5 Simple ETFs to Buy With $1,000 and Hold for a Lifetime
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Research suggests that Interestingly, When it comes to building long-term wealth, often times simplicity works best. You don't need to chase the hottest stock or time the market. However, What...
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July 21, 2025
10:15 AM
The Motley Fool
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Re suggests that Interestingly, When it comes to building long-term wealth, often times simplicity works best
You don't need to chase the hottest stock or time the market
However, What you do need are a few core positions you can buy, hold, and consistently dollar-cost average into, in this volatile climate
Meanwhile, Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are one of the best investments to do just that
However, Here are five ETFs that I think are perfect for long-term investors, amid market uncertainty
Moreover, You don't need to own all of them, but if you've got $1,000 to put to work, any of these would be a smart place to start, amid market uncertainty
Just remember that $1,000 is just a starting point, and it's best to consistently invest into ETFs each month over time
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF If I could only pick one ETF to hold for the next 30 years, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO 0. 60%) would be it
It tracks the 500 largest companies in the U (an important development)
Additionally, , essentially giving you a slice of the entire U
You get instant exposure to the market's biggest companies, which also just so happen to be some of the market's biggest winners (an important development), in this volatile climate
Nevertheless, The ETF's expense ratio also incredibly low, considering recent developments
It's just 0. 03%, which means nearly every dollar you put into the fund is working for you
However, Over the past 10 years, it's duced an average annual return of around 13. 6%, as of the end of June
In contrast, That kind of consistency makes it one of the most reliable long-term investments out there
Vanguard Growth ETF If you want to lean more into and high-growth names, the Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG 0. 68%) is the investment for you
Moreover, It still gives you broad exposure to large-cap stocks, but it focuses on companies with strong earnings and sales growth
Conversely, That means you're getting more exposure to companies Nvidia and Amazon
However, The ETF, which s the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, currently holds around 165 stocks
Furthermore, The ETF's focus on growth has paid off with market-beating returns (noteworthy indeed)
Over the past 10 years, the Vanguard Growth ETF has returned an average of 16. 2% annually, as of the end of June, easily outpacing the broader market
With an expense ratio of just 0
Moreover, 04%, it's also cost-effective
You're not getting the same diversification as the S&P 500, which means you could see more volatility at times
Furthermore, However, if you believe and innovation will continue to lead the market -- and I do -- this is a solid way to get more exposure without having to pick winners yourself
Invesco QQQ Trust Another simple, growth-oriented ETF to own is the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ 0, given the current landscape
The ETF tracks the Nasdaq-100, which includes the 100 largest non-financial stocks listed on the Nasdaq exchange (remarkable data)
Not surprisingly, that means it is heavily concentrated in and consumer names
Meanwhile, This ETF has consistently been one of the best performers out there
However, Over the past 10 years, it's returned 18. 7% annually, as of the end of June, given the current landscape
Furthermore, Even more impressive is that it's outperformed the S&P 500 more than 87% of the time on a rolling-12-month basis over the past decade
That type of performance is hard to ignore
Additionally, Its top holdings read a who's who of Silicon Valley: Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, and Alphabet, to name a few (fascinating analysis)
That said, the weightings of its top holdings are a bit more spread out than some other -heavy ETFs, including the Vanguard Growth ETF, in light of current trends
Moreover, What the re reveals is does carry a slightly higher expense ratio at 0 (remarkable data). 2%, but for the performance you're getting, it's more than fair
If you're comfortable with a little more volatility in exchange for long-term upside, the Invesco QQQ Trust should be on your short list of ETFs to buy right now
Image source: Getty Images, in today's financial world
Dividend Equity ETF While nology is a hot sector, not every investor is looking to go all-in on stocks
Moreover, For investors with more interest in income and value stocks, the Schwab U
Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD 0. 24%) is a great option
It tracks the Dow Jones U
Dividend 100 Index, which is focused on companies with strong dividend histories and solid fundamentals
It also has a low expense ratio of just 0
However, The ETF currently has a yield of nearly 4%, giving investors a solid source of income
However, This fund isn't vesting in high-yield stocks, though; it is looking for ones that have strong track records of consistently increasing their dividends over time
Furthermore, While the ETF has not been putting up the same type of performance as growth-stock oriented ETFs, it has still been a solid performer
Meanwhile, It has generated an average annual return, including dividends, of 11 (which is quite significant), in today's financial world
Moreover, 2%, as of the end of June, in light of current trends
That's better than most value-focused ETFs over the same stretch
If you're building a portfolio for retirement or just want a ballast in a growth-heavy portfolio, the Schwab U
However, Dividend Equity ETF fits the bill
Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF The simple fact is that most investors are underexposed to international stocks
This analysis suggests that analysis reveals Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI 0
In contrast, 85%) can help fix that predicament
This ETF focuses on non-U
Companies with above-average dividend yields
Moreover, Over 40% of its portfolio is in European names, with the rest split between Asia-Pacific and emerging
The evidence shows 's been the second-best-performing ETF in Vanguard's lineup so far this year, up 20. 7% as of July 16, trailing only one that solely focuses on Europe (which is quite significant)
At the same time, It's also been Vanguard's top-performing international-focused ETF over the past five years, with an average annual return of around 14 (something worth watching). 5%, as of the end of June
That's impressive given how long international have lagged the U, in today's market environment
If you're looking to round out your portfolio with some international exposure, the Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF is worth owning, in this volatile climate
Conversely, Its expense ratio of 0. 17% is higher than most Vanguard ETFs, but that is typical of international-focused ETFs
John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors (fascinating analysis)
Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors
Furthermore, Geoffrey Seiler has positions in Alphabet, Invesco QQQ Trust, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, in this volatile climate
The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Nvidia, Vanguard Index Funds-Vanguard Growth ETF, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, given current economic conditions
The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy, given current economic conditions.
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