Welcome to the world of investing! When you use KiddyCash, you aren’t just saving money in your digital wallet; you have the opportunity to become a part-owner of some of the biggest companies in the world.

Before you dive in, it is a good idea to read about /blog/becoming-a-young-investor to understand why growing your wealth early is so important.

What is a Stock?

Before we start, let’s define some terms:

  • Stock (or Share): This is a tiny piece of a company. If a company in Nairobi was a giant mandazi, a stock would be one small crumb. When you buy a stock, you own that crumb!
  • Investment: This is when you put your money into something (like a company) because you hope it will grow and give you more money back later.
  • Portfolio: This is the name for your whole collection of different stocks.

Step 1: Check Your Balance

To buy a stock, you need to have money in your KiddyCash wallet. Whether you earned this from your “Kiddy Business,” received an allowance from your parents via M-Pesa, or completed chores for a reward, make sure your balance is in KES (Kenyan Shillings) or your local currency.

If you aren’t sure if you have enough yet, try /kb/setting-savings-goals first to help you reach the amount you need for your first investment.

Step 2: Choose Your Company

Think about the products you use every day. Do you like the technology on your phone? Do you like the juice you drink or the bank your parents use? On KiddyCash, you can choose from many different companies. When these companies do well and make a profit, the value of your tiny “crumb” (your stock) can go up.

Step 3: Open the Investment Tool

When you are ready to make your first purchase, you need to go to the specific part of your account where investments are made.

Navigate directly to the Buy Stocks page to begin. (Note: If you are using a Kiddy Business account, make sure you have selected the correct profile first).

Step 4: Enter the Amount

Once you are on the investment screen, follow these specific steps:

  1. Select the Company: Type the name of the company you want to invest in.
  2. Choose the Amount: Decide how much of your KiddyCash balance you want to spend. You don’t have to buy a whole “cake”—you can buy just a few shillings’ worth of a share.
  3. Review the Fees: KiddyCash will show you if there are any small fees for the transaction.

Step 5: Confirm with Your Transaction Code

Because KiddyCash takes your security seriously, you will need to enter your secret transaction code. This is like a digital signature that proves it is really you making the purchase. If this is your first time, you might also see a “KYC” (Know Your Customer) prompt, which is just a way for the platform to verify who you are to keep your money safe.

Step 6: Watch Your Money Grow

Congratulations! You are now an investor. Once the transaction is complete, you will see a new badge on your profile celebrating your first investment.

But the work doesn’t stop here. You should check back regularly and practice /kb/tracking-your-investment-performance to see if your stocks are going up or down. Remember, investing is a long-term game—like planting a tree in the garden and waiting for it to grow tall.

  • /kb/tracking-your-investment-performance
  • /kb/setting-savings-goals
  • /blog/becoming-a-young-investor