You MUST Invest To Be Rich: 6 Reasons Why & What To Invest In

Odetta Rockhead-Kerr
1 hour ago
4 min read

This might sound strange, but the very act of saving money could be quietly making you poorer. You could be working hard, budgeting wisely, stacking your cash in the bank… and still losing financial ground.

Here’s the truth: If you’re not investing, you’re already falling behind.

In this article, we’ll explore six powerful reasons why you absolutely MUST invest—starting now, not someday. We’ll also explain what an investment is, where to start (even with just a few dollars), and what you should avoid.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research or consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.

If you'd like me to invite a licensed Financial Advisor to speak with our membership community, let me know in the comments.

What Is an Investment?

An investment is any asset or item that you commit your money or time to with the expectation that it will generate income or increase in value over time.

Examples of investments:

Real estate
Bonds
Stocks
Education (yes, investing in yourself counts)
Starting a business (yours or someone else's)

Reason #1: There Are Only Two Ways to Make Money

You can:

Work for it (as an employee or business owner)
Or invest and let your money work for you

If you only rely on the first option, you're capping your wealth potential. Investing allows you to earn money while you sleep—literally.

Reason #2: Passive Income

Investing allows you to earn without actively working. That’s passive income.

Example: Buy a small apartment and rent it out. The tenant pays monthly rent—money that comes in whether you're at your job, on vacation, or asleep. Even if it’s just $500 to $1,000 a month, that’s consistent income from an asset you own.

Reason #3: Beat Inflation

Inflation is the silent killer of wealth.

Example: Three years ago, a bag of chicken in Jamaica cost JMD $9,000 (approx. USD $60). Today, the same bag is JMD $15,000 (approx. USD $100). That’s more than a 66% increase.

Saving $1,000 in a bank with no growth means you’re losing value every year. If inflation averages 5%, you’d need $1,500 ten years from now to buy what $1,000 buys today.

Investing helps you stay ahead of this financial erosion.

Reason #4: Make Money Work for You

Your 9-to-5 has limits. You trade time for money. But investments? They work 24/7.

Example: You invest $1,000 in a jerk chicken stall run by someone else. You agree to receive 20% of the profits. While you’re at work or relaxing at home, the stall is earning—and so are you.

Reason #5: Compound Interest

One of my YouTube subscribers once called compound interest “the 8th wonder of the world.” And I agree.

Example:

You invest $1,000 at 10% interest, compounded monthly.
Leave it untouched for 47 years.
At age 65, that $1,000 grows to $107,826.

That’s the magic of earning interest on your interest.

Year 1: $1,000 becomes $1,100.Year 2: 10% on $1,100 = $1,210.That extra $10? It’s interest on your interest.

The longer you leave it, the faster it grows.

Reason #6: You Simply Make More Money

Investing opens the door to:

Dividends
Capital appreciation
Business profits
Asset sales

This isn’t just “extra income.” For many, it becomes the main source of income.

Who Should Invest?

Not everyone. You must have the ability to manage risk.

Golden Rule: Never invest money you can’t afford to lose.

Start small. Grow gradually. Build confidence.

What to Invest In

🟢 Stocks / Shares

Buy a piece of a company. Earn through:

Dividends: Profit-sharing. E.g., Wisynco shares paying you JMD $200 every 6 months.
Stock Appreciation: Buy at $30, sell at $45. You profit $15 per share.

I started with Xerox shares when I was a VP. Today, I mainly invest in dividend-paying stocks.

🟢 Bonds

Lend money to a company or government and earn interest.

Example: $100,000 bond at 8.5% earns $8,500/year.

I’ve invested in bonds like South Power, Heritage, AIC, and Portland. Yes, some eventually had issues—but I had years of gains. That’s the nature of risk.