The question you should ask yourself is, ‘why should you invest?’ To answer this question, you first have to understand what investing means. It is a way to provide yourself with a secondary source of income, get you out of a troublesome financial situation, or, most importantly, grow your wealth.
Plus, doing so will allow you to increase your purchasing power over time or achieve your financial goals. Whatever the case may be, ensuring you have enough money saved away for financial stability is easier said than done.
That said, 2021 is probably the best time to look at your investment strategy through a microscope. 2020 was an extremely volatile year when considering the financial and economic markets. Not to mention the economic fallout that Covid-19 left on economies worldwide.
It is great news because now you can make particular investments that fit your risk profile while providing you with various returns. And today, we will share some of these investment ideas down below. So, without further ado, Let’s take a look at what they are.
Precious metals.
Perhaps you’re thinking of parking your money by investing it in precious metals. If that the case, then we’ve got some good news for you. Precious metals such as gold and silver are available for purchase for anyone via market dealers, banks, and bullion traders. Other than that, the demand for such metals is always on the rise.
Making such an investment requires someplace safe to store your precious metals, like dedicated storage units. If you’re anywhere in South Carolina, where security isn’t what it used to be years ago, you’ll need to keep your assets safe no matter what.
Finding storage units is easy though, all you have to do is search for the term storage Myrtle beach SCon Google to find affordable storage units, according to your requirements.
Precious metals will ensure you have a hedge against financial or economic uncertainties. Plus, the price of gold and silver has risen for the last decade and will continue to do so in the future. So, you can rest assured that this investment type will provide you with great returns.
Cryptocurrency.
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum are digital currencies that act as a medium of exchange. However, cryptocurrency picked up popularity in the last ten years or so, with bitcoin becoming the top dog in the digital currency market. As more and more dollars continue to flow into cryptocurrency, prices are higher than ever and will continue to go up with every passing year, attracting more and more buyers in the process.
That said, investing in cryptocurrency has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. One disadvantage is the FDIC doesn’t back it. So, your return could turn into a zero without warning. However, the most significant advantage is you can liquidate cryptocurrency, especially Bitcoin and Litecoin, whenever you want.
Stocks.Â
Regardless of your current financial standing, it is a no-brainer to invest in stocks. However, try avoiding individual stocks because their prices can fluctuate drastically. On the other hand, if you want to maximize your profits, investing in low-cost index funds such as ones from Vanguard S&P500 to minimize your risks. Or better yet, purchase and exchange funds with a tracked index, like the SPDR S&P 500 EFT.
That said, to start investing in stocks, you’ll have to open up an account with an online brokerage firm. In addition, according to Nerwallet, pick a broker that charges low account minimums and low broker fees. For example, online brokerage houses such as OptionsHouse and TD Ameritrade have no minimum deposit requirements.
Typically, you’ll have to pay anywhere from five to ten dollars on every stock. But that entirely depends on the rates your broker gives you.
EFTs and Passive Funds.
Again, if you want to avoid purchasing in individual stocks, you can invest in passive products or stock market alternatives covering entire industries. These are usually known as EFTs or index funds. Plus, they cost less than personal funds as they aren’t actively managed.
Another difference between EFTs and traditional funds is that index and mutual funds’ prices change every day after the market closes while you can trade EFTs like regular stocks. Furthermore, mutual funds require that you put down investment between 500 to 3000 dollars while you can put down a minimum of 100 dollars to purchase EFTs.
As far as investing in EFTs goes, it is the same as investing in ordinary stocks. Just log into your online brokerage, and select the EFT you want to purchase. Also, you can sell EFTs whenever you want.
Real Estate.
Like stocks and EFTs, the cost of real estate is slowly increasing day by day, meaning you should invest in it as quickly as possible before it becomes unaffordable. That said, you also have to consider the risk of investing in real estate, and prices could always go down with a snap of your fingers.
As far as investing in real estate goes, it is as simple as putting money down on the house. However, what if you can’t afford to put down payment on a new home or other pieces of real estate right now? If that is the case, you can utilize tons of different platforms to make real estate investment without actually purchasing the property.
For example, you can invest in REITs( real estate investment trusts) that are publicly-owned businesses via your brokerage account. Moreover, if your stock trading game is on point, you can invest tons of real estate EFTs as they work the same way as stocks.
Dividend Stock Funds.
As the name suggests, these are stocks that pay dividends in the long run. They are a particular percentage of a business’s profits that you can pay out quarterly. However, as with other types of stock investments, dividend stock funds also come with their risks.
Ensure that you invest in businesses with a good history of dividend increases instead of choosing ones with a high current yield. That said, even the most successful organizations will sometimes be hit with a financial crisis, and their dividend stock prices will go down. So, it is wise to invest carefully and do your homework.
Conclusion.
Investing is an easy way to improve your financial situation while avoiding the dreaded nine-to-five desk job in the process. However, before you decide to invest, you’ll need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of every investment option out there.
Doing so will allow you to make more informed investment decisions, minimize losses, and gradually build up your wealth over time.
