Investing is not an easy job. Even advanced investors sometimes make mistakes. But if we set clear goals and do enough homework carefully, we'll avoid the common mistakes and have a better chance of success.
The following is the top investing mistakes:
1. Not setting clear goals.
What are you saving for and how much do you need? Are you saving for retirement? A house? A car? Will you need to use your money in five, ten or 25 years? You need to know these things before you invest. Then you can choose investments that best fit your situation. For instance, if you will need your money soon, you may want to choose safer investments. Why? You won’t have time to make up any losses.
2. Putting all your money in one type of investment.
A mix of investments often works better. If one loses, another may gain. Remember, some businesses have cycles. Some may do well in the summer, some in winter. Some will react to world events, some may not. If you put all your money in a single investment (no matter how good it seems) and something goes wrong, you could lose all your money.
Some people avoid this mistake by investing in mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). With these products, your money goes into a mix of investments. And over time, it’s your investment mix that most affects your results. That’s why many advisers tell investors to avoid putting more than 5-10% of their money in any one investment.
3. Investing in things you don't understand.
If you don't understand how an investment provides a return to you, or how a business is organized, or how it makes money, you need to either learn more about it or consider avoiding it. Also make sure you understand what can make the price of an investment rise and fall. This will help you decide whether an investment is a good choice for you.
4. Taking chances you can't live with.
Don't invest in something that makes you lose sleep at night from worry. Most people are better with investments that they don't need to watch every day. If you're going to take chances, make sure you only invest money you can afford to lose.
5. Forgetting about your investing costs.
There are always costs when you invest. In some cases, you pay fees. For instance, you pay sales fees when you buy and sell stocks. Mutual funds charge yearly fees to cover the cost of managing your money. These fees can vary from fund to fund. So before you buy, make sure you understand and compare those costs. It will help you make better investment choices.
Also, don't forget there can be a cost to playing it too safe when you invest. If you keep all your savings in a bank account, for instance, you won't lose money. But you also give up the chance to grow your money faster. That can cost you money in a different way.
6. Following hot tips or rumours.
What looks like great information may just be noise. Make sure you know and trust the source. If you're looking for advice, get it from an expert. That's doing your homework.
7. Other common investing mistakes include
· getting too comfortable with a good investment
· hanging on too long to a bad investment
· trying to rush results
· trying to time the market
· chasing success.
Showing posts with label Choose Investment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Choose Investment. Show all posts
2009-02-16
How to Choose an Investment
We have lots of investment options, which one is the best? Not the most highly benefited one, but the most suitable one. Remember, when you choose to invest your money, the final decision is yours alone. The risk of the investment is also yours.
Before you invest, consider your complete financial situation, looking at both your current and future needs. In general, investors should avoid higher-risk investments unless they have a steady income, adequate insurance, and readily available cash reserves in case of a loss. There are three investment basics
Rule One:
No matter how you choose to invest your money, there will always be a degree of risk involved.
Rule Two:
Risk and return go hand-in-hand. Higher returns mean greater risk, while lower returns promise greater safety.
Rule Three:
Do not invest in anything you do not fully understand.
Setting your investment goals
Ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish through my investments?” For most investors, the following investment goals or objectives, or some combination of these, provide an initial answer to that question:
Safety
This objective reflects a conservative investment philosophy with minimal risk of loss of the original investment (the “principal”).
Income
An “income” objective is achieved by purchasing investments that provide a stream of income through regular payments, which may or may not decrease the invested principal.
Growth
This category refers to investing for long-term growth or appreciation in market value. Growth investments carry a higher risk than either safety- or income-oriented investments. Growth investments generally provide little or no dividend income.
Speculation
Speculative investments carry a higher-than-average possibility of loss. This strategy often includes short-term trading of new or unproven companies’ stocks or options. Although there is the possibility of higher and faster rewards, speculative investments also are high-risk, meaning there is also the possibility of larger and faster losses of some of, or your entire principal.
Balancing “risk” and “return” to meet your goals
As an investor, you choose your investment goals with an emphasis on one or more of the above categories. You may also wish to allocate portions of your investment portfolio to more accurately express your investment goals.
For example, if you have $10,000 to invest, you may choose to invest 70 percent ($7,000) in income securities, 20 percent ($2,000) in growth securities, and 10 percent ($1,000) in speculative securities.
Of course, setting a goal and reaching it are two very different things. You may need professional assistance to realize your investment goals and to achieve your financial objectives.
If you choose to work with a broker, communicate your investment goals and financial objectives clearly. Put it in writing and keep a copy for your own records.
Remember, the more money you want to make from your investment, the more risk you must be willing to take. Risk means that you may lose all or part of your principal. If a high level of risk makes you uncomfortable, select your investments accordingly.
Get more information
There are many sources of information about a company in which you are interested in investing. If you do not know where to look, start by contacting the Texas State Securities Board. In most cases, securities must be registered with the securities regulator in each state where they are sold. Information about the company may be available to the public. You should also ask your brokerage firm or investment adviser to assist you in gathering information about the company in which you may invest.
Pay close attention to business and financial newspapers in your area. Often, these periodicals provide in-depth coverage about a specific company or segment of the industry. Check with your local reference librarian for assistance in identifying appropriate investment-related materials.
Things to consider
Before you invest, consider your complete financial situation, looking at both your current and future needs. In general, investors should avoid higher-risk investments unless they have a steady income, adequate insurance, and readily available cash reserves in case of a loss. There are three investment basics
Rule One:
No matter how you choose to invest your money, there will always be a degree of risk involved.
Rule Two:
Risk and return go hand-in-hand. Higher returns mean greater risk, while lower returns promise greater safety.
Rule Three:
Do not invest in anything you do not fully understand.
Setting your investment goals
Ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish through my investments?” For most investors, the following investment goals or objectives, or some combination of these, provide an initial answer to that question:
Safety
This objective reflects a conservative investment philosophy with minimal risk of loss of the original investment (the “principal”).
Income
An “income” objective is achieved by purchasing investments that provide a stream of income through regular payments, which may or may not decrease the invested principal.
Growth
This category refers to investing for long-term growth or appreciation in market value. Growth investments carry a higher risk than either safety- or income-oriented investments. Growth investments generally provide little or no dividend income.
Speculation
Speculative investments carry a higher-than-average possibility of loss. This strategy often includes short-term trading of new or unproven companies’ stocks or options. Although there is the possibility of higher and faster rewards, speculative investments also are high-risk, meaning there is also the possibility of larger and faster losses of some of, or your entire principal.
Balancing “risk” and “return” to meet your goals
As an investor, you choose your investment goals with an emphasis on one or more of the above categories. You may also wish to allocate portions of your investment portfolio to more accurately express your investment goals.
For example, if you have $10,000 to invest, you may choose to invest 70 percent ($7,000) in income securities, 20 percent ($2,000) in growth securities, and 10 percent ($1,000) in speculative securities.
Of course, setting a goal and reaching it are two very different things. You may need professional assistance to realize your investment goals and to achieve your financial objectives.
If you choose to work with a broker, communicate your investment goals and financial objectives clearly. Put it in writing and keep a copy for your own records.
Remember, the more money you want to make from your investment, the more risk you must be willing to take. Risk means that you may lose all or part of your principal. If a high level of risk makes you uncomfortable, select your investments accordingly.
Get more information
There are many sources of information about a company in which you are interested in investing. If you do not know where to look, start by contacting the Texas State Securities Board. In most cases, securities must be registered with the securities regulator in each state where they are sold. Information about the company may be available to the public. You should also ask your brokerage firm or investment adviser to assist you in gathering information about the company in which you may invest.
Pay close attention to business and financial newspapers in your area. Often, these periodicals provide in-depth coverage about a specific company or segment of the industry. Check with your local reference librarian for assistance in identifying appropriate investment-related materials.
Things to consider
U. S. Treasury Bills (“T-bills”) are the benchmark of minimal-risk investments. If an investment is presented as a very low-risk, it should produce a rate of return similar to the rates paid on T-bills.
If anyone guarantees your investment against loss, you should immediately contact the Texas State Securities Board, Enforcement Division.
Additional Considerations
Always set aside some of your money for emergencies before you invest.
Ask for advice from a trained and licensed professional.
Be selective in your investment choices. Exercise your right to say “No.”
Develop a sensible investment plan and follow it.
Judge each company on its own merits. Do not invest in a company just because it is part of a fast-growing and successful industry.
Never invest based on information obtained from an unsolicited telephone call.
Check the credentials of anyone you do not know who offers to sell you an investment.
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