People often think that they can “wait” before they invest, and that’s usually the first mistake people make. When you think of invest, you don’t only think of the profits you’re going to make, but also how long it’s going to take before you earn earnings at all. And of course, frequently, the longer you’ve had the investment, the more you make. Let’s look at some investments that people wish they made sooner.
Gold
Gold isn’t just lovely as in the jewelry you can wear. It’s good to invest in gold because it doesn’t get affected by inflation. Compare this to saving your cash. It’s been proven that money loses its value over time due to inflation.
Inflation is a phenomenon where money loses its purchasing power. For example, $100 in 2001 had a more immense value than the $100 of today, 2021. Before, you could buy more at $100. And what you brought for $100 back, you might need to spend more for today.
There are many causes of inflation. For example, the increase in the supply of money is likely going to decrease its value. Take, for example, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, with an inflation rate of 6,500%. Today, one dollar is worth millions in Venezuela bolivar (VES).
Inflation can also be triggered by a rise in public and consumer spending. Other causes include disposable income, cheap monetary policy, and black money. Black money refers to all money derived from all activities that are considered illegal.
Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about inflation when you invest in gold. It’s actually a tangible way to save money for the future. The reason is that gold is easy to buy in the market. It’s more affordable than real estate, which needs a tremendous amount of downpayment. So if you want to save little by little, you should invest in gold.
Gold is also easy to sell in the market. Just remember that when you buy and sell gold, be confident that you’re buying from a reputable source. Go to the local jewelers because they are the most reliable sources of genuine gold. Meanwhile, you can sell through a broker, pawn it, or go online.
Stocks
Everyone has heard of this one, and yet they still manage to “wait” and not invest at all. One of the first considerations you should remember is that investing in stocks is for the long term. Even when the market takes a drop, it doesn’t mean you’ve lost your money. In fact, it only means that many stocks are for sale.
The market will recover. Take, for example, the slump in the 2020 stocks market. Beginner investors likely jumped and sold their stocks because they were horrified that it might go down even worse. And they could have decided better because stock values started to back to average months later. The market is recovering, and it continues to do so today.
The first thing you need to do when you invest in stocks is decided how you’re going to do it. Are you going to do it on your own or hire experts? You could open your brokerage account or invest in a Robo-advisor.
When you finally consider stocks, you can choose to invest in individual stocks or funds. Individual stocks refer to the shares of companies, and they are diversified. On the other hand, stock mutual funds or exchange-traded funds refer to various stores but are compounded in one transaction.
By investing in stocks or funds, you will see your money grow in investment gains. You also earn income when the company declares it. And, of course, you benefit from diversification of investments.
Real Estate
Investing in real estate is significant because, unlike many assets, it’s appreciating. In other words, it gains value over time. This is primarily because of the increase in demand for housing and land, whereas the supply will always remain limited. Investing in real estate will also give you the benefit of tax breaks and deductions.
It’s a brilliant move that people earn money from. For example, you can build equity and wealth when purchasing a home. Equity refers to the amount of ownership you have over the house, and it’s part of the wealth you can amass. It can be sold and converted to liquid funds.
Owning your own home is beneficial because you can stop paying rent. You can also stop dealing with a difficult landlord or cumbersome rent terms and conditions. The best part is you get to have free decorative rein.
The renovations you do over your home will increase its value as well as your equity. On the other hand, the upgrades you do on a rented property benefits only the owner. But many factors affect the value of real estate property, and the first among them is location.
For example, real estate in the city has a higher value compared to a suburban home. The reason is that the demand is higher, and there are more amenities in the city than anywhere else. What makes the location suitable includes the neighborhood, community, amenities, and accessibility.
If you want to make the most out of your money, the chances are that you should probably start investing now. The more time it takes you to do so, the more value you lose. Take the necessary steps to make investments so that you don’t regret not doing so in the future.
