If you want to ensure your financial future is stable, you may want to consider investing. Even if the economy seems stable, things can turn around quickly, and if you aren’t prepared, you may be scrambling for income. There are a few types of investments you may want to consider.
Getting Ready to Invest
Investing is a great way to fund long-term goals, such as homeownership or retirement. It can even help you reach financial freedom because it allows you to grow wealth. You’ll be able to increase your money’s purchasing power. Investing can feel daunting if you have never done it before or if you don’t feel like you have the money to do it.
Luckily, you don’t need much to get started. A great place to begin is by getting your finances in order by taking out a personal loan. It lets you consolidate debt and free up money to invest. If you’re thinking about taking out a personal loan, you can use a marketplace of providers of products such as personal loans.
The Navient Marketplace lets you find personalized rates so you can find something that works for your financial situation.
Certificate of Deposit
A certificate of deposit (CD) is backed by the bank you obtain it from. The interest rate is usually higher than a typical savings account, but it does lock in your money for that amount of time. You can get a short-term CD if you expect interest rates to rise and a long-term CD if you want to lock in a good rate. If you are unsure what the interest rates will look like in the future, you can create a CD ladder, which simply involves purchasing CDs at different times and with different maturity dates.
Short-Term Bonds
Government bond funds are ETFs or mutual funds that allow you to invest in securities issued by the government or other governmental agencies. They do not have much risk associated with them, even when interest rates rise.
They allow you to invest in mortgage and debt-backed securities, and they are a great option if you are looking for lower-risk investments. The funds are also a good option if you are new to investing or are looking for something that will still provide you with a cash flow.
These are some of the safest investments out there because they are backed by the United States government.
Value Stock Fund
A value stock fund allows you to invest in value stocks that come at a lower price than others you can find on the market. These are good if you don’t mind the volatility that comes with investing in the stock market. They usually work best for those with a longer investing timeline, like several years. That way, you can ride out changes in the market without losing money.
There are some risks, but overall, value stocks are safer than others because of their lower price. However, stocks always tend to come with a greater chance of fluctuation than short-term bonds. Because they are not issued by the government, they are not backed like short-term bonds are.
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