📘 Instructions: How to Use the Compound Interest Calculator

This tool helps you understand how your money grows over time when interest is compounded. Compounding means you earn interest not just on your initial investment—but also on the interest that builds up!

🔹 Step-by-Step Guide:

1. 💵 Initial Investment ($):
   Enter the amount of money you’re starting with. For example, if you have $1,000 to invest today, type “1000”.

2. 📊 Annual Interest Rate (%):
   This is the rate your money earns each year. If your account grows at 5% per year, type “5”.

3. 📅 Years:
   Enter how many years you plan to keep the investment growing. The longer you wait, the more powerful compound interest becomes.

4. 🔁 Compounded:
   Select how often interest is added to your account.

   • Annually: once per year

   • Monthly: more frequent = more compounding

   • Daily: interest is added every day

5. 🔍 Click “Calculate”:
   You’ll instantly see the Future Value and the Total Interest Earned.

📈 Results You’ll See:

• Future Value:
  The total value of your investment at the end of the period, including interest.

• Total Interest Earned:
  How much of your final amount came from interest (not your own money).

• Chart:
  A pie chart shows how much of the total is your original money vs. your earnings.

• Detailed Table:
  See a breakdown for each period (month, year, etc.) showing:

  • Starting Balance

  • Interest Earned

  • Ending Balance

📤 Want a Copy?

You can export the result as a CSV file (for Excel) or a PDF report.

💡 Why It Matters:
Even small amounts can grow into big savings over time. This calculator shows the power of patience and consistency. The earlier you start, the more your money can work for you.