Investing Guide For Beginners
To understand investment means to commit money to an entity with the intention of gaining a return/profit in the near future. Simply put, to invest simply means having an asset or an entity with the intention of making money from the investment itself or the appreciation of that asset over a prolonged period of time. When an individual purchases shares in a company, he is doing so with the intention to make money in the future from that investment. Therefore, an individual can call his/her investment, saving or lending. There are many types of investments; however, they all require you to understand what you are actually purchasing.
There are mainly two types of investments: long term and short term. Long term investments are generally considered safer than short term ones, because the safety of long-term investments is derived from the ability of the asset to generate income and dividends that will compensate for any losses in value during the duration of the investment is held. Dividends are a dividend payment received by shareholders from the corporation’s stock ownership. The bond market is a financial market where an organization or individual issue bonds with a maturity date, typically ranging from one month to one year. Bonds generally pay principal and interest during the course of the bond’s maturity.
An investment can take different forms, either tangible or intangible. However, there are a few things that an investor may consider important before she/he starts investing. First, the purpose of the investment is to create long-term wealth. Second, the return or rate of return on investment is important. And, third, the amount of risk is also a big factor to consider before jumping into the game. These factors basically determine the level of return on the investment that the investor may expect.
Usually, it is said that lower risk investments give higher returns, while higher risk investments usually result in lower returns. Therefore, for long-term investors, it is important to find investments that have a medium level of risk. For example, an individual may invest his money in mutual funds and bonds. These are examples of long term investments wherein a person could see positive results over the period of time (generally, ten years).
Meanwhile, short-term investors may opt to invest their money into stocks. An investor may decide to put his money into investing options such as options, futures, currencies, etc. An option is a security or a contract that allows an investor to purchase or sell a specific underlying asset within a specified period of time (the period can be a few days, a week, or a month). An option, therefore, is a kind of financial investment whereby an investor has the right to trade in a specific asset once it is purchased. Futures refer to the purchase and sale of commodities (such as wheat, pork bellies, or milk) within a set time frame. A currency is a kind of global currency that changes in value according to the value of other currencies.
Aside from these, there are also investment options for individual investors such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and so on. To choose the best option for an investor, he or she should make sure that it gives high returns and is suitable to his or her lifestyle. In order to do this, an investor should assess himself or herself first before putting his or her money in whatever option. After all, it is an investment, and one that requires careful decision-making.
