Make The Most of What You’ve Got
You’ve got some cash to invest – that’s great. Now make the most of what you have with some clever strategies.
Successful investors take a planned approach to their portfolio, often with the backing of professional advice. Taking the time to think through an investment strategy can make a substantial difference to your long term results.
You don’t need much to get started
It doesn’t take a lot of cash to get started as an investor. There are plenty of ways to grow wealth over time however it’s worth focusing on the basics to begin with.
Match investments to goals
A useful starting point is to set some goals. For example, you may be investing to pay for your children’s education or to fund a luxury holiday. Your personal aspirations play an important role in your choice of investments as some assets are better suited to meeting longer term targets than others.
Accept that risk = return
It can be tempting to focus on investments offering the potential for strong returns. Bear in mind, higher returns mean more risk, and you need to be comfortable with the level of volatility associated with your choice of investments.
Determine what you can afford to tuck away
Your ‘disposable income’ – money that’s left over after essential household expenses have been paid, can act as a guide for how much you can afford to invest on a regular basis. Your financial adviser can assist with drafting a budget that will clearly show your disposable income.
Little but often
A ‘slow but steady’ way to build investments is through a strategy known as ‘dollar cost averaging’. It involves investing a fixed amount over regular intervals – each week, month, or quarter, regardless of whether asset markets are rising or falling.
Harnessing the power of ‘leverage’
Or, it may be possible to fast-track your portfolio using ‘leverage’, meaning borrowing to invest. Leverage can boost your returns though it can also magnify losses, and you’ll still need to meet loan repayments even if an investment delivers lower than expected returns.
