0.20% |
80/20 |
~8% |
Medium-long time horizon (7+ years) |
| VGRO |
0.24% |
80/20 |
~8% |
Medium-long time horizon (7+ years) |
| XBAL |
0.20% |
60/40 |
~7% |
Medium time horizon (5+ years) |
| VBAL |
0.24% |
60/40 |
~7% |
Medium time horizon (5+ years) |
For Conservative (40% Equity)
| ETF |
MER |
Stocks/Bonds |
10-Year Avg |
Best For |
| XCNS |
0.20% |
40/60 |
~5-6% |
Short-medium (3-5 years) |
| VCNS |
0.24% |
40/60 |
~5-6% |
Short-medium (3-5 years) |
Which ETF Based on Your Situation
| Your Age |
Time to Retire |
Risk Tolerance |
Best ETF |
| 20-30 |
30+ years |
High |
XEQT or VEQT |
| 30-40 |
20-30 years |
High |
XEQT or VEQT |
| 30-40 |
20-30 years |
Moderate |
XGRO or VGRO |
| 40-50 |
15-25 years |
Moderate |
XGRO or VGRO |
| 40-50 |
15-25 years |
Low |
XBAL or VBAL |
| 50-60 |
5-15 years |
Moderate |
XBAL or VBAL |
| 50-60 |
5-15 years |
Low |
XCNS or VCNS |
| 60+ |
Retired/near |
Low |
XCNS or VCNS |
TFSA vs RRSP for $100/Month
| Factor |
TFSA |
RRSP |
| Tax deduction on contribution |
No |
Yes (at your marginal rate) |
| Tax on withdrawal |
None |
Taxed as income |
| Contribution room |
$7,000/year (2024-2025) |
18% of prior year income (max ~$32K) |
| Best if income is |
Under $60-70K |
Over $70-80K |
| Best if you need money back |
Yes (flexible withdrawals) |
No (withdrawal is taxed + room lost) |
| For $100/month ($1,200/year) |
Fits easily within limit |
Fits easily within limit |
| Recommendation for most |
Start here |
Add once TFSA is maxed |
Step-by-Step: Start Investing $100/Month
Step 1: Choose a Brokerage
| Brokerage |
Commission |
Minimum |
Fractional Shares |
Best For |
| Wealthsimple |
$0 |
$0 |
Yes |
Beginners, small amounts |
| Questrade |
$0 (ETF buys) |
$0 |
No |
Self-directed investors |
| National Bank Direct |
$0 |
$0 |
No |
NB customers |
| BMO InvestorLine |
$0 (select ETFs) |
$0 |
No |
BMO customers |
| TD Direct Investing |
$0 (TD ETFs) |
$0 |
No |
TD customers |
For $100/month, Wealthsimple is the best choice — $0 commissions, fractional shares (invest exact amounts), and a clean mobile app.
Step 2: Open a TFSA
| Step |
What to Do |
| Sign up online |
5-10 minutes (Wealthsimple, Questrade, etc.) |
| Verify identity |
Upload ID + selfie or visit branch |
| Select account type |
TFSA |
| Set up recurring deposit |
Link bank account, set $100/month |
Step 3: Buy Your ETF
| Step |
What to Do |
| Search for ETF |
Type “XEQT” or “VEQT” in the app |
| Enter amount |
$100 (with fractional shares) or buy full shares |
| Place order |
Market order during trading hours |
| Confirm |
Review and submit |
Step 4: Automate
| Feature |
Platform |
| Recurring deposits |
All platforms (weekly, biweekly, monthly) |
| Auto-purchase |
Wealthsimple (set up recurring buy on ETF) |
| Manual buy |
Questrade (deposit auto, but must manually buy) |
Model Portfolios
Portfolio 1: One-Fund Solution ($100/month)
| ETF |
Allocation |
Monthly Amount |
| XEQT |
100% |
$100 |
| Total MER |
0.20% |
|
Simplest approach. One ETF gives you global diversification across 9,000+ stocks.
Portfolio 2: Core + Canadian Dividend ($100/month)
| ETF |
Allocation |
Monthly Amount |
| XEQT |
80% |
$80 |
| XEI (iShares CDN Equity Income) |
20% |
$20 |
| Total MER |
~0.21% |
|
Adds a Canadian dividend tilt for quarterly income.
Portfolio 3: Growth + Bonds ($100/month)
| ETF |
Allocation |
Monthly Amount |
| XEQT |
70% |
$70 |
| ZAG (BMO Aggregate Bond) |
30% |
$30 |
| Total MER |
~0.17% |
|
Custom balanced portfolio with lower MER than XGRO.
What $100/Month Looks Like at Different Amounts
| Monthly Amount |
10 Years |
20 Years |
30 Years |
| $50 |
$8,654 |
$26,198 |
$60,999 |
| $100 |
$17,308 |
$52,397 |
$121,997 |
| $200 |
$34,617 |
$104,794 |
$243,994 |
| $250 |
$43,271 |
$130,993 |
$304,993 |
| $500 |
$86,542 |
$261,985 |
$609,985 |
| $1,000 |
$173,085 |
$523,970 |
$1,219,971 |
Assumes 7% average annual return, compounded monthly
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake |
Why It’s a Problem |
What to Do Instead |
| Waiting to start |
Missing years of compounding |
Start today, even with $25 |
| Trying to time the market |
You’ll miss the best days |
Invest consistently every month |
| Checking portfolio daily |
Causes anxiety, panic selling |
Check quarterly at most |
| Picking individual stocks |
Concentrated risk, likely underperform |
Buy diversified ETFs |
| Paying high fees |
2% MER costs $100K+ over 30 years |
Use low-MER ETFs (0.20%) |
| Not using registered accounts |
Paying unnecessary tax |
Use TFSA first, then RRSP |
| Selling during dips |
Locks in losses |
Stay invested, buy more |
| Overcomplicating |
10 ETFs isn’t better than 1 |
One all-in-one ETF is enough |
The Power of Starting Early
| Start Age |
Monthly |
Years Investing |
Total Contributed |
Value at 65 (7%) |
| 25 |
$100 |
40 |
$48,000 |
$259,803 |
| 30 |
$100 |
35 |
$42,000 |
$178,795 |
| 35 |
$100 |
30 |
$36,000 |
$121,997 |
| 40 |
$100 |
25 |
$30,000 |
$81,480 |
| 45 |
$100 |
20 |
$24,000 |
$52,397 |
| 50 |
$100 |
15 |
$18,000 |
$31,696 |
Starting at 25 instead of 35 means $137,806 more at retirement — from only $12,000 more in contributions. That is the power of compound growth.
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