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Set It and (Almost) Forget It
The market doesn’t reward the most emotional investor — it rewards the most consistent. As Dr. Daniel Crosby explains in his book The Laws of Wealth, emotional decision-making is one of the primary reasons why individual investors underperform the market.
Early in my journey, I realized that trying to time the market or chase trends was a losing game. Like most people, I thought I could be smarter, faster, more in control. I wasn’t.
The truth is simple:
- The average investor cannot outtrade the market — they underperform it, often by a lot.
- The average investor cannot predict the top or the bottom — they just think they can.
- The average investor lets emotion get in the way — chasing green candles and panicking in red ones.
In fact, studies show that the average investor’s returns lag significantly behind the overall market, simply because of poor timing decisions driven by emotion. Buying high and selling low becomes an unfortunate pattern for many.
That’s why I automated my process. It removes emotion, prevents overthinking, and keeps me focused on what actually matters: consistent, long-term growth.
A Personal Wake-Up Call
I remember one particular instance in early 2020. The markets were crashing, headlines were screaming doom, and my instinct was to pull everything out and “wait for clarity.” But this is exactly the moment when our automated strategy shows its true value.
Rather than reacting in panic, we stay the course. As Warren Buffett famously said, “Whether it’s stocks or socks, I like buying quality merchandise when it’s marked down.” When the price of an asset with real value goes down, it becomes more attractive — not less. This is not the time to sell. It’s a time to buy more.
And that’s exactly what automation enables. No panic. No hesitation. Just disciplined investing, month after month.
My Setup in a Nutshell
This chapter isn’t about recommending a specific set of ETFs, stocks, or funds. You should select assets that you personally believe have solid fundamentals for long-term growth. If you’re unsure, even something simple like an ETF that tracks the S&P 500 is a strong place to start.
Each month, I split my a fixed amount across three carefully designed buckets, using a mix of dividend-paying ETFs and growth exposure. You can learn more about my approach to building a resilient long-term portfolio here where I explain why I chose QDIV, UPRO, and DBMF.
Everything is structured around simplicity and discipline:
- On the 1st of every month, my brokerage account receives a pre-set deposit. It doesn’t have to be the first — it could be when your salary comes in, or any other consistent, automated schedule. The key is to avoid letting emotions dictate your timing.
- I manually allocate funds into my predefined ETFs.
- I track the allocation percentages to ensure balance.
This way, investing becomes another monthly habit — just like paying rent or a utility bill. I don’t have to wonder “should I invest this month?” The answer is always yes.
The magic of this setup is that it removes willpower from the equation. I’m not relying on motivation, news cycles, or personal feelings. The system works because it is mechanical.
The Tools I Use
Automation doesn’t mean “set it and disappear forever.” It means setting up the right tools to minimize friction and maximize consistency.
Here’s what I use:
- Brokerage Platform: Saxo Bank for global ETF access and low fees.
- Tracking Sheet: A simple Google Sheets file where I log monthly investments and track my bucket allocations.
- Calendar Reminder: A notification set on the 1st of every month to deposit, allocate, and update the sheet.
- Rebalancing Plan: I manually rebalance once a year across all buckets. (Learn more about my rebalancing strategy here.)
This lightweight system takes less than 30 minutes a month — and makes a huge difference over years and decades.
If something happens in my life, the investments continue. If the markets are up or down, the investments continue. Consistency beats perfection every time.
Why I Prefer Manual Allocation Over Full Auto-Invest
Some brokers offer full auto-invest options. While convenient, I prefer a light manual touch each month. This gives me the opportunity to:
- Double-check allocations
- Add any one-off contributions
- Review if any bucket needs a small adjustment
Manual allocation also keeps me mentally connected to my portfolio without getting emotional about daily market movements.
A Peek Into My Buckets
The purpose of this structure is to get exposure across various industries, markets, and asset classes. As I add new buckets in the future, the focus will be on introducing non-correlated assets to enhance overall diversification and reduce portfolio risk.
Here’s a quick snapshot of my current buckets:
- Bucket A: QDIV + UPRO + CTA
- Bucket B: SPY4 + TQQQ + CTA
- Bucket C: IBIT + ETHA + BITX
Each bucket has a clear role:
- Bucket A emphasizes stability and moderate growth.
- Bucket B leans into high growth potential with leveraged exposure.
- Bucket C brings in alternative assets, particularly crypto.
Each bucket complements the others. Together, they balance my need for income, growth, and alternative assets.
I’m also exploring a fourth bucket for future diversification as my portfolio grows. Future buckets might include emerging market small caps, real estate exposure, or even specialized sector ETFs.
Optional Manual Tweaks
While 95% of my investing is automated, there are rare moments where I step in manually:
- When crypto volatility skews my bucket percentages heavily.
- When making large, one-off contributions (bonus payments, etc.).
- When replacing an ETF or adding a new one to a bucket.
Lessons Learned
After automating my investing workflow, here’s what I’ve learned:
- A long-term view beats short-term trading: Trying to outguess the market rarely works. Long-term consistency wins.
- Consistency beats brilliance: Showing up every month wins over chasing trends.
- Automation kills bad behavior: No more impulsive buying or panic selling.
- The market rewards patience: Time in the market is far more powerful than timing the market.
- Simple beats complicated: A clear system with a few moving parts will outperform a complex one filled with second-guessing.
- Small wins compound: Monthly contributions may feel small, but over decades, they snowball into financial freedom.
You Don’t Need to Watch the Charts
By automating my investing workflow, I’ve built a system that works while I’m busy living life. I don’t need to watch the charts every day or guess where the market is heading.
Markets will rise and fall. Headlines will scream. Experts will argue. None of it matters if your plan is sound and your system is steady.
Automation gives me the freedom to stay invested, stay consistent, and let compounding do the heavy lifting.
The best part? Peace of mind.
I know that every month, I am moving one step closer to financial independence — without stress, without second-guessing, and without needing to be a genius.
