How to Choose Where to Invest Next

When it comes to choosing where to invest you need to consider a few important factors first. 

Your Goals

Why do you invest? Investment goals are personal, but no matter what you are trying to achieve, it is critical to take an objective look ahead. It is a lot harder to accomplish goals when you lack foresight, so now is the time to formulate your financial objectives.
Investment goals address three major themes regarding money and money management. First, they intersect with a life plan that engages our thought processes in unexpected ways. Second, they generate accountability, forcing us to review progress on a periodic basis, invoking discipline when needed to stay on track. Third, they generate motivation that impacts our non-financial selves in positive ways that can improve health and mental outlook.

When do You Expect a Return On Your Money

We all want to get as much out of our money as possible, but it’s important the expectations are realistic. Research suggests that many investors are anticipating returns far higher than what the average investment can expect to generate. It’s a miscalculation that could put plans at risk.
That’s why before start looking for ways to invest determine how soon do you want to see a return on your investment. If your goal is a retirement investment you might not see the money back in a long period of time. But if you want to see a return sooner you might look into other options like bonds for example.

Know Your Risk Appetite

Ask yourself what would happen if you lost some or all of the money you’re putting into investments. This will depend on your circumstances and how much of your money you’re investing. Think about people who depend on you financially and any other important financial commitments you need to be sure of meeting.
When stock markets are rising we tend to feel comfortable with market risk, when they are falling we do not. Most people are not comfortable with the idea of losing money. On the other hand we might regret it if we’ve been very cautious and our long term investments don’t produce the returns we need. You can keep risks in line with your risk appetite by spreading your money across a range of different investments.

Your Age

Generally speaking, the younger you are, the riskier your investment portfolio can be. The reason being, that the younger a person is, the more time they have to recover and recoup any losses from things like a sudden market downturn. Someone who’s a few years away from retirement, however, won’t have the necessary time it often takes to recover from a plunge in the markets. Instead, if their portfolio relied too heavily on stocks, their entire retirement strategy could be jeopardized. They may never recoup their losses and could easily drain their other resources while trying to accommodate for this loss of income.

Along with risk tolerance, your age should be a large deciding factor in what and how much you decide to invest in. For example, the higher the percentage of stocks you invest in, the more volatile your portfolio is going to be. In general, you’ll want to dial down the risk and focus on more steady sources of income as you get closer and closer to retirement.

Investment Types

Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Exchange-Traded Funds, Certificates of Deposits, Retirement Plans, Options, Annuities, Cryptocurrency, Commodities… there are a lot of options, and it can be hard to figure out which investments are right for your portfolio.
Some are perfect for beginners, while others require more experience. Each type of investment offers a different level of risk and reward. Investors should consider each type of investment before determining an asset allocation that aligns with their goals.

The bottom line is to regularly check out top investment news sites which provide the latest news and updates on different types of investment. While doing your research, it’s also wise to take some time to familiarise yourself with common investment terminology.

You might also want to research how various investments work and generate returns. With this information, you can then decide which ones make the most sense for you to invest in.