It certainly seems like a while since any trader or investor saw a genuine sure thing. So many of the classic stable options have seen some major wobbles over the last couple of years. If you have come into some money and you want to invest, or if you are thinking about putting some cash into stocks to give your portfolio a bit of a boost (hopefully), then things are not exactly simple. Now, any seasoned investor and grizzled stock market veteran will tell you that it’s always been this way. Everyone would be making huge sums of money if it was that easy, wouldn’t they?
So let’s start with a question. You need to ask yourself: “What kind of return am I looking for?” Have you got your eye on a quick profit to cover the gaps in your savings? Or are you looking for a nice predictable investment to help with your retirement plan? Or would you like a little of both in an ideal world? Let’s break down some of the most common investments and talk a little about their pros and cons.
Property
It’s become a bit of a joke that people from the older generation don’t understand why millennials can’t get on the property ladder. But the truth is that the property market has been subject to an awful lot of…let’s say turbulence over the last few years. While it does seem to have righted itself after the massive inflation in price during the pandemic, there is still a lot of apprehensions when it comes to buying property. If you’re looking at a house or piece of land assuming that it’s going to go up in price, you need to do your homework. Look at the property trends in the area over recent years. Visit the area to see if there’s a good reason why the price is so right. Above all, don’t gamble everything on the property price skyrocketing.
Gold
There’s a good reason why gold is such a popular choice among so many investors. Even though the market value of gold may go up and down, it has a wonderful tendency to stabilise. It also has a history of improving in value when there is turbulence elsewhere. During times of political unrest, or when there are social factors that are causing the markets to wobble, people look to gold. It’s easy to understand why, as it’s a tangible asset and there is a finite amount of it. You need to think about whether you want to trade on its value or to buy physical gold that you can store and keep if you’re thinking about investing in gold. And even though it’s more stable than other investments, you still need to keep an eye on the XAUUSD. A XAUUSD live chart can give you live updates about what the price is doing, and at TradingView you can find market summaries, expert analysis and much more.
Stocks And Shares
Playing the stock market is, to be perfectly frank, always going to be a little bit of a gamble. It’s probably more so than the other options listed above. There are going to be a lot of different factors that you can’t control, which makes a lot of the more risk-averse investors a little wary. It’s true that you’ll see more fluctuation here, but that also means that you could make more money more quickly than you would by investing in property, for example. Research and preparation are kings here, so always do your due diligence if you are thinking about investing. It’s also crucial to stay as up-to-date as you can and to be aware of anything that might send a ripple through the market. It’s worth repeating how important diversifying your portfolio is, as the value of stocks can change incredibly quickly. You don’t want to be caught out by a major ripple if you’ve got everything riding on one thing.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency may be the most controversial of all the investment options discussed here. There has been so much discussion about crypto over the last decade or so, and not all of it has been good. But the fact is that in spite of all its volatility, it is still here and people are still investing. If you are interested, it’s so important that you make completely sure that you understand what it is and how it works. Go away and do your homework on the basics, from blockchain technology to the different coins that are available. Find a crypto exchange that is a good option for beginners, and make sure that you are taking security seriously. Crypto is a highly risky investment, but if you get in and out at the right time there may still be money to be made.