“How do I start investing?” is one of the most common questions that new investors ask. They know having investments for a better future is a good idea but what they really want answered is “how do I start?”. Investing like anything else is a skill which has to be learned and the good news is that there are plenty of opportunities to learn it.
To begin with it’s a good idea to have a plan. Your plan should cover exactly what it is you are investing for. Ok you know you want to invest for the future but exactly when in the future? If you’re in college and wanting the cash in a few years to buy a place to live that will be different from someone who is middle aged and going to start investing for retirement.
A second aspect needs to address whether you will make regular set payments or if you’re just planning to put in lumps of cash whenever you can afford it. It’s usually a better idea to start by saving regular monthly amounts as it gets you into the rhythm of saving and pretty soon you will find that you don’t really notice the amounts going out each month.
Whatever type of investment you decide on ensure that it suits your personality in terms of risk. If you hate anything risky then ultra high risk bond markets are definitely not for you! Go for something that will get you the returns you are after but which also let you sleep at night.
The next point we need to look at is whether you will be making your own decisions on where to invest or getting a professional in to do the job for you. If you are planning to invest in the stock market you will need some serious knowledge of how to select stocks before jumping in. However if you choose to use a financial professional then you just need to make some enquiries to ascertain their track record.
Don’t assume that because they are a professional that they know everything about each different aspect of investing. Whichever type of investment you are considering make sure they have a proven track record in that particular field. Ask around family and friends and check with the Better Business Bureau. Remember a specialist will usually have much greater success than a general practitioner.
If you address all these points you will very quickly find you have the answer to the question “how do I start investing?”
Talking Odours 