I used to just save my PayPay points. Starting point investment changed my perspective

Good evening, this is Maru🌿

How do you all use the points you earn from everyday shopping or point-earning activities?

I used to leave my PayPay points sitting there, barely using them even after they accumulated.

I would occasionally use them for shopping, but I often ended up just leaving them alone while thinking, "I'll use them once I've saved a bit more."

The reason I started point investment

I started actively using PayPay point investment this May.

Until then, I was just saving the points I earned.

Because I hadn't researched point investment thoroughly, I had anxieties and questions like, "Will they really increase?" and "What kind of investment methods are there?"

At that time, I saw many posts online from people who were actually making a profit through point investment.

"Maybe I can do it too."

That thought was what triggered me to start.

I chose the "Standard Course"

I am currently using the "Standard Course," which invests in 500 representative U.S. companies.

The reasons I chose this course are:

。Because you can diversify your investment across 500 major U.S. companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon all at once, you can expect stable long-term growth while keeping risks low✨

。Since it doesn't have the 3x price movement (leverage) like the Challenge Course, I can leave it alone with peace of mind without being swayed by daily price fluctuations💰

Actually, I thought the "Gold Course" was also attractive for its low risk and focus on stability, but since I don't have that many points yet and I intend to invest steadily over the long term, I plan to stick with the Standard Course only for a while😊

My own little trick

As many of you may already know, I have one trick I use when starting my investment.

In PayPay point investment, a 1% fee is charged if you add 100 points or more at once.

So, I continue to use the method of manually adding them every time I save 99 points.

Since it's 99 points at a time, I can add them as many times as I want in a day👌

It takes a little bit of effort, but since I can invest without any fees, this method works for me😊

Current investment performance

As a result of steadily accumulating them since May, currently

• Invested points: 11,500 points

• Investment gain (unrealized gain): +609 points

is what it has become.

Of course, since it is point investment, the value fluctuates daily.

Even so, it is very gratifying to see the results of accumulating 99 points at a time gradually appearing in the numbers.

Now, checking the investment screen has become a secret pleasure of mine😊

Things I've been curious about lately

While continuing my point investments smoothly, I recently had a thought.

"Which is better: continuing to invest points like this, or buying high-dividend stocks through PayPay Securities?"

When I looked into it out of curiosity, I found that each has its own pros and cons.

What is the difference between point investment and PayPay Securities?

🌿 1. Difference in how you receive returns

With point investment, any gains are also received as PayPay points.

On the other hand, if you purchase high-dividend stocks through PayPay Securities, dividends and proceeds from sales can be received as cash (Japanese yen).

🌿 2. Presence or absence of dividends

With point investment, points can increase or decrease based on price fluctuations, but there are no dividends.

On the other hand, when you purchase high-dividend stocks, you may be able to receive dividends every year while you hold them.

What I found most appealing was this point: "receiving dividends in cash".

🌿 ③ Differences in investment targets

With point investment, you choose from pre-prepared courses to manage your points.

With PayPay Securities, you can purchase individual Japanese stocks starting from 100 yen, so you can invest in companies you like, such as Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group or NTT.

🌿 ④ Differences in fees

Point investment incurs a 1% fee if you add 100 points or more at once.

Therefore, I manage my points by adding 99 points at a time to avoid fees.

On the other hand, PayPay Securities charges transaction costs when buying and selling stocks (approximately 0.5% during weekday daytime hours, as of the time of writing).

🌿 ⑤ Ease of getting started

Point investment does not require opening an account and has the convenience of being able to start immediately.

On the other hand, PayPay Securities requires opening an account and identity verification at the beginning, but once opened, you can use points to purchase stocks in small amounts.

When I actually compared them, I realized that each has its own merits.

I suppose it's like: point investment if you want to start easily, and PayPay Securities if you also want to look forward to future dividends.

Things I want to try from now on

My current main account is Rakuten Securities.

I plan to continue managing my NISA and high-dividend stocks primarily through Rakuten Securities.

On the other hand, regarding the PayPay points I accumulate through point activities, I am thinking about opening a PayPay Securities account and trying out small-amount high-dividend stock investments using those points.

Instead of straining to increase investment funds from my monthly salary, I will grow my assets by utilizing the points I have saved through point activities.

I feel like this method suits my current lifestyle and pace.

Once I actually get started, I hope to report back on this note about the differences from point management and the results of my investments.😊✨

Conclusion

I used to think that points were just for saving.

However, since I started investing my points, I've added the mindset of "letting my points work for me" as well.

Whether it's investing or point-earning activities, the most important thing is to continue without overdoing it.

I want to continue building my assets at my own pace, steadily and enjoyably.

Thank you for reading until the end.🌸