Investing: The Art Of Making Your Money Work For You

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Investing: The Art Of Making Your Money Work For You

Investing: The Art Of Making Your Money Work For You

There is a lot to know about investing. It all depends on what type of investing you are interested in as well. There are many different types of investment options out there. So what is investing, specifically?

When you invest, you are paying in a certain amount of money that you expect to grow with time. Most investments are considered long term investments meaning you will not get your money back right away but if you leave your money in, it can multiply dramatically over time. Types of Investing: Real Estate Investing, Bonds, Stock Investing, Mutual Funds, 401K. With stock investing, many of the younger investors see the market as a way to get rich quick. They are quick to sell off the stock that they have when it goes up or if they see it go down a little, they get nervous and sell it off. If they hold the investment and ride it out, they are much more likely to see it grow.

If you are going to be investing, the key to success is asset allocation. You need to vary your assets by investing in more than one type. So just how do you do this exactly? Well, you need to know what the 4 major types are first.

(1) U.S. Stocks are one. They are represented by the S&P 500 Index (2) Foreign Stocks is another; represented by EAFE Index (Europe, Australia and Far East) (3) Real estate, represented by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts Equity Index (4) Commodities;represented by the Goldman Sachs.

The key to a growing portfolio is finding a balance between the ups and downs of these many assets. For example, if one year stocks seem to be down, real estate or commodities may be up. So if you are ready to get started with investing, what do you need to know? First, you need to decide how much money you have to invest safely.

If you decide to invest in mutual funds, you will be asked if you want a high, medium or low risk stock. If you invest in high, there is of course, more risk involved but if it is successful, you will see much higher returns. If you go with a low risk, you will not lose as much if it doesn't work out but you will not gain large amounts if it is successful. It's really all about how much money you have and how much you feel comfortable with risking.

Whatever you choose, there is really no reason not to invest. There are so many opportunities that can be tried with little investment and little risk of loss. If you are considering it,it is easy to learn a little more about it to form your decisions of which way to go and then invest your money and watch it grow! The money you invest may return money for your college, kid's college, retirement, to buy a house or whatever your needs are. There's no reason not to get started today.

The author has discovered that wealthy people have a different thought process around money and finances. She has been helping people to achieve their financial goals for over 10 years.

Margaret Marabella is founder of Fun Investing an excellent resource site dedicated to information on investing

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Dow drops nearly 680 on consumer spending worries (AP)

AP - The reality that the nation is indeed in recession and that the downturn may well be prolonged sent Wall Street plunging Monday, hurtling the Dow Jones industrials down nearly 700 points and wiping out more than half of last week's big gains. All the major indicators fell more than 7 percent, with the Standard & Poor's 500 index down nearly 9 percent.

Obama announces Clinton, Gates for Cabinet (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama picked a national security team headed by former campaign rival Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bush administration holdover Robert Gates on Monday, and said he wants to consult with military commanders before settling on a firm timetable to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq.

It's official: U.S. has been in recession since Dec. '07 (AP)

AP - The U.S. economy has been in a recession since December 2007, the National Bureau of Economic Research said Monday. The NBER a private, nonprofit research organization said its group of academic economists who determine business cycles met and decided that the U.S. recession began last December.

India demands strong action from Pakistan (AP)

AP - India demanded Monday that Pakistan take "strong action" against those behind the deadly Mumbai attacks, and Washington pressured Islamabad to cooperate with the investigation.

Bush uses final 50 days in office to tout legacy (AP)

AP - President George W. Bush says history will judge him, but he is getting his own crack first. Bush is using his final 50 days in office to tout his legacy, hoping to leave a lasting impression of overshadowed progress. On Monday, World AIDS Day, Bush was heralded for his leadership in fighting the disease, a point that even his Democratic critics readily concede.

Parents: Slain anchorwoman was sexually assaulted (AP)

AP - The parents of the television anchorwoman who was beaten to death said Monday there is evidence their daughter also was sexually assaulted, and that she broke her hand fighting her attacker. Five days after a suspect was arrested in the Oct. 20 beating of KATV anchorwoman Anne Pressly, Guy and Patti Cannady said on NBC's "Today" that the family still has many questions about the killing.

Palin implores Ga. Republicans to back Chambliss (AP)

AP - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin urged Georgia voters to back Sen. Saxby Chambliss in Tuesday's runoff in an election eve appeal that underscored her popularity within the Republican Party and the GOP's efforts to stave off erosion of its shrinking Senate numbers.

1 in 5 young adults has personality disorder (AP)

AP - Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.

Man says God ordered him to ram vehicle at 100 mph (AP)

AP - A man who rammed his truck into a woman's vehicle on a highway early Friday told authorities he crashed into her while going more than 100 mph because God told him "she needed to be taken off the road."

Burress appears in court, has bail set at $100,000 (AP)

AP - Taken to court in handcuffs, Plaxico Burress posted $100,000 bail on weapons possession charges Monday as a frenzy grew around the case of the Giants star receiver who accidentally shot himself in a nightclub.

Obama names Clinton, Gates to lead foreign policy (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama named former rival Hillary Clinton as secretary of state on Monday and said Robert Gates would remain defense secretary in a national security team charged with recasting America's leadership role in the world.

Stocks slide as economy, Bernanke raise fears (Reuters)

Reuters - Stocks tumbled on Monday as news pointing to the deepening economic slump around the world erased much of last week's sharp gains, with financial services companies and retailers among Wall Street's biggest casualties.

India demands Pakistan act decisively on Mumbai attack (Reuters)

Reuters - India demanded Pakistan take decisive action over deadly attacks in Mumbai it said were carried out by militants from its nuclear-armed rival, while the West urged cooperation to ease tension.

Bush calls flawed Iraq intelligence biggest regret (Reuters)

Reuters - President George W. Bush said the biggest regret of his presidency was flawed intelligence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and told ABC "World News" in an interview airing on Monday that he was unprepared for war when he took office.

U.S. in recession, Europe backs spending hikes (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. economy has been in a recession for a year, the nation's business cycle arbiter declared on Monday, while European leaders vowed to step up public spending to try to cushion a deepening downturn.

House to push $500 billion stimulus bill (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi met leading governors on Monday to discuss the size and shape of an economic stimulus package that one Democratic aide said was likely to cost around $500 billion.

Thai protesters consolidate hold on airport (Reuters)

Reuters - Thai protesters prepared to end their three-month occupation of the Prime Minister's office on Monday to consolidate their grip on the main airport ahead of a court verdict that could dissolve the elected government.

Alabama mayor arrested on corruption charges (Reuters)

Reuters - Federal authorities arrested the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, on Monday in a corruption probe surrounding a massive sewer bond debt that has forced Jefferson County to the brink of bankruptcy.

Hawkish Obama names Clinton as top diplomat (AFP)

AFP - Barack Obama on Monday nominated Hillary Clinton to be his "tough," "smart" secretary of state as his former foe vowed to give her all to steer America through a storm of international crises.

Mumbai attacks: India demands Pakistan take 'strong action' (AFP)

AFP - India on Monday formally accused "elements" in Pakistan of being behind the devastating Islamic militant attacks in Mumbai and demanded that Islamabad take "strong action".

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