Some individuals wrangle for several days over the perfect
investment. They find websites, employ filters, read periodicals and
scour cable tv investment stations. Should you choose the stock that
looks hot at this time or the steady-eddie? Should you invest in a
mutual fund or choose a few well placed stocks? How about real estate?
Prices seem low now, so it may seem like time to buy.
These decisions aren't fun. Just remember that as an investor, avoiding decisions doesn't make reduce any pain. It keeps you from your goals.
After 16 years leading clients to good investments, I understand how easy it is usually to freeze up and decide to neglect the whole investment game because the right decision seems so hard. How do you pick from the hundreds and hundreds of available investment opportunities? So many choices and so little money... what happens if you choose an investment and another turns out to be the big winner?
The good news is that deciding on a worthwhile investment means avoiding that entire game. Actually, choosing investment opportunities is much easier than you imagine, if you remember one basic rule.
There is no perfect investment. Quit looking.
Which should relieve some of your stress about investing. Much like athletes make an effort to run faster constantly, so it is with investing. You'll chase perfection, and sometimes, accidentally, you will get close, finding a juicy money-maker that met your goals. Unfortunately, even near-perfect investments don't last forever, so when the fun ends you'll change and begin the search again.
And you won't find perfection again, as it isn't there.
Instead, remember these investment rules and you'll find success on a more frequent basis:
1) Beginners should concentrate on diversification above all. When you're starting out, you'll be learning about the investment world. By choosing many investments rather than a single stock or bond, you're less likely to make a mistake that costs you serious money.
2) Begin with a mutual fund, it doesn't matter what you've read. I dealt with many engineers who'd get "deer in the headlights" evaluating investments. There are several negative points written about mutual funds, and many are true. However, mutual funds have three traits that are wonderful for newbies:
Your hard-earned funds are pooled with many different other investors to purchase a diversified collection of securities. In some cases, a fund might buy as many as 150 different stocks with your money!
A prospectus that informs you of the fund's objectives. Some funds buy only large company stocks and are trying to beat the S & P 500, the 500 biggest companies in the country. Others have bonds and stocks and are trying to create smooth returns at a lower risk level than a stock-only fund. Still others are invested in money markets that rarely lose money, but won't ever make much, either.
A professional manager trades investments within the fund so you don't have to worry about when to buy or sell.
3) Review your fund's performance quarterly, instead of every day. I know in the beginning, many of my clients would get excited about investments, but imagine how well things go when your boss is standing over your shoulder while you're working. Would it make you better? Wouldn't it help? No way! Funds don't make money over short periods of time. They're more like the turtle in the famous fable.
You won't ever achieve greatness if you never make the decision to begin the search for investments. Like anything, once you've begun, you'll learn from mistakes and initiate to master some of the basics. But much like a football player won't learn without getting on the field, an investor can't wish to invest without finding something to invest in and starting.
These decisions aren't fun. Just remember that as an investor, avoiding decisions doesn't make reduce any pain. It keeps you from your goals.
After 16 years leading clients to good investments, I understand how easy it is usually to freeze up and decide to neglect the whole investment game because the right decision seems so hard. How do you pick from the hundreds and hundreds of available investment opportunities? So many choices and so little money... what happens if you choose an investment and another turns out to be the big winner?
The good news is that deciding on a worthwhile investment means avoiding that entire game. Actually, choosing investment opportunities is much easier than you imagine, if you remember one basic rule.
There is no perfect investment. Quit looking.
Which should relieve some of your stress about investing. Much like athletes make an effort to run faster constantly, so it is with investing. You'll chase perfection, and sometimes, accidentally, you will get close, finding a juicy money-maker that met your goals. Unfortunately, even near-perfect investments don't last forever, so when the fun ends you'll change and begin the search again.
And you won't find perfection again, as it isn't there.
Instead, remember these investment rules and you'll find success on a more frequent basis:
1) Beginners should concentrate on diversification above all. When you're starting out, you'll be learning about the investment world. By choosing many investments rather than a single stock or bond, you're less likely to make a mistake that costs you serious money.
2) Begin with a mutual fund, it doesn't matter what you've read. I dealt with many engineers who'd get "deer in the headlights" evaluating investments. There are several negative points written about mutual funds, and many are true. However, mutual funds have three traits that are wonderful for newbies:
Your hard-earned funds are pooled with many different other investors to purchase a diversified collection of securities. In some cases, a fund might buy as many as 150 different stocks with your money!
A prospectus that informs you of the fund's objectives. Some funds buy only large company stocks and are trying to beat the S & P 500, the 500 biggest companies in the country. Others have bonds and stocks and are trying to create smooth returns at a lower risk level than a stock-only fund. Still others are invested in money markets that rarely lose money, but won't ever make much, either.
A professional manager trades investments within the fund so you don't have to worry about when to buy or sell.
3) Review your fund's performance quarterly, instead of every day. I know in the beginning, many of my clients would get excited about investments, but imagine how well things go when your boss is standing over your shoulder while you're working. Would it make you better? Wouldn't it help? No way! Funds don't make money over short periods of time. They're more like the turtle in the famous fable.
You won't ever achieve greatness if you never make the decision to begin the search for investments. Like anything, once you've begun, you'll learn from mistakes and initiate to master some of the basics. But much like a football player won't learn without getting on the field, an investor can't wish to invest without finding something to invest in and starting.
We have a lot more information about mutual fund evaluator at our website, The Free Financial Advisor. Come on over and let us know what you think!
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