To understand an investment, one must understand what investing actually is. To invest is essentially to put money into an investment with the intent of a return/value in the near or distant future. Simply put, to invest simply means buying an asset with the aim of generating an income from that investment or the accumulation of value in your investment over an extended period of time. Therefore, investing can be equated to building equity or accumulating wealth. Additionally, investing is a complex process that involves many factors including timing, research, risk, personal preference and knowledge.
Investment is the act of putting money into an investment with an intention of making money in the near or distant future. Although every year, there is little investment activity, you should still look after your investments. The importance of investing for a new investor or an experienced investor cannot be emphasized enough. A new investor needs to know his/her financial position, whether it is safe or not, before investing. An investor who invests every year would have a clear picture of his/her financial situation six months and even one year later.
Every investor has different investment goals and preferences. Therefore, they should invest in those asset classes that complement their overall investment philosophy. Different types of investments include: long-term investments such as bond funds, money market and certificate of deposits (CDs), growth-oriented investments such as stocks, real estate and derivatives such as currencies and bonds. The choice of asset classes depends on the goals and strategies of the investor. Some of the typical areas where investors commonly invest include:
The main objective of any investment is capital gain. There are two categories of investments: short-term and long-term. Long-term investments accumulate value gradually. They do not usually result in significant earnings until a considerable time has passed. The most common example of a short-term investment is the sale of a stock, which can generate capital gains within the timeframe of two to four years.
Short-term investments are more volatile than long-term ones. The main reason for this is that they incur high risks, but you can earn substantial profits on a relatively small amount of risk. A good example of such an investment is the real estate sector where real estate properties are rapidly appreciating. As a result, you can earn substantial profit from short-term bonds and stocks without much risk.
Most people tend to diversify their investments and avoid placing all their eggs in one basket. However, if you want to generate consistent income, it is important to have a number of investment vehicles. This will ensure that you don’t lose money on all your investments. An excellent strategy is investing in a number of different types of products such as stocks, bonds and property in order to ensure that you never lose value in your portfolio.
