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How to Invest According to Your Risk Profile 

Written by R. A. Stewart

Your risk profile is a term you may hear from time to time from financial commentators. This is the amount of risk you are able to take when investing your money. There are several factors which determine what your risk profile is and the same profile is not applicable to everyone who invests because everyone’s personal circumstances are different.

It should also be pointed out that your financial portfolio could have a different risk-factor attached to them.

Here are the main factors which determine your risk-factor

  1. Your Personal Circumstances

If you have young kids then there is little room for risk in your portfolio apart from your retirement funds. Someone who is young and single can take more risks without being reckless. 

  1. Your Health 

This has a bearing on your plans if your health is so compromised that there are medical bills to think about. If this is the case then you might want to be a little conservative with your investing because the last thing you need is when it comes to cashing in on your investment only to find that you have less money than you thought due to a market meltdown.

  1. Your Age

At a young age you have more room for financial mistakes. This is because time is your friend. You have more time to recover from financial setbacks. This all means that investing in growth funds is a good option for you as far as your retirement fund is concerned. If you are saving for a vehicle and you have given yourself a 1-2 year timeline for this then investing a little more conservatively is the way to go. The last thing you want to happen is for the markets to drop just when you need the money for your car and for your savings to be less than you expected.

  1. Your Goals

Your goals or rather what you expect to do with your savings whether it be for a car, house deposit, overseas trip, or to build up your financial portfolio is a factor in determining which is the best option for investing your money. If you are investing to increase your wealth and have no set time as to when you need the money then you have more room for risk. If you are saving for something in particular then you have less room for risk.

  1. Your Debt levels

“A debtor is a slave to the lender” and if you have debt your first responsibility is to pay it off before you even consider saving for anything. Keep in mind that if you have debt then you have no discretionary spending money until that debt is paid.

  1. Your Timeline

The question should always be asked, “How will this affect my lifestyle if there is a market meltdown?”

This means that you should invest according to when you need the money. Here is a quick guide:

Timeline Time

Short-term: 12 months or less Savings account/conservative fund

Medium-term:1-5 years Conservative/Medium funds

Long-term 5 years+ Growth funds

About this article

This article is of the opinion of the writer and is not financial advice. You may use this article as content for your blog/website or ebook. 

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

Quick Travel Tip for your next big trip: 💡 Order your Wise card 4-6 weeks before you leave. This gives you time to:

  1. Fund your account.
  2. Get familiar with the app (seriously, it’s so easy).
  3. Lock in some currencies when the rate is favorable. Don’t wait until the last minute! Future-you will thank you. 🙏 What’s the first thing you load up? (Mine is usually Euros!)

Sign up for Wise Here

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The true cost of keeping pets

Written by R. A. Stewart

Most people have a pet of one kind or another but do you know what this is costing you?

I think you might be shocked if you add up the true cost and how it is affected your lifestyle in the present and in the future.

Using a dog as an example, I read that the cost has been estimated at between $1,400 and $4,000 per year but this seems rather conservative and there are some things which have not been included in the calculations.

Initial costs

Purchasing or adopting a dog can cost $125 up to over $1,000 and more depending on whether you obtain a dog from an SPCA or breeder.

Vet work

$150-$1,500 for neutering or spaying and micro chipping.

Odds and ends

$150 upwards for crates, bowls, collars, leads, and litter boxes.

Ongoing Expenses

$400-$1,500 per year depending on the dietary requirements and breed of the dog.

Ongoing Healthcare

$200-$600 per year at the vet for boosters, worm, and flea treatment.

Council Registration

$80-$300 per annum depending on council regulations.

Pet Insurance

$200-$1,200 per year depending on the level of coverage and the age of the pet.

Total cost of keeping a dog during its lifetime

The total cost of keeping a dog during its 14 year lifetime has been quoted at $20,000- $35,000. This can be more if there are major medical issues.

What has not been included is the time spent in looking after a dog. To calculate the cost of this, multiply the time spent by the minimum hourly rate of pay and you will discover just how expensive keeping a dog is.

Reminds me of what Warren Buffet was quoted as saying, “Don’t put your money in anything which needs painting or feeding.”

How Keeping a Dog is affecting your Present and Future Lifestyle

Money which is being used to support pets is money which is not being used to build wealth. It is consumer spending with nothing to show for it after it is going. This money is discretionary spending money because it is an expense which the household can do without. It can also be classed as a liability because it costs money.

The total expenses of keeping a dog adds up to an eye-watering amount during its lifetime. That money is better directed to paying off a mortgage, a retirement fund, education, or rainy day account.

Imagine not having any money for car repairs, a dental or medical emergency, or new shoes because it’s been spent keeping a pet? That is the situation which many people end up in because they prioritised spending on their pets.

The SPCA have had pets dumped on them because their owners could not afford to keep them during a cost of living crisis. Pets are a liability and money spent on them is discretionary spending money. Owning a pet is a choice, not a fixed expense which you have no control over. It’s a choice which you must make with due care and consideration as to what the financial implications are.

About this article

You may use this article as content for your blog/website or ebook. 

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

Tired of seeing your bank charge you $5-10 every time you withdraw cash abroad PLUS that hidden foreign transaction fee? 🤯 That’s money that should be buying you a gelato, a beer, or a souvenir. Wise gets you the real mid-market exchange rate with only tiny, transparent conversion fees from 0.42%. Stop funding your bank’s next vacation. Fund yours. 👉 Link in bio to get your Wise card! 

JOIN WISE HERE

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How to Turn Discretionary Income into Long-Term Wealth

Discretionary Income 

Written by R. A. Stewart

If you have taken a good look at your bank statements you will notice payments such as rates,  power, and groceries. These are fixed expenses and are necessary. Then there will be payments for such things as entertainment, hobbies, and the like. These are things which you can do without.

Discretionary spending money is what you have available to spend beyond your necessary expenses. Expenses that you need to pay every month. If these are not paid there will be consequences such as a financial penalty. In the case of rates this is usually an extra 10% if the account is not paid by the due date.

Discretionary spending is what you have control over. Food is a necessary expense but going out for a meal in a restaurant is classed as discretionary spending.

If your income drops your discretionary spending is affected. You have less money to spend on whatever it is you love to spend your money on.

Do you have more discretionary spending money if your income rises? That all depends if your costs go up. During the current cost of living crisis as the economy is often called, an increase of income does not always keep pace with rising costs which means there is less discretionary spending money available. 

It is the costs of fuel, power, insurance, and rates which ordinary people cannot control which are biting. Food and groceries are necessities but at least people have some measure of control on what to spend their money on in the supermarket.

Investing your Discretionary spending money

It is not always the amount you receive in your pay packet but what you do with it after you receive it which determines your financial outcome. What separates a good money manager from a bad one is that a good money manager will save and invest some of their discretionary spending money with their future in mind while a bad money money will spend everything without any thought for the future.

It takes vision to make provision for the future. Making plans for the future is a responsible and mature thing to do. There are consequences for spending everything. One is that when an unexpected bill arrives there is no money in the kitty to pay for it.

If you do not have an emergency fund then using part of your discretionary spending money to start one is a good idea. 

There are plenty of investing apps about. These can be used as a way to invest on a shoe string. Getting involved in the share market helps to build your financial literacy.

If you have more discretionary spending money available and want to be a bit more adventurous then investing in crypto-currency may be your cup of tea if you are aware of the risks and don’t mind taking risks. After all, if you spent your discretionary money on a restaurant meal it will be gone in one night. You might lose it on Bitcoin so what is the difference?

When investing your money ask the question, “How will this affect my lifestyle if I lost this money?”

If you were saving for a new car and invested the money you set aside for a new car in the crypto-currency and lost it all, the result will be that you will be unable to purchase your new car. The same thing applies to whatever you are saving for, an overseas trip, education, or  house deposit. Investing requires common sense and diligence.

About this article

This article is of the experience of the writer and is not financial advice. It may not be applicable to your personal circumstances, therefore discretion is advised. You may use this article as content for your blog/website or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

 

Tired of seeing your bank charge you $5-10 every time you withdraw cash abroad PLUS that hidden foreign transaction fee? 🤯 That’s money that should be buying you a gelato, a beer, or a souvenir. Wise gets you the real mid-market exchange rate with only tiny, transparent conversion fees from 0.42%. Stop funding your bank’s next vacation. Fund yours. 👉 Link in bio to get your Wise card! 

JOIN WISE HERE

#TravelHacks #WiseCard #NoHiddenFees

Photo: Lake Mapouriki near Franz Josef Glacier, West Coast, New Zealand

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Diversify Diversify Diversify your investments

Diversify Diversify Diversify

Written by R. A. Stewart

“Put your money in several places-many places, in fact-because you never know what kind of bad luck you are going to have in this world.”-Ecclesiastes 11:2

The number one rule when investing your money is to diversify. That is to invest your money in several places. To invest money in one place is called “Placing all of your eggs in the one basket”. This is also known as speculating. 

During the 2007/08 Global Financial crisis there were people who lost their entire life savings when the company which they invested their money with went into receivership. The companies concerned were offering high interest rates to investors. 

There are sometimes stories floating around of people who made a fortune on the share market by investing in one company. That is all very well when it comes off, but such investors will try the same thing again and again and again and give up their gains plus a lot more.

Greed is what gets the better of some people. If you are going to speculate then do it with discretionary spending money. This is money you may have normally spent on entertainment, your hobbies, eating out, gambling, and the like.

Your retirement fund should not be used for one of your get rich quick schemes such as playing with the crypto market. That should be done separately.

Diversification is more than just spreading your portfolio among different companies, it is investing in different platforms. Investing your life savings in sharesies or robinhood is not diverse even if you were investing in a range of companies. You just don’t know what will happen to these platforms in the future.

The same thing applies when investing in crypto-currency. Don’t invest all of your bitcoin with one bitcoin exchange but spread it around among several to reduce your risk. But remember, Bitcoin is volatile so only play the crypto market with discretionary spending money.

Invest in different types of industries such as power companies, banks, insurance companies, farming, etc. 

In order to grow your wealth it is necessary to take calculated risks, not reckless ones. Share market investors have the option of investing in individual companies or managed funds which are a form of diversified investment. In this age it is possible for investors to deposit money into an online share market platform and purchase shares into individual companies for a minimum amount. This enables the ordinary man or woman in the street to get involved in the markets.

Hands-on investing will not only help you to grow your wealth but it also increases your financial literacy. With plenty of experience behind you there will be fewer mistakes as a result of better decision making.

Always remember that whenever there is a chance of a capital gain there is a chance for a capital loss. Your retirement fund balance may be down as it will be from time to time due to the volatility of the share market but that does not mean that you have lost money. It is the nature of the ups and downs of the markets, Get used to it!

You don’t have to be rich to invest but you have to invest to get rich so what are you waiting for?

About this article

This article is not financial advice and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances therefore discretion is advised. You may use this article as content for your blog or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

Tired of seeing your bank charge you $5-10 every time you withdraw cash abroad PLUS that hidden foreign transaction fee? 🤯 That’s money that should be buying you a gelato, a beer, or a souvenir. Wise gets you the real mid-market exchange rate with only tiny, transparent conversion fees from 0.42%. Stop funding your bank’s next vacation. Fund yours. 👉 Link in bio to get your Wise card! 

JOIN WISE HERE

#TravelHacks #WiseCard #NoHiddenFees

Posted on

Leaving an inheritance

Written by R. A, Stewart

“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children.”-Proverbs 13:22

My great grandfather Robert Stewart started a brewery in 1905. This proved successful that by the time he died in 1932 just short of his ninetieth birthday he was a wealthy man in comparison to the average person. He also owned quite a bit of land when he died.

My grandfather Archie, Robert’s youngest son inherited the brewery and some land. Archie by the time he died in 1967 left land to my father, Doug some 250 acres. At some point he must have gifted him the land years prior to his passing. He also left my father cash when he died.

Going down another generation. 

My brother and I have possession of the land once owned by Granddad Archie. Talk about leaving an inheritance to your children’s children.

Robert, my great grandfather and Archie were good with their money in that they lived a modest lifestyle. Did not try to keep up with the Joneses and generally lived within their means.

The generations after the 1970s are ruled by greed and selfishness. The common use of credit cards is an example of this. 

The flashy advertising on TV taps into all of this by feeding into the narrative “You can have whatever you want and you can have it now.” 

It is the fear of missing out which the loan sharks are tapping into.

I have heard some bad money attitudes from people over the years and the most common is “You cannot take it all with you.”

This may be so but then why do these people go to work to earn money? People who spend all of the discretionary money with no thought for the future have no vision.

At some point in the future people will need money for medical expenses, dental expenses, new cars, retirement, and so on. The person with vision will set up their finances in such a way that they will have this money ready when the time comes.

“Men who have lots of money are selfish” is another one I have heard. If this is true then the men in our family who left large sums of money to their descendants must be selfish.

Only a gold digger would think like that and I will leave it at that.

“You have to spend your money on something.” is another comment I have heard. 

I am unaware of a law which says that you have to spend it. This kind of attitude will eventually lead to poverty at some point because there will come a time when your level of income will drop due to health or retirement. Making provision for your later years requires vision and maturity. It is the responsible thing to do.

Living within your means is a timeless principle. It was applicable to my great grandparents and it is still applicable today. The only difference is that in today’s society there is more pressure on people to part with their money and unless you learn to exercise self control and learn to discern then money will easily part ways with you. There is no magic formula, it is just a matter of applying the three basic rules of money management.

The three basics of personal finance are:

  1. Live within your means
  2. Save
  3. Invest

Once you have mastered the three rules then you will be better off than people who never look beyond the next pay day and just spend everything they make.

About this article

This article is of the opinion of the writer and is not financial advice. It may not be applicable to your personal circumstances, therefore discretion is advised. You may use this article as content for your website/blog or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

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Wise Travel Card V Debit Card 

Written by R. A. Stewart

I own a Wise Travel card and a debit card. They are both convenient to have when I am travelling abroad but serve different purposes. There are some basic security rules one must follow when using these cards. Here they are:

  1. Don’t sign up with these cards with an email address which you use for cryptocurrency, dating sites, and whatever and when you are given the option of signing in to AI with a Google account don’t use an email address that you use to sign in to Wise or your debit card.
  2. Don’t click on any link you receive in your email; it could be a scammer for all you know trying to hack into your account.
  3. Don’t use an easily identifiable password such as your pet’s name. Someone could get this info about you by looking at your social media stuff.
  4. Don’t use either of these cards for saving for an overseas trip, a car, or whatever it is you are saving for. There are better options for saving money such as an ordinary bank account or in shares.
  5. Have other options for money if you should lose one card so that you won’t be caught out on holiday. Familiarise yourself with the process for dealing with a lost or stolen card.

A Wise travel card and debit card are convenient ways to pay but in different ways. Here are the differences:

Travel: Wise Travel Card 

Using a Wise travel card when you are overseas will save you a lot of money in bank fees. If you are using your bank’s debit card for your day to day spending while you are overseas then you will be shocked by the amount of money that has been spent on bank fees.

Accommodation expenses: Debit card

A debit card is handy for paying for your accommodation online which is what I do but if you are paying at the counter then both a wise card and a debit card will do the job. Bank fees on your debit card will be higher though. Be aware that some accommodation providers require you to give your debit card details to them as security.

Grocery Shopping: Wise card

A wise card is better for grocery shopping when you are overseas, if you used your bank’s debit card to pay for your day to day expenses then the bank fees will quickly add up.

Saving money: Neither a wise travel card  or an ordinary debit card are suitable for saving money due to security issues, but there is an exception to this rule and that is if you were putting money aside for your holiday spending money. I just top up my wise card months prior to travel and while I am on my travels.

Internet shopping: Debit card

I use a debit card for my internet shopping such as with ebay, trademe, and the like, but you still need to be careful with which sites you give your bank details to.

Bus/train transport: Wise card

I use a wise card for domestic travel whether it be the local buses in the cities like Edinburgh, Stirling, and Aberdeen or paying for train travel. Using a debit card for overseas travel is more expensive. 

About this article

This article is of the writer’s opinion and does not represent financial advice and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances  therefore discretion is advised. You may use this article as content for your blog or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

 

JOIN WISE HERE

Tired of seeing your bank charge you $5-10 every time you withdraw cash abroad PLUS that hidden foreign transaction fee? 🤯 That’s money that should be buying you a gelato, a beer, or a souvenir. Wise gets you the real mid-market exchange rate with only tiny, transparent conversion fees from 0.42%. Stop funding your bank’s next vacation. Fund yours. 👉 Link in bio to get your Wise card! 

JOIN WISE HERE

#TravelHacks #WiseCard #NoHiddenFees

 

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Stop Overspending: Why Separate Accounts Are Your Best Savings Hack

Written by R. A. Stewart

These days people have bank accounts for different kinds of purposes depending on what the money is being used for. Having your money in separate accounts helps avoid the temptation to spend. Here are some of the most common types of bank accounts people have.

  1. Personal Savings Account

This is the account most people get their pay credited to. It is a spending account for everyday living such as groceries, car running costs, etc. Most people have their fixed bills such as newspaper subscriptions, power bills, and rent directly debited from this account.

  1. Rainy Day Account

This is for unexpected expenses such as car break downs, appliance repairs, school expenses, etc.

  1. Retirement Account

It is essential to have some kind of retirement account. New Zealand’s retirement scheme is called Kiwisaver. It takes vision to make provision for your later years. It is also the responsible and mature thing to do. If there is one thing which your future you will thank you for it is that in your present you have made consistent contributions to your retirement account.

  1. Rent or Rates account

This needs to be kept separate from an account you use for your everyday transactions because what you do not need is to be short of money when it comes to paying your rates or rent.

  1. Insurance bill account

Paying insurance is not cheap, whether it is house or contents insurance, or vehicle insurance and keeping a separate account for this will give you a peace of mind when it comes to paying it.

  1. Travel Spending Money account

This account is for your holiday spending money; this is discretionary spending money. You should not have a credit card for any reason, especially for travel expenses. If you cannot even save your holiday spending money then stay home.

  1. Travel Airfares account

The same rules as your travel spending money account.

  1. Investment accounts

Investing your money grows your wealth. In order to grow your wealth for your future you must invest in several places. Investing not only grows your wealth, it also grows your financial literacy.

  1. Debit card for online transactions

Having a debit card for purchasing stuff online is convenient. A debit card is not for saving whether short-term or long-term. It can be easy to fall victim to a bank scam with a debit card. All it takes is for you to lose your card so only have what you need in this account.

Power Saving Hack: If you have a freezer and there is a lot of empty space in it then get some empty soft drink bottles and fill them with water and put them in the freezer. A part empty freezer uses more power than a full one.

About this Article

This article is of the opinion of the writer and is not financial advice. It may not be applicable to your personal circumstances therefore discretion is advised. You may use this article as content for your blog/website or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

Explore Freely, Spend Wisely: The Ultimate Travel Companion

 

For the ultimate freedom to explore these incredible routes, get a Wise Travel Card. One card holds multiple currencies, letting you pay effortlessly in NZD for fuel, snacks, and accommodation. It automatically converts your money at the mid-market rate, saving you from costly bank fees. Top up and manage your funds instantly via the app, making it the smart, secure, and simple way to travel. Spend like a local and focus on the scenery, not the small print. Get yours and travel with ease.

https://wise.com/invite/dic/roberts10486

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Fixed Term Versus Dividends

Written by R. A. Stewart

Two excellent wealth building vehicles are fixed term deposits and dividends paying shares. Both aim to put your capital at work but they operate differently as far as risk, return, and tax treatment goes.

Fixed-term interest

Your money is invested for a predetermined period of time, this could be for months or years for a guaranteed interest rate.

Investors in fixed-interest deposits know the return they are receiving on their investment.

Dividends

Dividends are made by the companies to their shareholders; they represent dividends of the company’s pot-tax profit.

Investors in companies on the share market do not know the return they are receiving. It is the directors who decide how much to distribute to shareholders.

Investors in the share market aim to receive a regular income through  dividends and capital growth of their shares. (share price appreciation)

Key Differences

Fixed-term interest

  1. Capital Preservation and Steady income.
  2. Low capital risk
  3. Fixed and guaranteed income
  4. May lag inflation depending on the interest rate.
  5. Money not available until maturity

Dividends

  1. Income growth and capital appreciation
  2. Moderate to high capital risk due to market volatility.
  3. Variable income depending on how well the company is doing.
  4. Shares have historically outpaced inflation.
  5. High liquidity. Shares can be sold when markets are open.

Which is more risky?

The main risk with fixed term interest is inflation risk where the purchasing power of your money decreases with rising costs. The other factor to consider is that the market rate of interest may increase during the time you are locked into a lower interest rate.

The main advantage with shares is that it can be quickly turned into cash when needed. The flip side to this is that the markets may be down just when you need that money but thanks to managed funds and micro investing platforms it is possible to invest in such a way as to minimize the risk of being on the losing side of a downturn in the markets.

It is a matter of investing according to your timeline.

If you need the money within twelve months or the money needs to be on call then a personal bank account paying next to no interest may be your best option. However, fixed term interest may be your best option, if you have $5,000 to invest and need that money for say, a car in six months to a year. Your other option if you are in that position is to invest in a conservative fund. Your money will be invested in shares but in less risky companies.

What about the medium to long-term?

Shares have traditionally outperformed returns on fixed-term interest in the long run. 

If your timeline is long-term then past history indicates that you are better off investing in shares.

It is important to stay calm when the markets are down and your retirement fund balance has dropped. Just continue to live your life, working and making contributions to your retirement fund and let the final balance take care of itself.

About this article

This article is not financial advice and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances therefore discretion is advised. You may use this article as content for your blog or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

 

For the ultimate freedom to explore these incredible routes, get a Wise Travel Card. One card holds multiple currencies, letting you pay effortlessly in NZD for fuel, snacks, and accommodation. It automatically converts your money at the mid-market rate, saving you from costly bank fees. Top up and manage your funds instantly via the app, making it the smart, secure, and simple way to travel. Spend like a local and focus on the scenery, not the small print. Get yours and travel with ease.

https://wise.com/invite/dic/roberts10486

Posted on

Get Rich Quick Gurus: Don’t be misle

Written by R. A. Stewart

”If it is too good to be true, it almost certainly is.”-anonymous

Have you ever seen those adverts on youtube from Get rich Gurus who claim to have made thousands of dollars per month and promise that you can by following their formula. Strange, that we never hear from those viewers who the videos are aimed at.

How do these people make their money?

The answer:

They have a call to action in the description of their video. Many of these call to actions are affiliate programs where the person behind the youtube channel gets a commission if you sign up with the website.

Having a degree of common sense and discernment will go a long way when you are confronted with people who are making these outrageous claims.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

1 You do not know what another person has done to get where they are nor do you know how much money they have outlayed to get where they are.

2 You do not know how hard another person has worked to get where they are. 

3 For everyone who has achieved something out of the ordinary there are thousands who tried the same thing and achieved nothing but a lighter bank account.

Re Flags to keep an eye out for.

They will use images of villas, stacks of cash and super cars to create what is known as “Fear of Missing out, FOMO”.

In the video they will make it seem so simple that anyone can do it by using the phrase “Simple step by step system.”

How do these people make their money?

Their income is made through the YouTube adsense program, from selling courses on how to make money, affiliate programs, and from promoting affiliate programs.

An aggressive call to action is a sure red flag. “Do this before its too late” is a phrase which is used to create a desire in the view to make an impulsive decision.

It pays to have a healthy level of skepticism when watching these videos. 

Turning to your own situation, ask yourself “How does this business fit in with my lifestyle?”

Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. How much time do I need to devote to this business and do I have the time to spend on this?”
  2. How much money is required to make this business idea work?
  3. “How will this affect my lifestyle?”
  4. Do I have the desire to persevere with this idea?

Don’t give up your day job!

One YouTube marketer puts this disclaimer on his videos, “Most people make nothing.”

That basically sums it all up. There is certainly nothing wrong with having a crack but being sensible about it will save you a pretty penny.

About this article

You may use this article as content for your blog or website. 

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

Posted on

Mistakes made by investors

 

Written by R. A. Stewart

Everyone makes mistakes, it is a part of learning. Those who claim to have never made any mistakes are living in self-deception. As far as money and investing is concerned, learning how to invest according to your goals and personal circumstances requires experience and that will be accompanied by mistakes along the way. As they say, “Experience is your best teacher.”

Here are some of the most common mistakes made by investors.

  1. Investing too conservatively

Investing too conservatively will leave you short-changed in the long run if there are decades between you and retirement. Long-term investors who are too conservative are leaving thousands of dollars on the table. This does not mean that you should be reckless and invest your life savings in something risky but invest for growth.

  1. Investing in the wrong fund.

If you have a retirement fund or mutual funds then investing according to your goals is important. If you have a rainy day account this should be invested in something safe such as with a high street bank because the money is available as needed and the last thing you want is to invest your rainy day fund in something volatile such as shares and  just when you need the money your balance has gone down and you will have less money in your account than you thought you had.

 

  1. Not diversifying

Placing all of your eggs in one basket is just asking for trouble. You don’t know what is going to happen in the future. Investing your money in several places will cushion you from the effects of a downturn in the economy because not all industries are affected in the same way. 

  1. Unwillingness to get financially educated

Ignorance can be very costly. If you are not even willing to learn how to manage your own money and investing then you have only yourself to blame if you end up in need. There is only one person who can change your situation and that is the person you see in the mirror.

  1. Lack of Planning

Not knowing where you are going will lead you to nowhere. Having goals for you and your finances gives your work and your life a purpose. It gives meaning to everything you do. It is the “Why” to everything you do.

Everyone has choices but these choices have consequences and it is up to you to make choices which are beneficial to you and your family if you have one. Taking responsibility for your choices and mistakes shows that you are a mature person. Immature people blame others for their mistakes and are quick to find a scapegoat for their misfortune.

About this article

This article is of the opinion and experience of the writer and is not financial advice.

You may use this article as content for your blog or ebook.

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Explore Freely, Spend Wisely: The Ultimate Travel Companion

 

For the ultimate freedom to explore these incredible routes, get a Wise Travel Card. One card holds multiple currencies, letting you pay effortlessly in NZD for fuel, snacks, and accommodation. It automatically converts your money at the mid-market rate, saving you from costly bank fees. Top up and manage your funds instantly via the app, making it the smart, secure, and simple way to travel. Spend like a local and focus on the scenery, not the small print. Get yours and travel with ease.

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