People invest their money for various reasons and use different methods of investing. Whether your goal is to purchase that dream home you have always wanted, or take your children to the finest educational institutions, or just traveling the world after retirement. Investing will play a critical role in attaining those financial goals.
As a beginner, your investment journey will not start as a smooth ride. Instead, you will face a few challenges like timing, how much you should invest, and what advice you should follow when investing, especially considering the impacts of the pandemic. Here are a few expert tips for beginners to steer you in the right direction.
Start Investing Today
People often think that it is best to start investing when they have enough money, or when they have a ‘decent’ job or some time at the beginning of a new year. And the truth is that it is better to start as soon as yesterday.
You can start investing small with free investing platforms, with what you have, and in time you keep adding to it. The advantage of starting allows you the freedom to fail and learn the ropes of investing and your financial targets. With so much investment advice out there, it is so easy to mislead beginner investors.
Know Your Risk Appetite
As you grow older and as your life circumstances change, so does your risk appetite, also known as risk tolerance. Your risk tolerance is determined by several factors and not limited to your age, financial standing, and family responsibilities. For instance, the younger you are, with minimal responsibilities you may be willing to buy into riskier assets with high returns and losses.
On the other hand, the older you are with more responsibilities and a family, you would probably go for less risky assets. The best low-risk assets are and not limited to treasury bills, money market funds, savings bonds, certificate of deposit, and high-yield savings. The best investing approach is to enjoy a comfortable commitment, then adjust gradually.
Mutual Funds Are A Great Start
With so many investment options available, you often find beginners indecisive due to over-analysis and overthinking choices. So where to start as a new investor? Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds are recommended for beginners. There are various mutual funds. Thus it is best to research finding the best suitable fund to complement your risk tolerance.
To help a beginner investor, mutual funds allow you to instantly convert your investment into cash in the time of need. Apart from getting professional investment management, it also allows you to grow your investment over time with monthly contributions.
Spread Your Eggs
Surely you have heard the expression, “Never put your eggs in one basket”. Wherever possible, try to diversify your investments; this way, you increase the chances of success and higher returns. Risk tolerance plays a significant role in diversifying your investments when deciding on the different types of investments.
You may consider to share out your funds in real estate, bonds, annuities, bank products, emerging markets, stocks and so on. The most significant advantage of diversifying is combating the volatile and unpredictable nature of the markets.
