Savings versus Index Fund

[Benjamin Carver]

Scott Trench states in the conclusion of Chapter 9 that it is "inefficient and dangerous" to attempt high earnings if an investor possesses less than $100,000 ready-to-invest dollars. He goes on to say that it would be wiser to seek material assets to invest in. Makes sense, small investments equal small returns. Me, being a young investor with roughly $15,000 to my name, is saving up toward the purchase of a duplex - my first material investment. I plan on house-hacking, flipping, you name it. But I'm left with the question, is it wise to keep adding my paychecks to an index fund rather than my savings? My focus is on the duplex, not the fund. But the fund could help propel me toward the duplex. I would empty the fund and purchase that asset in time. But with a recession in the near-ish future, it might be smarter to simply save? Not for sure.