Investment: Invest now

Once we have saved enough for our immediate requirement or emergency fund, we can start our investments.

If we start early and invest Rs. 2500 only every month for 40 years @ 9 %, we have invested Rs. 12 lakhs and the expected amount is Rs. 1,06,24,012. This is the wonder of compounding return.

If we find it difficult to invest Rs. 2500 initially, we can reduce the investment amount to  Rs. 1000 but keep the investment period and rate of return as 40 years and 9% respectively, the expected amount is over 42 lakhs. 

The above examples show we can start our investments with any amount. As our income grows,  we need to save more and increase our investments. 

Investment: Growth and dividend

Investing in mutual fund has two options:
1. Growth
2. Dividend

Growth mutual funds are the funds that invest in growing companies. Growth option is accumulating of SIP amounts till the investor decides to redeem the amount or withdraw in the form of SWP. In this growth fund investments, investors enjoy the benefits similar to compound interest.

Investors can choose for monthly, quarterly or yearly payout of dividends. The dividend payout is not fixed. Here investors enjoy the benefits of investing in the companies that declare dividends.

Investment: SIP, SWP, STP & Switch

We all know we can start a systematic investment plan (SIP) in mutual fund and shares where we invest a certain amount for a long period.

After accumulation of wealth, we have the option of systematic withdrawal plan (SWP) where we can plan our withdrawal of a certain amount monthly, quarterly or yearly.

When we near our retirement, we can transfer our accumulated wealth from a equity fund to a debt fund. Systematic transfer plan (STP)  is the process to transfer the money monthly, quarterly or yearly.

If we want to change from one fund to another,  we can switch it partially or wholly. 

Investment: Start early

We should start early in the matter of investment. Investment should start when we receive our first salary.

The process is simple. Save first to invest. If we start early, a SIP of a small amount for a long time is enough.

We can start a SIP in the mutual funds or shares. A weekly, monthly or quarterly or yearly SIP in mutual fund can be planned and a fixed amount will be debited from the bank account on a fixed date.

SIP in share is different as the price of share varies everytime and every day.

Finally, invest early to retire early.

Investment: Diversification

Do not put all the eggs in a basket.  It means do not put all the money in a single investment. Here comes the diversification of investments.

Investing is as important as its diversifying. Plan the combination of four or five types of risky and non risky investments first and invest.

Young investors can take more risk than elderly investors. Young investors can invest majority of their investments in mutual funds and share market while elderly investors can take less risk concentrating more in investment plans with fixed return.

Investment: Insurance

Insurance is considered as investment as it is done to insure one's life. Term insurance gives us no return but the nominee gets the insured amount on the death of the insured.

Policies like endowment and money back are taken with the expectations of return in the forms of bonus and loyalty. The insured gets the insured amount with bonus and loyalty if any at maturity. 

Three generations have faced pandemic:

Three generations have faced pandemic:

Our parents during last part of their lives,

We during later part of our lives,

Our children during initial part of their lives.

Three generations have faced pandemic:

Some have fought till the last breath,

And the rest are fighting with the remaining breath.

Three generations have faced pandemic:

The world has never been the same before,

The world is never the same now,

The world will never be the same after

Three generations have faced pandemic.

Investment: Government securities

To raise funds to finance important projects and budget deficits, government issues government securities (G-SEC)  or treasury bills (T-Bills).

The return is fixed and secured and usually better than the fixed deposits.

Moreover government securities are reliable and investors get a good return when there is financial crisis and other investments are not doing well. 

Investment: Other fixed deposits

Investors can invest in companies, financial institution and non-banking institution for a certain period. These companies and institutions pay higher interest to the investors.

Investing in the fixed deposits by the companies and non-banking financial institutions is not easy as the minimum investment amount is higher than the fixed deposits by the banking institutions.

Investment: Gold

Investing in gold is a safe investment. Commonly, we invest in gold in the form of jewellery. Gold in jewellery form has the issue of storage. Banks provide storage facility which is chargeable. There is also making charge in case of jewellery.

We can start a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP)  in the gold funds from mutual funds. Mutual funds save us from storage and making charges.

Additionally, we can invest in ETFs. We must open a trading and demat account with a SEBI registered broker to invest in a gold ETF.

Government issues gold bonds for the investors who are looking for a long term investments. In sovereign gold bond,  investors get a declared interest in return per year till the maturity of the bond along with the maturity value.