Notes

Corliss Online Financial Mag: 5 investment tips for beginners

We’re all taught that it’s good to save some for a rainy day but simply setting a side a portion of our income is not going to cut it nowadays, what with the inflation always rising.

According to a senior investment expert of Corliss Online Financial Mag, most people feel intimidated at first of the idea of investing but it’s not really as daunting as they imagined. Though that’s naturally biased coming from a pro, we’re fortunate enough that he shared a few choiced investment tips meant for first-time investors:

It’s not just for the rich. You don’t need to have thousands of cash first before you can start dabbling in the stock market. All you need is the courage to endure the rise and fall of your savings. Keep in mind that investing is not something that quickly pays off. It requires time and patience so you have to be really committed in the idea that the money you set aside must be left to grow.

Find an adviser. Seeking the advice of someone who’s well-versed in his area of expertise is always a smart move. An investment advisor or a stock broker navigates the ins and outs of investment on a regular basis so partnering with one can help you greatly.

Getting this choice right will make a big difference on what kinds of investments you can access, how much commission fees you need to pay and a ballpark figure of the eventual payout you’ll get. Be wary of brokers who are not willing to go down to your level and teach you the basics as they might take advantage of your ignorance.

Stick with the basics first. Before you engage in volatile stocks that tend to move drastically, it’d be better to start with the staple ones to get a feel of things. It’s not wise to enter the stock market with a get-rich-quick mindset so test your patience with stocks that you can hold on a long-term basis and with minimal risk.

Consumer stocks like those in the medical, apparel or food industry are considered relatively safe because no matter the circumstance, people will always need those commodities. Just don’t expect very high returns soon.

Place your eggs in multiple baskets. Diversification is a common tactic in investing as mentioned by Corliss Online Financial Mag, mainly as a means of insurance against unexpected events. So in case that one of your investments drastically fell, you won’t lose everything.

Start investing now. The world of investing might be a little daunting for a first-timer but you have to start somewhere, right? Armed with a basic knowledge of the whole thing and a reliable broker, you might realize it is worth your time after all and prevent the common pitfalls beginners often make.

The soonest time is now so never mind that you’re still young — in fact, you’re in the best position to invest. Just set aside a fixed amount that you can realistically do without and it can give you returns in the years to come. The earlier you start the more money you can end up with.