Sarah, 34, project manager from Hamburg. 18 months ago she did not know what an ETF is. Today she trades with AI signals and has grown her portfolio by 28%. Her story shows: It is never too late to start.

The Starting Point

I had 15,000 euros in a savings account at 0.1% interest. I calculated that inflation costs me 450 euros annually — I was losing money by doing nothing. That was my wake-up call.

First Steps

Month 1: Read investment book, watched finance videos, opened depot
Month 2: Bought first MSCI World ETF (1,000 euros). Set up savings plan (300 euros/month).
Month 3: Joined Dieter Investment Club. Started paper trading with AI signals.

The Learning Phase

The first 3 months of paper trading were frustrating. My hit rate was 55% — because I ignored signals I did not like (confirmation bias). Only when I started following ALL high-confidence signals did the rate rise to 70%.

My Results After 18 Months

Portfolio value: From 15,000 to 22,500 euros (+28% total)
Pure trading return: +19% (AI signals)
ETF savings plan: +9% (passive, MSCI World)
Largest drawdown: -7.2%
Time commitment: 30-45 minutes in the evening

My 5 Most Important Lessons

1. Start simple: One ETF is enough for the beginning.
2. Paper trading is mandatory: Without 4 months of practice I would have quit at the first loss.
3. Community saves you: When my portfolio was -7%, I wanted to sell everything. The community said: Hold through. They were right.
4. AI signals do not replace knowledge: I now understand why the AI gives certain signals.
5. It is a marathon: 28% in 18 months sounds little next to 500% Twitter screenshots. But it is real, sustainable, and growing.

Sarahs advice: Stop overthinking and start. The perfect moment does not exist. But every day you wait costs you compound interest.