We live in an age where we are inundated with choices and it can be tough to figure out how to best invest our money. If you're in your 30s and looking to invest in the future, it's important to start sooner rather than later.
The earlier you start investing, the more time your money has to grow!
But, nowadays, there are more options than ever when it comes to how to invest. There's stock trading, cryptocurrency, real estate investing, and more.
We know it can be daunting to try and figure out how to get started because we've been there, too. We're here to help you sort out how to start investing in your 30s so that you can begin building wealth for the future.
Why Investing is Important?
First and foremost, let's talk about why investing is important. Investing is how you grow your money over time. When you invest, you're essentially putting your money into something with the hopes that it will grow. This can be done in a number of ways, but we'll get to that later.
The bottom line is that the earlier you start investing, the more time your money has to grow. And, as we all know, compound interest is a powerful thing.
For example, let's say you start investing $100 per month into an investment account with an annual return of 7%. If you keep this up for 30 years, you'll have $149,000!
This is a perfect example of how compound interest can grow your money over time. And, it's why investing is so important.
Of course, there are other benefits to investing as well. Let's take a look at a few of them.
Benefits of Investing:
- Providing your money with the ability to grow - This is the most obvious benefit of investing, but it's worth mentioning again. When you invest, you're giving your money the opportunity to grow. And, as we've seen, compound interest can have a big impact on how much your money grows over time.
- Diversifying your portfolio - Another benefit of investing is that it allows you to diversify your portfolio. This simply means that you're not putting all of your eggs in one basket. But, if you have your money invested in several different places, you're less likely to lose it all in one investment goes bad. This is because your other investments can offset any losses.
- Building wealth - Investing is how you build wealth over time. If you want to retire comfortably or achieve other financial goals, investing is how you're going to make it happen.
- Passive income - Another benefit of investing is that it can provide you with passive income. This simply means that you're earning money without having to work for it actively.
Of course, there are several other benefits to investing, but these are some of the most notable ones. Now that we've gone over why investing is important let's take a look at how you can get started
How to Get Started With Investing
Getting started with investing can seem to be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. It can be quite simple!
1. Start as Early as Possible
As we've mentioned, the earlier you start investing, the better. Time is one of the most important factors when it comes to investments. This is because of the power of compounding.
Compounding is essentially when your money starts making money, and then that money starts making money, and so on. The earlier you start investing, the longer your money has to compound, and the more wealth you can build over time.
Of course, we understand that not everyone is in a position to start investing in their 20s. If you're in your 30s and are just starting to think about investing, don't worry – it's not too late.
You can still build wealth by investing in your 30s. It will just take a little longer than if you had started in your 20s.
The important thing is to start as soon as you can. The sooner you start investing, the more time your money has to grow. And the more time your money has to grow, the more wealth you can build over time.
2. Develop a Sound Financial Strategy
The first step is to develop a sound financial strategy. This means figuring out your investment goals and how you're going to achieve them.
Do you want to retire early? Do you want to have enough money to send your kids to college? Whatever your goals may be, it's important to have a plan for how you're going to achieve them.
There are several ways to do this, but we recommend working with a financial advisor. They can help you develop a sound financial strategy that's tailored to your specific goals.
3. Invest What You Can Afford To Lose
When you're first starting, it's important to only invest what you can afford to lose. This is because there's always a risk involved with investing.
Of course, you don't want to take too much risk when you're first starting. However, you don't want to be so conservative that you miss out on potential growth.
It's important to find a balance between the two. Invest what you can afford to lose, but also be willing to take on some risk.
4. Invest Regularly
Investing is a long-term strategy, which means you shouldn't put all of your money into investments all at once. Instead, you should make regular contributions to your investment accounts. Doing so will help you take advantage of dollar-cost averaging, which is when you invest a fixed sum of money at fixed intervals.
When you invest regularly, you'll purchase more shares when prices are low and fewer shares when prices are high. Over time, this can help increase your returns and lower your overall costs.
If you're not sure how much you can afford to invest, start with a small amount and increase it over time. Once you have a good investment strategy in place, you can gradually increase your contributions.
5. Maximize Your Contributions to Retirement Accounts
If you're already contributing to a retirement account, good for you! You're on the right track. If you're not, now is the time to start.
Retirement accounts are one of the best ways to save for the future. This is because they offer tax breaks that can help you save more money over time.
If you're lucky enough to have an employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k), you should take advantage of it. Employer-sponsored retirement plans are a great way to save for the future because they offer many benefits.
- For one, most employers will match a certain percentage of your contributions. So, if you're putting 5% of your income into your 401(k), your employer might match that with an additional 5%.
- Another benefit of employer-sponsored retirement plans is that they're usually tax-deferred. This means that you don't have to pay taxes on the money you contribute until you withdraw it in retirement.
- Last but not least, employer-sponsored retirement plans are a great way to automatically save for the future. This is because the money is deducted from your paycheck before you even have a chance to spend it.
If you have an employer-sponsored retirement plan, be sure to take full advantage of it. It's one of the best ways to save for the future.
6. Get your Debt Under Control
The next step is to get your debt under control. This is important because you don't want to be investing with money that you could be used to pay off debt. High-interest debt, like credit card debt, can eat away at your investment returns.
One way to get your debt under control is to use the "snowball" method popularized by Dave Ramsey. With this method, you focus on paying off your smallest debt first. Once that's paid off, you move on to the next smallest debt, and so on. As you pay off each debt, you free up more money to put towards the next debt on your list.
Another option is to use the "avalanche" method. With this approach, you focus on paying off your debts with the highest interest rates first. The idea is that by doing this, you'll save money on interest over time.
Once you've got your debt under control, you can start thinking about investing in the future.
7. Decide Where You’re Going To Invest
Once you have a financial strategy in place, it's time to start thinking about how you're going to invest. There are several different ways to do this, so it's important to find one that best suits your needs.
Here are a few popular options:
- Individual stocks - This is when you buy shares of a specific company. For example, you might buy shares of Apple or Amazon.
- Mutual funds - This is when you pool your money with other investors, and it's managed by a professional.
- Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) - This is similar to a mutual fund, but it's traded on an exchange like a stock.
- Bonds - This is when you loan money to a company or government. In return, they agree to pay you interest.
- Real estate - This is when you invest in property such as a house or apartment building.
- Cryptocurrency - This is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security.
These are just a few of the most popular options, but there are many others to choose from. It's important to do your research and figure out which one is best for you.
Why It's Never Too Late To Begin Investing And Building Wealth?
It's never too late to start investing and building wealth. No matter how old you are, it's important to start saving for the future. The sooner you start, the more time your money will have to grow.
Investing is one of the best ways to build wealth over time. It can be a great way to secure your financial future and retire comfortably.
If you're in your 30s and you're not yet investing, now is the time to start. By taking advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans and getting your debt under control, you can set yourself up for success.
Don't wait another day to start investing in your future. It's never too late to begin building wealth.
121 Financial Credit Union, Your Trusted Financial Partner in Jacksonville, FL
Investing can be a great way to build wealth and secure your financial future. But it's not always easy to get started. If you're not sure where to begin, 121 Financial Credit Union can help.
Our team of financial experts will work with you to develop a personalized plan that meets your unique needs. We'll help you choose the right investments and make sure you're on track to reach your financial goals.
Whether you're just starting or you're well into your career, 121 Financial Credit Union can help you plan for your future. We offer a wide range of financial services, including investment guidance, retirement planning, and more.
If you're ready to start investing, 121 Financial Credit Union is here to help. We'll work with you to develop a personalized plan and choose the right investments for your needs. Contact us today to get started.