Was the potential reward worth the risk?

An investor may be tempted to chase that little bit of extra return on his investment. Perhaps, he may put his life savings into saving schemes that pay slightly more than ordinary bank deposits. However these types of deposits are a little bit more risky. Every now and then they can blow up. It's always sad when these, usually, small investors have lost their savings that way.

Is the higher return worth the risk?


There are many types of investment which pay above market returns. The problem is that every now and then there can be a big crash which can take away the profits and cause losses. These types of investments can give the illusion of being very comfortable when they are doing well. However, there is an asymmetry, because most years they will pay-off, but in a bad year they can be horrendous.

If an investment opportunity looks too easy, it's time to smell a rat.