9 Diverse Types of Investment That Will Ensure Your Financial Future

I know almost all of the people in this world are concerned about their financial future. I don't know anyone who isn't. And if you're already a married man or woman, you will surely think of your kids who are going to college in the next few years. Some are also tired already of working. That's why most retire in an early age. I reckon they're just exhausted of their usual job. Who doesn't want to have an assurance that you will have a progressive financial life? No one, right? And I also know that you want to retire without brooding about your financial situation. 

Most people are like that. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of people who do not even know what to do with their hard-earned money. They do not know how to invest. They aren't aware that there are diverse types of investment. If all you know about saving your money is putting it in a piggy bank, hiding it somewhere in your cabinet, then you should really learn about the types of investment. There is actually 9 of it. The stocks, bonds, real estate, foreign currency, mutual funds/ETF's (Exchange Traded Funds), certificates of deposit, insurance and savings account are the types of investment that you could use. 

-Stocks are buying a portion of a company or corporation. You'll become a stockholder of that company. Thus, you have your own rights there. You can gain profit with this type of investment by receiving stock dividends from that corporation. Another way of gaining profit in this is to buy low-amount stocks and then sell it in a higher price. Stocks are also considered as Medium-risk investment. 

-On the other hand, investing in bonds is like loaning your money to the Government. Because of that, the risk in this type of investment is a lower risk investment. 

-Real estate investing is buying a property and then selling it in a higher price soon. Some real estate investors do not sell their property. They just use it for rental. That's why the flow of money to them is continuous but not that massive money like reselling it. In a buyer's market, it's better if you buy properties today and then re-sell it when the time changes into a seller's market. You can also buy REITS (Real Estate Investment Trusts) which is like buying property on the stock market as opposed to buying physical property.

 -Foreign currency or one of the types of investment in foreign exchange (FOREX) deals with currency trading market. It is always open and can be accessed through the use of internet. With this type of investment, you'll need to trade currency pairs for other currency pairs in the hope that you will trade for currency that has more value. 

-Regarding the mutual or Exchange Traded funds, when you invest in this, you include a variety of different investments, such as high-risk, long-term, short-term, stocks, Index funds, bonds, and the like. 

-Crypto currency is a high risk strategy. Bitcoin is the most known and a promising commodity. The upside is unknown and it is very speculative. Unless you are a high risk investor, ignore this type of asset class as the price is known to drop -80% in a short time and you need to be able to control your emotions, otherwise you will lose a lot of money.

-Certificates of Deposit, or CDs, are alike to savings accounts, except they pay better interest. The reason for the higher interest rate is simple: when you open a CD at your local financial institution, you agree to leave the money there for a set amount of time; generally, the shortest amount of time is six months, but you may agree to a term of one year, two years, or even five years. The longer you agree to keep the CD, the higher the interest rate. 

-Some people choose to use life insurance as an investment. Many policies have investment properties, and an insurance agent or financial advisor can help you choose which the right one is. 

-Savings accounts offer very little return. In fact, despite they are technically a form of investment, they barely qualify anymore. They are certainly a very good way to teach your kids the process of saving though. 

Those are just some of the diverse types of investment. 

You may also want to invest in a business. You can either invest in a company that's just starting up, an existing business that is for sale or creating your own business. 

Being a Financially Independent Woman and In a Relationship

You take care of yourself emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, but you may never have thought of it that you had to take care of yourself financially. Being in a committed relationship (married or co-habiting) doesn't mean you have to be totally dependent on your spouse to provide for you. Just because you are in this relationship shouldn't mean that you lose yourself in your partner and their life. You still are a human being, an individual and you have your own two feet to stand on (figuratively speaking) as well as your own hands and backbone to do what needs to be done. Your husband or partner isn't there for you to ride on. 

Here is an example of what I am talking about. When you watch those guys on the unicycle in the circus, they can do some pretty amazing things right, especially up on a high wire. But when you add two people to that single wheel, things get pretty intense and while you watch them on that unicycle you find you hold your breath a lot. What about when you add three people to that one wheeled vehicle? Really gets scary right? 

I know I have seen those circus people get up to 5 people on one tiny little wheel. Not for me thanks. I prefer 4 wheels and a running board. You have a good, sturdy car with 4 wheels on the ground; it's solid and safe for more than just one person to be in, right? Well, why would it be any different for a marriage/relationship and finances? It doesn't matter where you live in the world, why would you put all your trust on a one wheeled vehicle, namely your husband's financial wheel? What if something happened to them? What if something happened to the money they brought in? Look at the way this economy is going? Wonder why it's not as good as people keep wishing it to be? That is a story for another time; but just understand that you don't have to be stuck on that unicycle with your partner or husband. Grab a wheel, stretch out of your comfort zone and get financially independent. It will not only help you in the long run, but think of the benefits of earning an income for yourself, having investments and working as a 'team' WITH your partner rather than expecting them to have it all while you sit in the dark.

When you are financially independent it isn't saying you are expecting the worst of the marriage/relationship, you are just making sure that it is on equal terms so that you can work towards having an awesome relationship. You would be surprised at how many partners actually love knowing that their spouse's don't 'need' them financially and feel more secure knowing that if anything was to happen to them that their partners were very well taken care of and strong enough to get through anything. I have also been told that when they see  their partners financially independent they (the spouse) feel like a huge weight lifted off their shoulders and they don't have this 'thing' hanging over their heads. They WANT to create a cash flow rather than HAVE to create one. 

There are poems, stories, sayings about how strong women are and yet soft on the inside. Why not use that to our benefit financially? We are great at multi-tasking and taking care of others, so why not take care of ourselves too? We would most certainly sleep better knowing the bills were paid, savings account was in the black, kids were well taken care of, what our investments were doing, etc because we are involved in the creation of these things. 

The next time you see an opportunity to help you get financially independent don't be afraid to take the chance...grab that opportunity, it could be the best thing you ever did for yourself and your family. Until next time, have a  prosperous week. 

4 Financial Accounts Every Woman Should Have

Life can be easier when you have the financial bases covered. See if you've got the right types of accounts to help you with cash needs, emergencies, and your long-term retirement. 

1. First, do you have a bank account and ATM card with your name on it? 

It doesn't matter if you share the account with a spouse or significant other. Just make sure your name is on the account, and that you have the ability to pay bills and withdraw money. Most of us take this checking privilege for granted, but it's the most basic money account we all need. 

2. Second, do you have an emergency fund? 

I like to call it comfort-cash. This should equal whatever you might need to get through unexpected hardships that crop up, from job losses to car breakdowns. 

When you're prepared with at least 4-6 months of living expenses, you're less likely to borrow from high-interest credit cards, or sell your retirement investments with penalties or losses. 

Where should you keep a comfort-cash fund? Put it in a high interest savings account. Yes I know, it doesn't pay much, but the key here is liquidity. You need to be able to get to those funds quickly when you need them. 

3. Third, do you have a major credit card in your name only? 

It's OK to share one credit card account with a spouse, but every woman should also have a different account with just her name on it. 

You want to make sure you're building your own financial identity, and that you are the only influence on that account. In case of a later divorce or loss of partner, you've got your own credit history and credit score established. 

If you don't qualify for a credit card with good terms yet, look into getting a secured credit card, backed by a savings account you set up when you apply. You prove you're responsible with paying off card debt, before moving to a standard, unsecured credit card. 

4. Fourth, do you have a retirement savings account in your name? 

This might be an employer plan at your workplace, or an Individual Retirement Account. Retirement accounts provide tax-deferred or tax-free savings, which grow faster without current taxation. 

If you don't have an employer retirement plan, but you do have earned income, open your own retirement account. If you're not working, agree your spouse contributes to your retirement future. These help build retirement accounts for a spouse who has low earnings, or is helping raise the kids at home. 

Don't make the mistake of assuming governments will cover all your needs. It wasn't meant to, and it won't. And while taxable savings are good, tax-advantaged retirement accounts are even better. 

How did you do? 

Don't worry if you lack one or two of these categories. But make a priority of establishing what you still need. You'll be setting up your own safety net, helping insure access to cash, and building financial security by owning these four accounts.

 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Robin_Applegarth/729871

Women Can Love Investing

Women can learn to love investing. Investing is a huge passion of mine. I find it empowering, freeing, and confidence building! You can learn to have your money work for you and make you money, so you're not dependent on working the rest of your life. It's awesome to see money being made with your computer and not from your work efforts! Once you learn to invest, it's like having your own golden goose. The golden goose provides more money for you over the years and works hard, so you don't have to.

Did you know women are better investors than men? There have been studies of men's and women's investment clubs and women consistently made more money with their investing. The reasoning is that women think through their investment decisions longer before selecting them and hold their investments longer.

Another reason women make good investors is because investing is like shopping. We're used to comparing prices, knowing brands, and watching for sales! Investing is the same way. You figure out what you want and you wait for a good price to buy it. You do that every week!

90% of women will have to manage their own money at some point in their lives (the average age of widowhood is 59). Do you want to learn about money when you're grieving and least able to deal with it or when you choose to?

Making money is simply a function of 3 things:

• the money you have to start with
• the time you have to compound 
• the rate you earn

The more of any of those 3 things you have, the easier it is. If you don't have a lot of money to start with, but you have a lot of years before you need the money, or you can compound (earn) a high rate, you can build wealth. 

If you want to learn how to swim, you can't cling to the side of the pool. Eventually you have to let go and try to swim. When you get good at swimming, you can eventually go into the deep end. You don't try that on the first day! It's the same thing with investing. If you want to build wealth, you can't keep your money in a savings account. You must give yourself time to learn to invest and let your money create a golden goose for you! 

The reason it's important to take some measured risk with your money, is because it allows you to get a higher return. For example, a savings account is paying 1% interest. At 1%, it will take 72 years to double your money. Not a great way to accumulate money to retire! But the stock market has returned 10% on average over the long-term, which will double your money in a little over 7 years! That will build wealth - the savings account won't - and you will be able to have a comfortable retirement. That's why you need to invest in stocks! 

I often hear women say they don't feel "worthy" of having a lot of money. I think this stems from the fact that women don't know their worth. Studies have shown that men know what they are worth in their job and women don't. Women are taught to be of service, to put our needs behind others, to be polite, to defer to others. If we translate that behavior to money, it means we won't feel worthy. We give the power away. We will have fears around it and "trust" others to handle it for us. We don't need to do that. Not anymore. 

I'm here to say women, you can do it! You can overcome your fear of loss or overwhelm. Investments don't require much time to manage once you've got the hang of it. I spend less than an hour a week handling my long term investments. More of my time is spent reading about investments and looking for new opportunities than tweaking the investments. 

I started in my late twenties with $0 (after paying off all my debts)and read lots of books about millionaires and investing. I taught myself how to invest in stocks and became a millionaire at age 38. The next year, I made $1 million in one year! I teach clients exactly the steps I took. It begins with having a wealthy mindset and ends with creating your legacy. Only one step involves investing! Did you know that you don't even have to have a lot of money to start investing? You can open an investment account online with only $500. There's no excuse not to learn! 

If you have a mentor, it can help take the fear of overwhelm away. A mentor can show you how to navigate easily, just like a tour guide can in a foreign country. Over time, you will gain confidence and realize it's not as difficult as you first thought. Like anything with practice, it gets easier - and the rewards are much better! You can learn to build serious wealth which will make your life a lot easier, less stressful, and give you a better marriage and family life. 

What is a stock? A "stock" is simply a share of ownership in a company (think of companies like your favorite brands in handbags, shoes, food, etc.). Companies sell shares of stock in their company when they want to raise money. Suppose up-and coming designer Tory Burch wanted to open boutiques around the world? She could sell shares in her company and raise the money to do that. The "stock market" is simply where lots of companies are selling shares. Initially they sell shares from their company to raise the money and from there investors buy and sell them to and from each other. It's kind of like eBay, except you're buying and selling shares of companies! 

But isn't it risky? Isn't it like gambling? There is risk, but you can mitigate risk several ways - buy spreading it out among multiple companies you own, by buying companies that have a low fluctuation of price, by not owning just stocks and adding in other types of investments. Some people speculate, but most people are not trying to "get rich quick", they are investing for the long-term, which is the safest way to invest. The longer you stay invested, the more likely it is you will make money with your investments. If you stayed invested during the crash of 2008, the stock market is up 80% from the low point. 

The Dalai Lama has said, "The Western woman will save the world." I believe that's true. Women are cooperative, intuitive, and we like to share with others. I see a lot of women giving to the less fortunate, like helping women start businesses with "micro" loans. The average loan someone in a foreign country needs to start a life-changing business to feed their family is only $27! The women in villages teach others in the village how to run a business, so the effects are far reaching and magnified. My mission is to change the statistics for women, where 1 in 5 of us are retiring with Zero dollars. 

Isn't it time you empowered yourself to learn about money and investing? Isn't it time you felt your own worth and independence? Learning to create wealth yourself will do that for you and investing is a way you can build a lot of wealth. You just have to decide to do it and find a mentor such as Femvestorsglobal to reduce the learning time and improve your success rate. 

Soon you will have your own golden goose and love investing too! 

Women and Money - Another Complicated Relationship

Yet another relationship we complicate with our emotions. 

According to statistics: 

• We women earn 20% less than our male counterparts 
• We earn 80 cents on the dollar compared with men
• We have less women sitting in corner offices
• We are not getting our fair share of the world's wealth

It is abundantly clear after research that many of the characteristics and behaviors of women that make us unique also contribute to our lack of financial independence. 

Our greatest gifts we offer to society actually become our greatest weaknesses when our own best interest come in to play. Just like with anything a belief system is a standard that sets the stage for our behaviors. 

How we earn money and manage it is no different. We are taught differently with societal messages that imply our well-being is contingent upon acting polite and other stereo-typical ways when we are young girls. 

Being relationship oriented and soft-spoken are just a couple of behaviors that we are taught and then struggle with when we later apply them to the management of income earned or inherited wealth.

 The expectations of: 

• being a mum 
• wife 
• caretaker of elderly parents 
• AND independent 

are a juggling act that conflicts with the logic of the risk-reward mentality that it often takes to manage money successfully. 

As Independent Ambitious Career Woman meets head on with Nurturing Caretaker Mother and Wife we truly are BLESSED with the impossible sounding feat, if we take on the right attitude and use it to our advantage. 

We are asked to sharpen our skills in so many areas that we cannot help but succeed if we learn how to apply all of these acquired skills in the area of money-management and income negotiation in the workplace. 

There appears to be a paradigm shift that needs to take place in many of our female minds. That shift may require taking on a new mantra that empowers you to realise you have been given a job that seems daunting but in actuality have been given the opportunity to have it all. 

The ability to give life and nurture it can be applied to making money and growing it. So, being a Sep-mother with an independent minded attitude I have had to change my mantra to fit my vision of a successful retirement. 

I believe that how you think determines how you act. Our actions stem from our belief system. Our belief systems were most likely formed at a very young age. We have to understand that we can change our belief systems by attaining correct knowledge and watching our actions. 

Some of the actions we can take as women are: 

1. Keep track of how you are using and losing your money

2. Create a spending plan

3. Always put minimum of 10% away in an investment or savings...

4. Consider learn from other women. Check out Femvestorsglobal.com. 

5. Take advantage of compounding interest rate calculator! Check out http://www.investor.gov

6. There are so many ways to start learning and never an easier time to acquire knowledge. What better way to use Google!