£11,000 of savings? Here’s how I’d aim for a second income worth £12,560 annually

For many of us, a second income is the holy grail of investing. Dr James Fox explains how he’d kick things off and aim for a substantial income.

| More on:

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

Older couple walking in park

Image source: Getty Images

When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in.

Read More

The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of personal advice. Investments in a currency other than sterling are exposed to currency exchange risk. Currency exchange rates are constantly changing, which may affect the value of the investment in sterling terms. You could lose money in sterling even if the stock price rises in the currency of origin. Stocks listed on overseas exchanges may be subject to additional dealing and exchange rate charges, and may have other tax implications, and may not provide the same, or any, regulatory protection as in the UK.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

Lots of us invest to earn a second income and support our lives accordingly. However, it can also feel unobtainable for some of us, especially if we’re not starting with a huge amount of capital.

So how can I turn £11,000 into a sizeable second income?

Creating a strategy

Opening a Stocks and Shares ISA is a smart first step. It’s essentially a wrapper that shields my investment from capital gains and income tax. This means when I come to take a second income, it’ll be tax-free.

Should you invest £1,000 in Rolls-Royce right now?

When investing expert Mark Rogers has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets. And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if Rolls-Royce made the list?

See the 6 stocks

Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice. Readers are responsible for carrying out their own due diligence and for obtaining professional advice before making any investment decisions.

It also means my investments can grow at a fastest pace. Because if I’m started with a relatively small amount of capital, I need my investments to grow and compound.

I can also help my portfolio grow faster by making regular contributions. Even as little as £100 a month can significantly enhance the compounding effect, accelerating the growth of wealth over time.

Harnessing the power of compounding

The power of compounding is the true magic in wealth-building. By consistently reinvesting my earnings, each investment and its subsequent returns fuel a cycle of exponential growth.

As returns accumulate, they generate more returns, transforming the initial £11,000 and subsequent contributions into a snowball effect of increasing wealth.

Here’s an example, using an annualised return of 10% and £100 of monthly contributions. As we can see, the speed of growth appears to increase over time. That’s because I’m earning interest on my interest.

Created at thecalculatorsite.com

After 20 years, I’d have £157k. That’s enough to generate £12,560 a year in passive income, assuming a dividend yield of 8% can be achieved.

Investing wisely

However, if I invest poorly, I’m going to lose money. It’s great to have a strategy where everything works out on paper, but I need to make wise investment decisions. So where should I put my money?

Well, my strategy revolves around finding companies with under-appreciated growth potential. One such company is AppLovin (NASDAQ:APP). It’s a technology firm that helps app and website developers and operators maximise advertising revenue.

Created with Highcharts 11.4.3AppLovin PriceZoom1M3M6MYTD1Y5Y10YALLwww.fool.co.uk

The business hasn’t had the smoothest growth trajectory in recent years, and that does represent a risk. But the company appears to have turned a corner. In fact, it’s currently trading at 13.8 times forward earnings and has a price-to-earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of 0.69.

This PEG ratio suggests the company is significantly undervalued, driven by the success of its AXON 2 software. It’s also undertaking a shift towards the high-margin software segment, given the maturity of the app business. And this appears to be paying dividends, allowing for more stable growth versus historic averages and margin expansion.

Moreover, I appreciate some investors may be wary of a stock that’s up 381% over the past year. But momentum’s actually a great indicator of future performance. Equally, the growth has been driven by earnings beats. That’s a great sign.

We think earning passive income has never been easier

Do you like the idea of dividend income?

The prospect of investing in a company just once, then sitting back and watching as it potentially pays a dividend out over and over?

If you’re excited by the thought of regular passive income payments, as well as the potential for significant growth on your initial investment…

Then we think you’ll want to see this report inside Motley Fool Share Advisor — ‘5 Essential Stocks For Passive Income Seekers’.

What’s more, today we’re giving away one of these stock picks, absolutely free!

Get your free passive income stock pick

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

James Fox has positions in AppLovin. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Fans of Warren Buffett taking his photo
Investing Articles

With value investing back in vogue, I’m taking a leaf out of Warren Buffett’s playbook

With tariffs and trade wars resulting in heightened market volatility, Andrew Mackie takes comfort in Warren Buffett’s words of wisdom.

Read more »

Hand of person putting wood cube block with word VALUE on wooden table
Investing Articles

Around a 1-year high, is there enough value left in Next’s share price to make it worth me buying?

Next’s share price has risen a lot in eight months, but there could still be a lot of value left…

Read more »

Group of young friends toasting each other with beers in a pub
Investing Articles

OMG DYOR but IMO this ‘cool’ FTSE 100 stock offers bangin’ VFM!

Despite being one of the least trendy 50-somethings around, our writer considers how Gen Z could help push this FTSE…

Read more »

Investing Articles

2 cheap FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 growth stocks to consider as stock markets sink

I think these Footsie and FTSE 250 growth shares could be very shrewd buys to consider in the current climate.…

Read more »

Investing Articles

3 shares I’ve bought in the 2025 stock market sell-off

The stock market has experienced a lot of turbulence in recent weeks. Edward Sheldon has been taking advantage and buying…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Investors considering HSBC shares could aim for £8,453 a year in passive income from just £5 a day!

A relatively small daily investment in HSBC shares over several years can produce an extraordinary level of annual passive income…

Read more »

Investing Articles

The Rolls-Royce share price has fallen! Is this the moment investors have been waiting for?

Even the Rolls-Royce share price can't escape current stock market volatility, falling slightly over the last week. Should investors consider…

Read more »

Modern suburban family houses with car on driveway
Investing Articles

Down 59% from its 12-month highs, is this FTSE 250 stock too cheap to ignore?

Shares in FTSE 250 housebuilder Vistry are almost certainly too cheap to ignore. But are they discounted enough to offset…

Read more »