When you hear the word invest, what do you think of? Do you imagine buying shares in a mutual fund with the aim of turning a nice profit? Or do you picture turning over the keys of your home and leaving it to the insurance company to watch for a return on your investments? If the latter describes your thinking, you are not alone. Most people would prefer to see their money work instead of just sitting there.
Investing is to put money into an investment with the hope of some future gain/profit. Simply put, investing means either buying an item or an asset with the purpose of generating an income from the investment, usually with the expectation of some higher return/profit in the future. The term “investment” can be used in two different ways depending on the circumstances of the situation. One way is purely speculation, where nothing is held directly, such as a bond issued by the government or insurance company. The other way is strictly speculation, such as the price of gold in recent years.
There are many different types of investment vehicles available to investors. Some common types of investment vehicles are stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, commodities, real estate property and foreign exchange. All of these vehicles have one thing in common – they require you to put up some sort of collateral, most often in the form of money (either cash or goods) so that in the event of your death or disability, the company or person who made the offer can pay your beneficiaries. The risk of these securities is known as the inherent risk of holding them, and this risk is known as the risk of inflation.
So which style of investing should you choose when you start learning about investments? There are two general styles of investing: conservative and aggressive. In conservative investing, you are more careful with how much you invest, and you are more conservative in how you choose investments and in how quickly you sell or buy your stocks. Aggressive investing involves more risk, but it tends to be more lucrative in the long run. So if you are beginning your career as a small investor, you should probably gravitate towards conservative investments. If you are just starting out as a young professional investor, aggressive investing might be right for you.
There are several different types of investment vehicles available to investors. Two of the most popular are mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs). Other popular financial instruments include treasury bonds, certificate of deposit (CD) accounts, and bank deposits (deposits from banks). Many small investors start out by concentrating on one or two of these instruments.
Another option for new investors is to open a high risk savings account. Most banks will allow you to open a savings account at any age with a modest amount of money. You can also opt for an online savings account, but keep in mind that this option does not provide you with a high return on your investments and, if you are not careful, you can end up losing money if the market takes a bad turn. Some investors prefer to go the traditional route and invest in stocks and bond funds. You can learn about all of your investing options and find low risk investments easily with a free financial tools database.