Contributed article in our business series. Enjoy! – Kimberly
Investing has long been the favourite of many with some spare cash. As the years go by and investment trends change, we still find ourselves asking the same question: is this a good investment year? This is because our society and lives are always changing, meaning that opportunities for investments are changing, too.
In that spirit, it’s time to ask the same question again. Is 2019 a good year for investing? If so, on what front should you invest? People who have been in the game long enough will tell you that the opportunity to invest is better or worse, according to the market you’re aiming for. It’s always safer to do your research thoroughly before you start investing in anything. Investing isn’t for everyone, and you should be able to make an informed decision before anything major happens.
1. Pay off your debt
If you’re in a good place financially right now, it may be a good time to think about paying off your debt. The safest invest is always in yourself and your future. 2019 is the year of many debt paying options, allowing you to safely and securely get to your clean slate.
Being in debt can also ruin your chances of investing, though. It’s simple, your balance won’t be as good as when the debt is clear. What’s more, you won’t be working as with much money as you could be. This can all lead to a negative investment experience, which is something you want to avoid.
Paying off your debt is an investment in another sense, too. See, when your debt is clear, you’re guaranteed to get a return on your money, regardless of what the twist and turns of the stock market are.
When your balance is good, and your debt is clear, you can also hope for better interest rates when you decide to take out another loan. With all the money you can earn by investing with a cleared debt, a a loan for a new car or an addition to the house should be easily obtainable.
2. Small businesses
Small businesses and startups are always looking for more investors. After all, they’ve got big dreams and little funds. As independent thinking and creativity ride shotgun next to 2019, investing in a small business might not be such a bad idea.
Of course, this is a very tricky investment that can turn awry easily. You have to be one hundred percent certain a firm will do well before you decide to put your money in it. This is why it might be a good idea to observe a business before you decide to take any action.
If they seem to be growing steadily and the owner is financially wise, you can consider helping the firm out. Another piece of advice is to invest in more than just one company at a time. This way, you’ll have something to fall back on if one of the other companies fail.
3. Peer-to-peer lending
It seems that peer-to-peer lending is especially popular this year. Perhaps it’s because people simply don’t trust traditional banks anymore, or that they don’t like what they offer. With peer-to-peer lending, you’ll get to lend money to someone else, as if you were the bank. In turn, you get to keep the interest they pay back the loan in.
When it first started, peer-to-peer lending has been a huge concern to many. After all, how can you be sure that the individual will actually pay you back? You don’t know them, why should you trust them? Well, this is why specialized companies were formed.
They match clients and ensure each payment is successful and on time. As well as that, you won’t be lending to only one person. This means that you’ll be collecting cash left and right. Small increments are also very real, allowing you to collect more money over time.
Many people today need to pay off their debt as soon as possible and they look to peer-to-peer lending for help. The method is becoming so popular, that some investors think it’s going to just keep getting hotter, which is why they’re getting in on the action this year.
4. Real estate
The real estate bubble is definitely real. This means that the prices seem to go endlessly up, until the inevitable market crash. This is why most people stay away from investing in real estate and renting places out. There’s one very simple reason why real estate will always be a safe investment, despite the market crash: people still need to live somewhere.
Of course, in 2019, more than just traditional real estate investment options are possible. You can easily buy Real Estate investment trusts. This way, you will be able to take advantage of the ups and downs of the market, while not dealing with tenants or being a landlord.
There are many real estate investment sites which are growing more and more popular as time goes on. This can be taken as a good sign. Of course, you shouldn’t choose your investment site at random. Some of them may just be doing well on the surface. This is why you shouldn’t rush your decision with real estate. Give it some more time and see how the other sites are doing. One can easily follow the other on the road to failure, which will be sending you a sign for the state of the market.
5. Rare investments
If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, you should be on the market for rare investments. Here, you’ll get to encounter unique and interesting opportunities which can surely pay off in the long run. 2019 is very fertile when it comes to rare investments, especially pink diamonds.
Pink diamonds are worth quite a lot because of their rarity and are unique for the same reason. They’re also easy to store, making them very convenient for home storage. After all, they’re small and you can easily keep them safe. Thanks to their durability, you can be sure your diamonds will be a worthy investment.
In other words, you can pick the time when your pink diamond sale will make the most profit. This way, you can easily ensure that your investment will be worthwhile. Even if you miss the height point of selling, you can just wait for another one. 2019 is surely going to be full of them.
6. The stock market
One of the most common types of investment is the stock market. It’s always a hot topic between investors because it always changes. There’s a constant up and down in the stock market due to the economy. Right now, there are rumours that there will be a correction of the stock market very soon.
That means that investing in 2019 is the smartest move you can make. You want to enter the game when the stakes are low and you don’t lose much money. Then, you can easily build up to the level you desire and decide to sell when the market is at its highest.
Of course, this plan can only work if you’re planning on being in the stock market for a while. This is one investment that takes the most time to pay off because it’s dependent on external factors. To avoid losing money while you wait for your payday, you can use different strategies.
One of the most efficient ones is focusing on the dollar cost average. In other words, try to invest the same amount of money every month. Because you’re buying the whole time, you’ll be able to take advantage of dollar cost averaging pretty easily.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve read up on all 2019 has to offer, you can better decide whether you want to go through with investments or not. Remember that the final decision is up to you and only you. Investments are serious business, and with a little dedication, you can actually make quite a bit of money off of them. Of course, it’s all about the long game. You’ll need a lot of patience to get your money’s worth, but eventually, you’ll get the payday you were waiting for. In the meanwhile, try to keep up with the ever-changing investment trends and the economy to stay on the top of your game.
Author: Lucas Parker – Lucas is a business consultant with a passion for writing. Doing his research, exploring and writing are his favorite things to do. Besides that, he loves playing his guitar, hiking and traveling.
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