Thursday 10 May 2012

Investing Purposefully

By Allan Marsh


If you don't know the amount of debt that you have, it will be difficult to think of a strategy to pay it off. If you don't have goals for investing, it will be hard to put together an investing strategy. If you don't have a goal to invest in, you can't very well measure your success in reaching it.

There are many reasons for a person to invest. Many people invest to save for retirement. People generally want to spend the last years of their life relaxing. Unless a person is independently wealthy, they will need to save money.

A short-term financial goal could be another reason to invest.

Investing and Short-Term Goals

Short-term goals are just as important as a long-term goal like retirement. A catalyst for a short-term goal could be going on a dream vacation, buying a new car, or purchasing a new home.

Strategies differ between short-term and long term goals.

Your investment portfolio should have a mix of short and long term investments that pay dividends if you want a second income to supplement your salary. It might contain low-risk, high yield bonds.

If your goal is to save for a house or a car, you need to decide when you need the money and how much you will need. You can develop a strategy with that information.

If you aren't beginning with a lot of money, short term investments will be harder. Short-term investments have higher risk levels, but also better possibilities for high returns.

Long Term Goals and Investing

You can create more money or your retirement if you start early. Starting early in life has plenty of advantages, as a young person can take higher risks and recover from losses.

As you approach retirement years, your long term investing strategy should be less risky. Lower risk investments won't have as high of rates of return, but will steadily increase.

Retirement investment portfolios contain a mix of stocks, bonds, debt securities, index funds, and money markets. If your company sponsors retirement plans, you should look into them. It will help build your nest egg.

As you get older and closer to retirement, you should move your investments into guaranteed investments so you know it is there when you need it.




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