How To Find The Best Investment For You
There are lots of potential investment types to choose from, ranging from stocks and shares to cryptocurrency and fine art. As an investor, you should first determine your desired risk level and your willingness to research and learn. Your investment level may also determine the best type of investment for you.
For example, investing in stocks and shares has been the go-to investment for generations, but you will need to do a lot of research about the stocks you invest in. Investing in ETFs means that the research has been done for you by professional investment managers, and can offer a diversified portfolio of shares that is readymade for you. Investing in art typically requires a large one-off outlay, whereas high-yield savings may allow you to invest a smaller amount every month.
High Risk, High Reward: Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies are still relatively new. Bitcoin was the first of its kind. Even though it launched in 2009, it took years for people to take it seriously as an investment opportunity. It does carry a lot of risk, but it also has huge potential rewards. Cryptos are also a functional investment because they can be spent and used, as well as kept. A growing number of businesses are accepting the likes of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Crypto holders can use their currency to buy real-world goods, wager online at a Bitcoin casino, or even book a trip using digital currency. As the number of businesses accepting crypto grows, like travel agents, online casinos, and e-commerce sites, the value of digital currencies will likely increase, making it an interesting, and likely profitable, investment choice.
Alternative Investments: Art
Art generally requires a lot of knowledge and a heavy initial investment, but it retains values well. And, if you have an eye for picking relatively unknown artists that gain prominence, it can return a lot of money. Investors need somewhere to store the art, which is also true of similar alternative investment forms like whiskey and fine wines. These can be a good way to diversify a portfolio.
Long-Term Stability: Real Estate
Real estate is seen as being a long-term, stable investment. Even if property prices drop in the short term, they will increase again in the future because people always need places to live and businesses always need premises. Although it is expensive to buy entire properties, you may be able to find real estate investment funds that allow groups of investors to share.
Long-Term Wealth Building: Stocks And Shares
When most people think of investing, they tend to first think of stocks and shares. And they certainly have the potential to offer very good returns. However, this type of investment requires a lot of research of relevant news and business profiles, or careful study of share price graphs and movements. And because it is better to diversify a stock portfolio with shares in different companies within different industries, direct stock investment can be considered a lot of work for the potential returns.
The Diversified Portfolio: ETFs And Mutual Funds
Whereas stock investment takes a lot of research, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) offer access to diversified portfolios spread across entire markets. For example, an S&P 500 ETF spreads investors’ money across all companies in the S&P market.
Mutual Funds have been established and are managed by experienced fund managers. Some are themed, for example, a renewable energy mutual fund invests in companies that are involved in renewable energy efforts. Finding a good mutual fund with the level of risk and reward you’re looking for does take time, and you will need to research the fund manager as well as the individual fund’s performance, but it requires a lot less research than picking a dozen or more individual companies to invest in.
Steady Growth: Bonds
Bonds include corporate and municipal bonds as well as treasury notes and government bonds. These have fixed returns that pay out after a predetermined number of years and are considered some of the safest forms of investment. They tend to have relatively low returns when compared to other forms of investment, but this is offset by their security.
Slow And Steady: High-Yield Savings Accounts
Standard savings accounts pay very little interest, but if you have a decent investment pot, high-yield savings accounts can offer much better rates. Some include terms that prevent you from being able to access the money without days or weeks of notice, and most have a minimum saving value, but they are stable and secure.
Conclusion
Every investor is different. They have different amounts to invest, different levels of risk aversion, and are looking for different things from their investment portfolio. Experts recommend a diverse portfolio of investment types, as well as individual investments, so it can be beneficial to have some money in high-interest accounts, some in ETFs, and some in alternative investments like cryptocurrency, for example. In any case, do your own research, invest carefully, and only invest what you can afford to lose.