Big money is not a necessary condition to be a successful investor

A common myth about investing is that a large and fat bank account is required just to get started. In reality, the process of building a stable portfolio can start with a few thousand – or even a few hundred – dollars.

This story offers specific advice, organized according to the amount available to you to start your investments. First, however, it covers some smart moves that can perform low wheels to start a savings and investment program.

Strategies to start
Whether you are planning to invest a little or quite a bit, in safe gambling or high risk gambling, these steps should help raise your plans the right way.

Automatic saving
Diligence to reliably set aside a certain amount in monthly savings will bear fruit in the long run. If you lack the willpower or the organization to do it alone, you can get technological help through various smartphone and computer applications.

The apps that make the savings the least painful are the ones that sum up the purchases and other transactions to the nearest dollar and set aside the “savings”. Glands, Capital and Chimon summarize transactions from credit and / or debit cards and return the money to you in savings-friendly vehicles.

Acorns puts the money into one of several low-cost ETFs; 1 These are good vehicles for small savers, as reviewed below. Capital adds the option to automatically transfer money, according to the rules you choose, to an FDIC insured partner bank account. 2 Chime, which is an online bank as well as an app, offers a savings account that automatically sets aside a percentage of each salary that is deposited, among other features

After using these apps, check with your bank its own apps and other ways in which you can transfer funds from non-cost-effective accounts automatically to those that are more suitable for savings and investment.

Deal with your debts
Before you start saving, analyze what it costs you to bear the debts you already have, and consider how quickly you might be able to discharge them. After all, high-interest credit cards can carry rates of 20% or more, and some student loans have interest rates above 10%. These rates overshadow the average annual profit of about 7% that the U.S. stock market has returned over time.

If you carry a lot of high interest debt, it makes more sense to pay at least some of it before you make an investment. While you may not be able to predict the exact return on most of your investments, you can be sure that a retirement obligation with an interest rate of 20% a year ago is as good as earning a 20% return on your money.

Consider your retirement
A major goal of saving and investing, even at a young age, should be to help ensure you have enough money after you quit your job. One priority in your planning should be to take full advantage of the stimuli dangling by governments and employers to encourage retirement security. If your company offers a 401 (k) retirement plan, do not ignore it. This is a double case if your company matches some or all of your contribution to the program.

For example, if you have an income of $ 50,000 and donate $ 3,000, or 6% of your income, to your 401 (k) plan, your employer may adjust it by contributing an additional $ 3,000. A less generous employer may contribute up to 3% only, adding $ 1,500 to your $ 3,000 contribution. You will always want to invest enough to achieve the full suitability of your employer. Not doing so is basically throwing money away.

It should be noted that 401 (k) s and some other retirement vehicles are also powerful investments because of their preferred tax treatment. Many allow you to donate in dollars before tax, which reduces your tax burden in the year you donate. With others, like Roth 401 (k) and the IRA, you contribute with after-tax income but withdraw the tax-free funds, which can reduce your tax loss in the year of withdrawal.4 And remember, if your money grows for many years, there will be much more From what you originally donated, so these tax-free withdrawals will be worth it.

In both scenarios the profits on what you invest accumulate without tax within the account. Even if your employer does not offer any match for your 401 (k) donations, a plan is still a good deal.

Invest your tax refund
If you have trouble saving money throughout the year, consider setting aside some or all of your tax return as a way to start investing. This is one of the few moments in the year where you are likely to get a windfall that you have not yet relied on.

Recommendations by investment amount
Before going into details, you should emphasize a few general points. No matter your net worth, it is important to minimize your investment fees, whether it is at the expense of a voucher, mutual fund or any other financial product.

This is especially the case when you are investing in a budget, as fixed commissions will take a larger share of your savings. An annual fee of $ 100 in a $ 1 million account is trivial, but a $ 100 fee in a $ 5,000 account is a heavy financial blow. If you are investing in a budget, carefully choose the costs associated with the location of your money.

You will also need to consider expected returns on your investments versus the level of risk you are comfortable taking and it is appropriate for your age. In general, your portfolio should be less risky as you approach retirement.

How to spend $ 500
It may seem like a small amount to work with, but $ 500 can go further than you think in setting up an investment portfolio. If you prefer to play it safe, park your deposit (CD) amount from a bank or other lender or use it to buy short-term treasury bills, which can be purchased through an online broker. The growth potential in both options is limited, but the risks are almost nil. This is a way to earn some money on your own until your nest egg grows to the point where other options are available.

For those who are comfortable with a little more risk, many options are available, even for small investors, that guarantee a greater return than CDs or a bill. One is a dividend reinvestment program (DRIP). You buy shares in stocks, and your dividend is automatically used to buy additional shares or even partial shares. This is a great choice for small investors as the shares are purchased at a discount and without paying a brokerage commission. Purchasing a single share in the company’s shares will get you started.

Another option to start small is a stock exchange-traded fund (ETF), most of which does not require a minimum investment. Unlike most mutual funds, ETFs usually have a passive management structure, which translates into lower ongoing costs. However, among the other disadvantages of ETFs, you have to pay commissions on their trades. To reduce these charges, consider using a discount broker who does not charge a fee or plans to invest less frequently, perhaps investing larger amounts every quarter instead of making small monthly purchases.

The top of the risk sequence has an investment in peer-to-peer lending. Crowd financing connects investors with money for loans and entrepreneurs trying to finance new ventures. Upon repayment of the loans, the investors receive a portion of the interest in proportion to the amount invested. Some crowdfunding platforms have a high minimum account opening, like $ 1,000 for a lending club, 5 but you can start working with others, like Prosper, for less than $ 25.6.

Mass financing offers high risk, as many new ventures fail, but also a chance for higher profits. Generally, annual returns fall in the range of 5% to 8%, but they can climb to 30% or more for investors who are willing to take a big risk or are just lucky enough to support a particularly profitable joiner.

How to spend $ 1,000
If you are saving for a pension or buying a home that is a few years away, you may be looking for a low commission target date fund with a relatively low minimum investment, usually about $ 1,000. With this type of funds you choose the due date. The investments in the fund are automatically adjusted over time, as the overall mix goes from unnecessary to risky to safe as your due date approaches.

why is it important? When you’re just getting started, you have time. You can make risky investments that may yield higher returns. However, as you get closer to your due date, especially if it’s your retirement date, you want to protect yourself from sudden losses that could bring down your plans.

With those $ 1,000, you might also consider buying individual stock stocks, which come with higher risk but can generate higher returns. Investing in individual stocks that pay dividends is a smart strategy. You will have the option to receive the dividends as cash payments or reinvest them in additional shares.

How to spend $ 3,000
This level of investment allows access to additional options, including additional mutual funds. While some funds require a minimum investment of $ 1,000 or less, a larger amount is more common, like the $ 3,000 required by Vanguard for most of its funds.

Among the many types of funds consider looking for an index fund first, a type of mutual fund that tracks a specific market index, such as Standard & Poor 500 or Dow Jones Industrials, and offers relatively low fees. Like ETFs, index funds are also passively managed, which means a lower expense ratio, which in turn moderates commissions.

The purpose of an index fund is to at least adjust the performance of the index. It also gives you broad exposure to several types of assets.

How to spend $ 5,000
The options expand to the level of $ 5,000, including additional options for investing in real estate. While $ 5,000 is not enough to purchase a property, or even make a down payment, it is enough to acquire a share in real estate in several other ways.

The first is investing in a real estate investment trust (REIT). It is a corporation that owns a group of properties or mortgages that generate a continuous stream of income. As an investor in REIT you are entitled to some of the income generated by the underlying assets. The law is required by law to pay 90% of their income to investors as a dividend annually. You can trade or not trade on REIT, with the latter bearing much higher upfront fees

Crowd financing in real estate is a second option. Crowd financing platforms in real estate are now allowed to receive investments from both qualified and unrecognized investors. Many platforms set the minimum investment for getting into private real estate transactions at $ 5,000.

Investors can also choose between debt and equity investments in commercial and residential properties, depending on the platform. Debt repayment ranges from 8% to 12% per annum. Investing in stocks can see higher returns if the value of the asset increases. Keep in mind that this type of investment can carry more risks than more traditional investments.

Bottom line
Investing can get complicated, but the basics are simple. Maximize the amount you save and the contributions of your employer. Minimize taxes and fees. Make smart choices with your limited resources.

However, portfolio building can also raise complexities as the best way to balance the risk of certain investments against their potential returns. Consider getting help. Given the technology and fierce competition for your investments, more resources are available than ever before. These options include Robo consultants, virtual assistants who can help you create a balanced portfolio at a low cost and paid financial consultants only, who are not dependent on commission income on the products they sell you.

The hardest part of investing is getting started, but the sooner you do it, the more you have to earn. It’s just like that.