Investing for 10 Years: Can Saving 500 Baht/Month Grow to Hundreds of Thousands, or 10,000 Baht/Month to Millions? Is It Really Possible?

"You need a large lump sum before you can start investing."

"With a low salary, saving won’t make you rich."

Many people may feel this way, but in the world of finance and investing, regularly saving a few hundred baht each month and investing consistently in the right assets can grow your money into hundreds of thousands. The method financial experts often talk about is Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA). Read this article and start planning your financial future today.

Understanding DCA and the power of compound interest.

If you want to have hundreds of thousands or millions, steadily adding to your principal over time can eventually reach your goal. The secret financial planners use to reach targets faster is the power of compound interest. When you invest and earn returns, reinvesting those returns regularly increases your principal, which then generates even greater returns. Over time, compound interest helps your savings grow exponentially.

For those wanting to save and invest gradually, one popular method is Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA). This involves investing the "same amount every month" regularly—whether weekly, quarterly, or according to your plan. This strategy removes the stress of trying to time asset prices and helps reduce emotional decision-making in investing.

How much money will you have after 10 years of DCA?

Thairath Money summarizes how much your money can grow if you save or invest monthly using DCA over a decade.

From the table above, you can see that besides consistent saving, seeking investments with higher returns can help your money grow faster. For example,

• If you invest 500 baht per month for 10 years, your total principal would be 60,000 baht. Assuming an average annual return of 10%, reinvesting your returns monthly, your money could grow to 102,422 baht!
• If you invest 1,000 baht per month, totaling 120,000 baht over 10 years, with a steady 10% annual return and reinvestment, your principal could jump to 204,845 baht!
• If you invest 10,000 baht per month, your principal reaches 1.2 million baht over 10 years. Reinvesting returns monthly at 10% annual return, this grows to 2.04 million baht.

This strategy puts your money to work for you. Many think consistent saving and investing are difficult, but before starting DCA, you must carefully choose the right assets—those that grow long-term and match the risk you can accept.

What kind of assets should you choose to aim for a 10% return?

Everyone wants the highest returns, but the rule is High Risk, High Return. You must study and select investments matching your risk tolerance. Investing aggressively in fast-growing assets that drop 30-40% at times can cause sleepless nights and hardships, which may not be worth it. Many wonder how to achieve an average 10% annual return. We don’t have a definitive answer, but here are examples of assets that typically outperform bank deposits (0.5-1.5% per year) for you to explore:

• Stocks and stock index funds, such as the U.S. stock index and the S&P 500 index, which historically have averaged about 10% annual returns. Some individual stocks can skyrocket in price, though others may suffer heavy losses.
• Real estate and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), which focus on steady rental income and can yield average returns higher than 7-10% annually, depending on the fund.
• Bonds, which might offer average returns of 4-6% per year.
• Gold, which has seen continuous price rises recently but is highly volatile. Historically, gold prices have also declined, such as between 2011 when it peaked at 27,100 baht per baht-weight and then fell for nine years until many recovered their losses by 2020.

It’s important for investors to understand that each asset’s returns vary yearly. For example, gold may decline in 2026 but had strong gains before. Therefore, initially, you should plan your portfolio and diversify across multiple assets to manage market uncertainties and volatility.

Investing has no one-size-fits-all answer. Always check your risk tolerance and thoroughly study each asset’s conditions because past returns don’t guarantee future results. If you have clear goals but delay planning, you reduce the time your money can grow. Start saving and planning now to maximize growth opportunities.

References: SET, Financial Planning Association of Thailand, Bank of Thailand.

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