_{Wednesday 10th February}

As interest rates remain at the lowest point they have ever been, figures are showing that more ordinary household investors than ever before are turning towards investing their money in order to create better returns. Savings are currently not accumulating the interest payments that they once used to and this is driving savers to invest their money in to stocks, shares and bonds.

Most of these investors will never have invested their money this way before, which means that when starting to think about investing for the first time, it is important that you set clear goals about what you want your investment to do for you, and over the term that you think is best for your money.

There are always risks when it comes to money, some greater than others. This is why when you invest a sizeable amount of your savings you should leave a sum that you can access quickly in an emergency, or simply live on should the worst happen and you lose your job.

When you have clearly defined the goals of your investment you will have reached a conclusion that you will either want to make a substantial amount of money over a short period of time, or save towards your future and watch your investments grow with a long term investment. The latter option is ideal when saving for your children’s education or towards your own retirement. The former is high risk investing, where your money could potentially make larger returns over a shorter amount of time.

Whether you are investing in mutual funds, bonds, stocks or high yield investments, each will have their own characteristics and risks that you should investigate. It would be a good idea to research trends and analyst opinion to find the background information you will need on what the markets are doing and how this will affect your investments. It is always beneficial to learn the basics when investing so if you do decide to seek advice from a financial consultant, you can tell them your requirements and understand all recommended funds.

It is now possible to invest in online platforms which give you the control and freedom in your own investments. Online platforms are easy to use with information provided showing you the trend of the fund over a period of time and a list of related funds which you could choose to invest in. If you are still not too sure about how to invest in the platform or what to expect, it would be beneficial to you to contact a financial consultant who will be able to guide you through the process.

Investing for the first time can be a daunting task but if you have clearly defined goals and targets of what you want your money to do for you and know how much money you can safely invest, you could potentially being seeing better returns than in savings.

If you would like any further information about investing into funds, bonds or shares, please contact us.

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