Two Simple Apps to Start Investing with Pocket Change: Acorns & Robinhood

By Tim Gamble

 

If you’ve ever thought “I’d love to invest, but I don’t have thousands lying around,” you’re not alone. The good news? You don’t need a fortune (or even a finance degree) to get started anymore. Two popular mobile apps, Acorns and Robinhood, have made dipping your toes into investing simpler and cheaper than ever. Both are available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. 

 

Acorns is built around the idea of “investing your spare change.” You link your credit or debit cards, and every time you buy something, Acorns automatically rounds the purchase up to the nearest dollar and invests the difference into a diversified portfolio of ETFs. Spent $3.75 on coffee? Acorns invests the extra $0.25 for you. You can also set up recurring deposits or one-time lump sums. It’s a true “set it and forget it” approach that turns everyday spending into gradual wealth-building. Acorns does charge a small monthly fee (starting at $3–$9 depending on the plan), but many users find the automation is worth it. 

 

Robinhood, on the other hand, took the investing world by storm by offering completely commission-free stock, ETF, options, and even cryptocurrency trading. Want to buy a single share of Apple or Tesla with $10? You can. Want fractional shares so $50 buys you a slice of an expensive stock? Robinhood does that too. The app is clean, mobile-first, and designed to feel more like Instagram than a traditional brokerage, making it especially useful for younger investors who are just starting out. 

 

Neither app is perfect (Acorns has fees, Robinhood has faced criticism over past outages), but both have opened the door for millions of people who previously felt investing was only for the wealthy. 

 

Important Note: Neither Tim Gamble nor the Wealth From Chaos website are affiliated with Acorns or Robinhood in any way. This article is not a paid advertisement or sponsored content. We’re simply highlighting tools that many of our readers may find helpful. Always do your own research and consider your personal risk tolerance before investing. 

 

Ready to turn spare change into something bigger, or grab your first slice of the market? Both apps are free to download and explore. Your future self might thank you.  

 

Want to stay ahead of the curve? Join our free email list for exclusive insights, updates, and tools to help you start building personal and generational wealth.  

 

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Building Generational Wealth in an Age of Chaos

In an era of accelerating technological disruption, economic instability, political polarization, and unprecedented debt levels, building and protecting generational wealth is no longer just about picking the right stocks. It requires the right mindset, a clear understanding of real economics, awareness of emerging threats and opportunities, practical skills, and an unshakeable foundation of self-reliance. The books below are the ones that have most shaped my own thinking over the years and that I most frequently recommend to readers of my websites. I’ve organized them into logical categories so you can prioritize according to where you are on your journey.Start Here: Mindset, Attitudes & Habits

1. The Richest Man in Babylon – George S. Clason
   Timeless parables that distill the eternal laws of wealth: pay yourself first, live below your means, and make your money work harder than you do. Still the single best “walk before you run” personal-finance book ever written. (Amazon link)
2. The Millionaire Next Door – Thomas J. Stanley & William D. Danko
   Ground-breaking research revealing that most millionaires live modestly, shun debt, and prioritize discipline over display. A quiet gut-punch to consumer culture. (Amazon link)
3. Rich Dad Poor Dad – Robert T. Kiyosaki
   The modern classic that forces you to rethink assets vs. liabilities and the importance of financial education. (Amazon link)

Foundational Economics & Investing

4. The Intelligent Investor – Benjamin Graham
   Warren Buffett calls it “by far the best book on investing ever written.” The bible of value investing and the definitive guide to defending your capital first and growing it second. (Amazon link)
5. Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? – Richard J. Maybury
   The clearest, most entertaining explanation of money, inflation, and basic economics you’ll ever read. Perfect for teenagers and adults who want to understand without falling asleep. (Amazon link)
6. A Capitalist Manifesto – Gary Wolfram
   A passionate yet accessible defense of free markets and why they, not government planning, are the true engine of prosperity. (Amazon link)
7. A Christian’s Guide to Investing – Danny Fontana (RIP 1949-2015)
   Biblical stewardship meets modern portfolio strategy. Written by my long-time friend and mentor—still the best faith-based investing book I know. (Amazon link)

Understanding the Disruptions (Threats & Opportunities)

8. The Evil Twins of Technocracy and Transhumanism – Patrick M. Wood
   Exposes the anti-human agenda hiding behind many “green” and technology initiatives. (Amazon link)
9. Technocracy: The Hard Road to World Order – Patrick M. Wood
   The definitive modern work on how unelected technocrats are quietly building centralized control over energy, food, and finance. (Amazon link)
10. Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail  – Ray Dalio
    How empires rise and fall, how currencies are debased, and what happens to your wealth when the “big debt cycle” finally resets. (Amazon link)
11.  How Countries Go Broke: The Big Cycle (Principles) – Ray Dalio's New Book (Amazon link)

Technology & AI Literacy (Essential for the New Economy)

11. Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software – Charles Petzold
    The single best book for understanding how computers actually work—from electricity all the way up to software. (Amazon link)
12. The Hundred-Page Machine Learning Book – Andriy Burkov
    Exactly what the title promises: a concise, no-nonsense introduction to machine learning and AI. (Amazon link)
13. Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI – Yuval Noah Harari
    Brilliant big-picture context on how information flows have always shaped power—and where AI is taking us next. (Amazon link)

Skill Stacking & Economic Adaptability

14. How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big – Scott Adams
    Introduces the game-changing concept of “skill stacking”—becoming good (not world-class) at several complementary skills that multiply together. (Amazon link)
15. SPIN Selling – Neil Rackham
    The research-backed gold standard for complex, high-value sales. Essential reading for business owners, sales staff, and anyone who needs to persuade in the new economy. (Amazon link)

Self-Reliance & Family Preparedness(Wealth you can’t protect isn’t wealth)

 

16. The Survivalist Family: Prepared Americans for a Strong America – Pastor Joe Fox (Viking Preparedness)
    My #1 recommendation for families. Practical, faith-friendly preparedness without the tinfoil-hat nonsense. (RM affiliate link - 10% off at checkout)
17. ACEP First Aid Manual, 5th Edition – American College of Emergency Physicians
    Authoritative medical knowledge every household should own—prepper or not. (Amazon link)

Bonus Additions (Still Highly Recommended)

• The Sovereign Individual – James Dale Davidson & Lord William Rees-Mogg (1997)
  Eerily prophetic about the shift from the Industrial Age to the Information Age and how it rewrites power, violence, and wealth creation. (Amazon link)
• The Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel
  Timeless lessons on behavior, ego, and why smart people do dumb things with money. (Amazon link)
• The Bitcoin Standard – Saifedean Ammous
  The best explanation of sound money vs. fiat debasement—and why Bitcoin matters in an age of endless money-printing. (Amazon link)

Start with the mindset trio, move on to economics and investing, then branch into the disruptions, skills, and preparedness areas that interest you most. Read one book at a time, take notes, discuss with your family or mastermind group, and—most importantly—put what you learn into immediate action. Your future self (and your grandchildren) will thank you. Tim Gamble
TimGamble.com – Wealth From Chaos