Because who doesn’t love free stuff and minimal effort?

Look, I’m about to share a investment strategy so beautifully simple that it might make Warren Buffett spit out his Cherry Coke. I call it the “Free Stock by Double Up” method, or as I like to think of it: “The Art of Turning Lunch Money into Free Shares.”

The Master Plan: How I Turned $100 into Free SOFI Stock (While Barely Trying)

Phase 1: The “Toe-Dip” Investment

Picture this: It’s March 5, 2024, and I’m sitting there with $100 burning a hole in my pocket. Instead of buying yet another unnecessary gadget from Amazon, I decided to be slightly more responsible. I bought 13 shares of SOFI at $7.50 each, spending a grand total of $97.47.

Why such a oddly specific amount? Because that’s what was left after treating myself to a coffee. (I’m kidding… mostly.)

The real reason? My monthly investment budget is $1,500, but I wasn’t ready to go all-in on SOFI. My confidence level was somewhere between “this could be interesting” and “well, it’s better than another streaming service subscription.”

Phase 2: The “Forget About It” Strategy

Remember that container of leftovers in the back of your fridge that you completely forgot about? That’s basically what I did with these SOFI shares. Except unlike those leftovers, these actually got better with time.

Fast forward to December 6, 2024: SOFI had doubled to $14.95. While I’d love to tell you this was due to my incredible market foresight, it was mostly just patience (and maybe a tiny sprinkle of luck).

Phase 3: The Magic Money Math

Here’s where it gets fun. I sold 6.6 shares for $98.67, basically getting my money back plus enough for a gumball. The remaining 6.4 shares? They’re now living their best life in my portfolio, completely free of charge. It’s like finding money in your winter coat pocket, except you planned it.

Why This Strategy Is Perfect for Commitment-Phobes (Like Me)

Think of this as the dating app approach to investing:

• Swipe right on a few promising stocks
• Start with a small investment (the equivalent of a coffee date)
• If it works out, great! If not, you’re only out a hundred bucks
• When it doubles, you’ve got yourself a keeper (and it didn’t cost you anything)

Why SOFI Though? (Besides Having a Cool Name)

SOFI is basically the tech-savvy cousin who makes the rest of the banking family look like they still use flip phones. They’re the fintech company that’s trying to be the Swiss Army knife of personal finance:

• They do banking (but make it fashion)
• They offer loans (without the soul-crushing paperwork)
• They’re into investing (minus the stuffy suits)
• They target millennials and Gen Z (aka people who would rather eat glass than call their bank)

The “But Wait, There’s More!” Section

Is this strategy foolproof? About as foolproof as trying to fold a fitted sheet. But here’s why it’s still awesome:

• Low risk (you’re only risking lunch money)
• Zero pressure (unlike your last Tinder date)
• When it works, you feel like a financial genius (even if it was 90% luck)

The Bottom Line

This strategy is like the yoga of investing – it requires patience, flexibility, and the ability to not panic when things get weird. Will you get rich quick? Probably not. But will you feel smugly satisfied when you can say you own shares of a company for free? Absolutely.

So next time you’re thinking about buying that overpriced salad for lunch, maybe consider buying some stocks instead. Who knows? In a few months, you might just have your cake (or in this case, SOFI shares) and eat it too.

P.S. If Warren Buffett is reading this: Call me, we should chat about this over a Cherry Coke.