Overall, investing is a great way to build wealth or a 'nest egg' for your retirement. If you invest regular amounts of money on a consistent basis over a long period of time, you are more likely to be successful in reaching your financial goals. By knowing just a few investing basics, you can get started with a variety of income options.
Three Types Of Investments
There are three basic types of investments you can choose from. There are stocks, bonds, and short-term investments.
Stocks
Stocks can also be referred to as equity investments. These are investments in individual companies that are publicly held. Stocks allow you to hold a small ownership in these companies. When invested in long-term, stocks have a high potential for growth. Stocks are not without risk, however. If the price of the stock drops, so do the investor's earnings. If a company goes out of business, the owners of the stock can lose their entire investment. It is wise to invest in the stock of companies that have been around for a very long time and that have a track record of rising stock prices.
Bonds
Buying a bond is basically lending money to the company you are purchasing it from. An example of this is buying a bond from the U.S. Treasury. After purchase a bond, you would be paid back after you cash it in. Buying bonds has the potential to increase your wealth with a lower risk than purchasing stocks, as well as the benefit of having a bit of protection from economic inflation.
Short-Term Investments
Short term investments can include money market investments, certificates of deposit (CD's), and others. After a short period of time, you can earn interest on these investments. You can usually begin receiving interest in as little as one year or less. These short-term investments are much less risky than stocks and bonds, but there is lower potential for growth. This means you can not expect as large of a return on a short-term investment as you could from stocks or bonds.
The Basics of Personal Finance Investing
By Richard MacGrueber
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