There are lots of great investment opportunities in 2019 for you to choose from. You can invest in large-cap stocks, mid-cap stocks, indexes, or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).
But what if you don’t know how to buy a stock? Where do you begin?
I Don’t Know How To Buy Stocks
No need to worry. There are several to brokerages to choose from. Bankrate.com has made it easy for you to find several reputable brokerage companies. Brokerage Reviews 2019 makes it easy to compare reviews on the best brokerage accounts available.
Personally, I like Charles Schwab because of their excellent tools and research. Bankrate.com likes them too, giving them 4.5 stars.
If your company offers a 401(k) or a 403(b) you should definitely contribute to the plan. These are a great way to invest pre-tax dollars and receive the benefit of compound interest. In 2019, the 401(k) contribution limit increased to $19,000, up from $18,500 in 2018.
There are always opportunities to invest in real estate. As with purchasing stocks, it is necessary to do your research before you buy. Although the residual income received for real estate can be passive, the investment decision should not be.
Buying low and selling high is how you make money in stocks and real estate.
Finding the right assets to purchase can seem like a daunting task. There is so much to learn, so much to study and find out.
Why can’t investing be easier?
Is There A Such Thing As a Risk-Free Investment?
What if I told you the best investment for 2019 is really an easy decision with unlimited upside and no risk at all.
Seriously, no risk at all.
There is no minimum investment amount required. There are no monthly reoccurring fees.
The only thing you will need is time.
Sometimes you have more time than money. However, time, like money, should not be wasted.
In fact, time can actually be more valuable than money.
Steve Jobs was a billionaire, but he didn’t have enough money to buy even one extra day of life.
The Best Investment For 2019
The best investment you can make in 2019 is in yourself.
Invest in yourself by focusing on one or two areas where you need to improve.
Perhaps you need to lose weight. Weight loss always seems to be a high ranking New Years’ resolution.
Since there are plenty of blogs about weight loss and dieting, I won’t spend any time here talking about compound lifts, keto, intermittent fasting, or the Mediterranean diet.
Invest in Financial Education
Invest in yourself by finding the time to improve your financial literacy.
It would be great if financial literacy were taught in primary and secondary school. Perhaps more people would have more money in a savings account than what is owed on credit cards.
Improving your financial literacy does not have to be expensive. You don’t need $100, $1,000, or $10,000 to get started.
There are plenty of books available for free at the library that teach financial literacy.
In a previous post, I gave you a list of great books on financial literacy that are best sellers. The suggestions and tips in these books for saving, investing, and making money actually work.
Take Online Courses
Another good place where you can increase your financial literacy is by taking online courses.
Udemy has 3,000-plus classes to choose from.
Although classes can retail for as much as $199.99, Udemy always has sales where you can purchase a class for as little as $9.99 – $12.99.
This is the only time when I purchase Udemy courses. Thus far, I have accumulated a library of 91 courses. Some of the courses I have were free!
Just type the word investing in the search bar and you will find courses for: investing in stocks, investing in real estate, online investing, value investing and building wealth.
One of the things I like about Udemy courses is that they are available in audio. You can listen to the instructor as you work, exercise, cook, or ride the metro. You can access the courses on your computer or on your mobile phone. All you need is some headphones.
Education Is a Tool
I am a big fan of continuous learning and education.
Education makes life easier because it will raise your income potential and quality of life.
Here is a paragraph from my book where I talk about the need for education.
Education, like an extra tool on your tool belt, will make life easier by giving you the resource needed to solve problems. Education expands the type of work you are able to do, increases your income potential, and allows you to find solutions to problems more effectively. Education is the tool that never breaks and will not rust. Once it’s obtained, unlike other finite resources, education can never be taken away.
The Best Investment You Can Make
Remember, the best investment in 2019 you can make is in yourself.
The best way you can invest in yourself is by being a better manager of your time.
Use every minute you are awake wisely.
I have never met a person that took the time to invest in themselves and was disappointed with the outcome.