Reaching 50 with little or no savings would be daunting.

But I would not see it as too late to start.

There would still be time to build meaningful wealth, particularly if I could save consistently and avoid making the process more complicated than it needs to be.

And if I were starting from scratch, I would take plenty of inspiration from Warren Buffett.

Why Warren Buffett?

Buffett, often called the Oracle of Omaha, has spent decades showing what patient, disciplined investing can achieve.

He took control of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) in the 1960s when it was still a struggling textile business.

Over time, he transformed it into one of the world’s most valuable companies.

The textile operations eventually disappeared, while Berkshire became a collection of high-quality businesses and investments spanning insurance, railroads, energy, manufacturing, consumer products, and listed shares.

A big part of Buffett’s success has come from buying good businesses, holding them for long periods, and allowing compounding to do the work.

That is the part I would copy.

I would focus on quality

Starting at 50 would make me reluctant to gamble on highly speculative shares.

I would want companies with strong balance sheets, proven business models, good competitive positions, and the ability to increase earnings over many years.

On the ASX, that could lead me toward businesses such as Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD), Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), and TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE).

They are different companies, but each has qualities that could allow it to keep becoming more valuable over time.

I would not expect every investment to work perfectly.

Buffett has made plenty of mistakes himself. The important thing is making sure the winners have the potential to do far more good than the losers do damage.

I would keep adding money

With no savings at 50, investment selection would only be part of the job. I would need to build the capital base.

That means investing regularly and increasing contributions whenever possible.

If I could invest $1,500 a month and generate an average annual return of 10%, after 15 years the portfolio could grow to around $600,000.

At $2,000 per month, it could reach roughly $800,000.

Those returns are not guaranteed, of course, but they show why starting now is so much better than waiting another five years.

I would leave the portfolio alone

One of Buffett’s greatest advantages has been patience. He has often held successful investments for decades rather than constantly trading in and out of the market.

I would try to do the same. Once I owned quality businesses, I would give them time to grow earnings, reinvest profits, pay dividends, and compound.

I would still review the portfolio and sell if the investment case genuinely changed. But I would not let every market fall, broker downgrade, or bad week convince me to start again.

At 50, I would not have time to waste. But I would still have enough time for patience, regular investing, and compounding to make a very meaningful difference.

The post With no savings at 50, I’d follow Warren Buffett’s approach to build wealth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 reasons why the Wesfarmers share price is a buy
• 9 ASX 200 shares earning strengthened buy ratings this week
• 2 ASX shares I think could return more than Westpac
• You don’t need to own Nvidia to invest in AI – Here are the best Aussie artificial intelligence shares
• Why I think these are the best ASX shares to buy and hold

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Goodman Group, ResMed, and Technology One. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Berkshire Hathaway, Goodman Group, ResMed, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Berkshire Hathaway, Goodman Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX 200 energy shares rose 2.39% while the broader market tanked amid turmoil in the Middle East last week.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) dropped 2.94% and closed at a 10-week low of 8,741.2 points.

Nine of the 11 market sectors fell into the red.

Let’s review.

Brent crude oil price jumps 12%

Brent crude, the international benchmark oil price, jumped 12% last week to above US$108 per barrel on Friday.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil also leapt 12% to above US$103 per barrel.

US heating oil rose 12% and gasoline increased 5%.

The UK gas price jumped 15%, German gas rose 14%, and European gas increased 13%.

This occurred as the Iran-backed Houthis sought to take control of Saudi Arabia’s alternative oil export route.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil and gas is shipped, has been effectively shut down since March.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter and a US ally, has been exporting via the Red Sea and Strait of Bab el-Mandeb instead.

The Red Sea and the strait run alongside Yemen, where the Houthis are based.

The rebels seized a Yemeni port city called Mocha, and are now advancing toward other cities closer to Bab el-Mandeb.

While all this was happening, Iran and the US continued to exchange fire with no hope of a peace deal in sight.

The US-Iran conflict has helped push up inflation in Australia, the US, and other nations.

Last week’s oil price spike raised the chances of an interest rate rise in Australia and the US this month.

Traders rate the likelihood of a rate rise in both countries in September at 70%.

The US stock market also slumped last week, and American bond yields hit multi-year highs.

Australia’s 3-year government bond yield rose above 5% on Friday, the highest level in 15 years.

These were among the factors contributing to the ASX 200’s slump last week.

Energy shares led amid broader market downturn

The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price gained 3.24% to close at $32.86 on Friday.

The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price ascended 4.63% to $8.59.

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) shares edged 1.38% higher to $41.21.

The Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) share price jumped 4.83% to $3.04.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) shares ripped 5.17% to close the week at $1.83.

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) shares rose 2.33% to 88 cents apiece.

The Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price increased 2.5% to $8.60.

Whitehaven shares were one of 9 ASX stocks upgraded by experts last week.

The New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) share price gained 3.77% to $6.33.

Uranium miner Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) tumbled 12.14% to $10.28 per share.

The Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) share price fell 3% to $1.46.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

Here’s how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.

Over the five trading days:

S&P/ASX 200 market sector	Change last week
Energy (ASX: XEJ)	2.39%
Utilities (ASX: XUJ)	0.51%
Industrials (ASX: XNJ)	(1.28%)
Financials (ASX: XFJ)	(2.33%)
Communication (ASX: XTJ)	(2.72%)
Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ)	(3.48%)
A-REIT (ASX: XPJ)	(3.62%)
Healthcare (ASX: XHJ)	(3.77%)
Materials (ASX: XMJ)	(3.91%)
Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ)	(4.73%)
Information Technology (ASX: XIJ)	(8.57%)

Next week 33 ASX shares are set to trade ex-dividend.

The post Energy shares rose while the ASX 200 slumped last week. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX dividend gems I’d buy today for $10,000 a year in passive income
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 9 ASX shares just upgraded by the experts
• ASX 200 tumbles to a 2-month low and wipes out its 2026 gains. What on earth is going on?
• $10,000 invested in Santos and Woodside shares 3 years ago is now worth…

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Superannuation is one of the rare investments designed to be held for decades. That makes Warren Buffett’s approach to investing particularly relevant for Australians building wealth for retirement.

Buffett’s success hasn’t come from constantly trading in and out of stocks. Instead, he has focused on owning high-quality businesses, paying reasonable prices and giving them plenty of time to compound.

Several of those principles can translate surprisingly well to superannuation.

Patience can be a superpower

Perhaps the biggest Buffett lesson is that investing doesn’t have to involve constant activity.

The legendary investor is famous for holding businesses for many years, sometimes decades. That patience allows companies to reinvest profits, grow earnings and compound value without investors repeatedly interrupting the process.

There’s a lesson here for superannuation investors.

Constantly changing investments can create more opportunities to make mistakes, particularly when decisions are driven by fear during market sell-offs or excitement when a stock is soaring.

If the original investment thesis remains intact, there may be little reason to sell simply because another opportunity looks more attractive.

A superannuation timeframe can stretch 20 or 30 years. That gives investors an enormous advantage: time.

Of course, patience only works when paired with sensible investments. Whether it’s carefully selected ASX shares or diversified index ETFs, having a clear strategy and sticking with it can provide a strong foundation.

Think like a business owner

Buffett doesn’t view shares as pieces of paper to trade. He sees them as ownership stakes in real businesses.

That mindset can be particularly useful for investors running a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF).

Take CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL). Rather than simply asking whether its share price might rise next year, a superannuation investor could consider what makes the biotech company competitive, how durable those advantages are and whether the business can become more valuable over the next decade.

Share prices can fluctuate wildly along the way. But ultimately, long-term returns are driven by the performance of the underlying businesses.

That means investors should consider factors such as competitive advantages, management quality, financial strength and opportunities for future growth.

Quality matters more than simply being cheap

Buffett’s investing style has also evolved towards owning exceptional businesses rather than simply buying statistically cheap stocks.

That distinction matters for superannuation investors. A company with a strong competitive position, capable management and plenty of opportunities to reinvest capital may be able to compound its value for many years.

That doesn’t mean price is irrelevant. Buffett remains highly conscious of valuation.

But a slightly more expensive high-quality business can potentially prove a better long-term investment than a struggling company that initially looks cheap.

Keep it simple

There’s another Buffett lesson that may be even more relevant to most superannuation investors: you don’t need to pick individual winners.

Despite his extraordinary record as a stock picker, Buffett has repeatedly acknowledged the value of low-cost index investing for people who don’t have the time or expertise to analyse individual businesses.

For Australians, ETFs such as the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) or iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) offer straightforward ways to own diversified portfolios.

For super investors, perhaps the biggest Buffett lesson is therefore simple: invest sensibly, keep costs under control, think like an owner and give compounding time to work.

The post What Warren Buffett can teach Australians about superannuation appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Higher or lower: Where are CSL shares going next?
• How much do I need to invest in ASX shares to retire with an extra $1 million on top of my superannuation?
• ASX healthcare shares are 39% higher since June. Are you missing out?
• CSL shares are up 90%. Brokers can’t agree what happens next
• Payday superannuation is two months old. Has it made you better off?

Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.