Jasmine Birtles
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These ‘Lazy’ Investing Tips Could Make You Your Millions!
Ruby Layram
31st Jul 2025
There’s this idea floating around that to get rich from investing, you have to be glued to the markets 24/7, obsess over stock charts, and have Warren Buffett on speed dial.
But the truth is… some of the wealthiest investors out there do the exact opposite. They take the lazy route, and it works brilliantly!
In fact, the less time you spend tinkering with your portfolio, the better off you might be. That’s because lazy investing is smart investing. It’s all about setting things up once, automating the boring bits, and letting your money grow in the background.
So, if you’re tired of overthinking or just want an easier way to build long-term wealth, here are the ‘lazy’ investing tips that could make you your millions.
1. Automate Everything
If you only take one thing from this article, let it be this: set it and forget it.
Automating your investments, especially with something like a monthly direct debit into your stocks and shares ISA or pension, is the ultimate lazy-money move. It takes the decision-making (and emotion!) out of the process.
Not only do you never miss a contribution, but you also benefit from pound-cost averaging, which smooths out market ups and downs over time.
Lazy tip: Set up a monthly investment of £100 (or whatever you can afford) into a stocks and shares ISA with a robo-adviser or platform like Vanguard, Moneybox, or Nutmeg, and just leave it alone.
2. Use Ready-Made Portfolios
Not sure where to put your money? Let the pros decide.
Most investing platforms now offer ready-made portfolios, you pick your risk level (e.g. cautious, balanced, adventurous) and the platform spreads your money across a pre-built mix of investments. Done!
It’s a great way to be diversified without having to research a single stock.
Lazy tip: If you’re not confident building your own portfolio, go for a managed fund or ready-made portfolio. It’s like the microwave meal of investing, no prep needed, and still good for you.
3. Track the Market (Don’t Try to Beat It)
Here’s a fun fact: most professional fund managers don’t beat the market consistently over time.
So, why stress yourself out trying to?
Instead, invest in index trackers, low-cost funds that simply mirror the performance of the stock market (like the FTSE 100, S&P 500 or global indices). They’re low effort, low cost, and surprisingly powerful over time.
Lazy tip: A global index fund like Vanguard’s FTSE Global All Cap or Fidelity’s MSCI World Index Fund gives you instant exposure to hundreds (or thousands!) of companies, and you don’t have to lift a finger.
4. Ignore the News (Mostly)
The stock market is noisy. One minute it’s up, the next it’s crashing because someone somewhere sneezed.
Lazy investors don’t panic. They don’t sell every time there’s bad news. They stay invested, keep their cool, and let compound growth do the heavy lifting.
Lazy tip: Turn off the financial news and check your portfolio once a quarter, max. It’ll save your nerves and possibly your returns.
5. Play the Long Game
Lazy investing works best when you give it time.
By leaving your money in the market, and avoiding the urge to constantly buy and sell, you give compound interest time to work its magic.
£100/month invested in an index fund with an average 7% return becomes over £120,000 in 30 years. All from simply sitting tight.
Lazy tip: Investing is like planting a tree. The sooner you start, the longer it has to grow.
Why Lazy Investing Actually Works
It might sound too good to be true, but here’s why lazy investing is often better than trying to be clever:
- Lower fees: You’re not constantly buying and selling
- Less emotional: No panic selling in a crash
- More consistent: You invest regularly, no matter what
- Time-saving: You focus on living, not market timing
- More likely to work: Most long-term strategies win over trading
Lazy Investor Toolkit
Here’s what you need to get started:
- A Stocks and Shares ISA or SIPP
- A low-cost investment platform (like Vanguard, AJ Bell, or eToro)
- A regular monthly contribution (even £25/month helps)
- An index fund or ready-made portfolio
- A hands-off attitude
Final Thoughts
There’s a difference between lazy and careless.
Lazy investing is strategic. It’s about creating a system that works without you having to babysit it. It uses time, automation and low fees to your advantage. So if you want to build wealth in 2025 (and beyond) without turning into a spreadsheet obsessive or market hawk, it might be time to embrace your inner lazy investor.
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Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence. When investing your capital is at risk.
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