Investing 101

Investing involves using your own money to buy assets that you hope will increase in value over time, and potentially earn income. These can be’real’ assets, like property or art, or ‘financial’ ones such as shares in companies or bonds issued by governments or other companies (called corporate or government bonds). When investing, you assume some risk that your investments will decline in value and that you may lose some of your original investment. Learn more https://www.theinvestorscentre.co.uk/

Investors often save before investing by setting aside money through payroll deductions or automatic withdrawals from checking or savings accounts. Then, they make a lump-sum investment with any remaining funds. The timing of this can be important if you have other financial priorities, such as paying off high-cost debt or funding daily living expenses. But, over time, consistent investment can generate greater long-term returns than simply saving the same amount in a checking or savings account.

Unbiased Financial Advice Review: Making Informed Decisions

A successful investing strategy is a long-term commitment, so investors must decide how much they can afford to invest on a regular basis, taking into account their other financial goals and timelines (also known as their investment horizon). A common rule of thumb is to set aside 10% of your pretax income for investments.

New investors should also consider their comfort level with risk, or volatility. Too many people panic and sell when the market goes down, missing out on potential gains over time. Depending on your investing goals and horizon, you can lower the risk of losing your money by diversifying your portfolio, spreading your funds among a variety of investments, such as stocks, bond and cash investments.