From a small budget to a solid investment portfolio: How can you achieve a financially stable future

Wednesday: The Independent Investor FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Investing is an important vehicle that helps us maximize our wealth. We should learn how to do this financial activity wisely and properly. Today, let’s talk about a common myth when starting or planning to invest. I believe it’s important to discuss these kinds of topics so we can debunk them and make the most out of our investment strategies. Curious about what myth we’re referring to? Keep reading the article below to find out. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

From a small budget to a solid investment portfolio: How can you achieve a financially stable future? There’s a common myth in investing when one is just planning or starting to invest: A big, fat bank account or a huge amount of money is required to get started. Here’s the thing: Big bucks aren’t a prerequisite to being a successful investor. In reality, the process of building a solid portfolio can begin even with just a few hundred or thousand dollars. There are several smart, simple ways you can invest in the stock market using a small budget. Regardless of your age or income, learning how to invest wisely can help you save for the future and maximize your wealth. Automate your savings. As an investor, it’s important to learn the habit of diligently setting aside a certain amount of money for your savings or investment every month. This will enable you to reap rewards in the long run. If you think you lack the willpower to do this by yourself, you may use a software that sends out monthly reminders. Additionally, you may want to try other applications that let you automatically transfer a portion of your funds to your investment portfolio/s every month. This will help ensure consistency in your investment strategies. … and the more consistent you are, the closer you will be towards achieving your financial goals. Deal with your debts. If you have a high-interest debt, it makes sense to pay it off before making investments. Example: Let’s say you have a debt with a 20% interest rate… While it’s true that you can’t predict the exact return on most of your investments, you can perceive that retiring debt with a 20% interest rate prior to its maturity date is equivalent to earning a 20% return on your money. [Retiring Debt: This refers to any type of debt that has been paid off.] Through this, you’ll have one less thing to worry about once you start investing and you won’t have to divide your money to pay your debt and fund your investments at the same time. Think about your retirement plans. One of the key goals of investing is to ensure that you have enough money even after you stop working. So, take advantage of the financial benefits offered by governments and employers to encourage retirement security! Make sure you don’t overlook your retirement plan/s. Always check your 401k to see if your employer makes regular contributions. If you’re an independent contractor or a freelancer, always keep in mind to have your 1099 form ready. These documents will help you properly plan for your retirement and make robust investments that lead to financial stability in the future. Invest your tax refund. If you find it challenging to save money throughout the year due to lots of financial responsibilities, bills payments, etc., consider setting aside part or all of your tax refund as a way to get started with investing. Think of this as putting your money to good use! By investing your tax refund, you’re allowing that amount to compound over time and eventually, you’ll achieve both your short-term and long-term financial goals. Regardless of how you decide to invest or how much money you decide to invest, it’s important that you understand the options available to you. After all, it’s your money. Whether that amount is small or big, knowing how and where to invest it and make it grow will give you a better chance of being successful in your investment strategies. — Investing can get complicated when you don’t fully understand how it works and how to do it, but the basics of this financial activity are simple. Maximize the amount you save… … minimize your debts… … think about your retirement plan/s… … and make smart choices with your resources (whether they’re limited or abounding). By taking note of these basics, you’ll build a solid investment portfolio that will lead you towards a financially stable future. Once you get to that stage, you’ll worry less and get better sleep because you’ll reap the rewards of your investments, and see the compounding power of investing a fraction of your money early on in your life. We hope you enjoyed reading today’s tip on investing! Keep in mind that investing isn’t an activity that only extremely wealthy people can do. Even with a limited resource or budget, you can still put a portion of your funds in the stock market. You’ll see—as long as you stay consistent and determined to grow your wealth, the little amount you first invested will compound and turn into a HUGE sum that will be beneficial for you and your family in the long run. It’s time to get your money to start working for you! Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s The Independent Investor! In April 2022, Professor Joel Litman, Chairman and CEO of Valens Research and Chief Investment Strategist of Altimetry Financial Research, was in Cappadocia with his family. Learn more about the importance of “self-speak” in investing in next week’s article!