Do you want to start investing, but still aren’t sure what the best investment for you would be? We’re here to help you with this mission and introduce you to everything available to you on the market.
As much as it’s become heavily populated with new faces, the world of investments still bears a truckload of doubts and insecurities. Should I be more conservative or should I be more aggressive? Which is better: fixed income or variable income? Am I at risk of losing my money? What are the best investments anyway?
To help you find the answers to these pressing questions, we have prepared this article about the best investments you could capitalize on.
By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be ready to make that next financial step you’ve been hoping for
Why should you invest your money?
The importance of investing your money goes far beyond avoiding the risks of keeping money under the mattress. It is, in fact, a way for you to prepare for the future, ensuring the quality of life and financial security with what you’re doing in the present.
If you’re still not sure if you should really invest your money, we’ve prepared some reasons to prove why this habit needs to become part of your financial planning.
Build your equity
Investing is one of the safest ways to build equity. After all, in addition to not letting your money sit still, by investing you put it to work. On top of that, if you know how to apply it correctly — by following the market movement, diversifying your portfolio, and relying on promising companies to help you in this process — your money will only grow over time.
Have more financial stability
Imagine facing an unexpected situation, which requires tapping into some of your financial resources, without having an emergency reserve to rely on. This is also why investing your money is so important. And it is worth noting that investment is not only for the long term. There are several types of financial applications that allow you to redeem the money invested at any time as savings does.
Fulfill your dreams and those of your family
While money doesn’t bring happiness, it is undeniable that it is essential for achieving goals and objectives, to some degree. Whether it’s buying your own home, a trip abroad, your child’s college, or anything you feel is necessary. Investing your money is synonymous with dedicating part of your income to buying small moments of joy and making your dreams come true.
But where, after all, to invest your money? Before making that decision, you need to understand what fixed-income investments and variable-income investments are. Only then will you be able to choose what makes the most sense for your current circumstances.
Top fixed-income investments
For people with a more conservative profile or even for those who are starting to invest now, fixed-income investments are usually a great option. This is because this type of investment allows you to predict your earnings, since, as the name implies, the interest rates are fixed.
CDs
Bank Deposit Certificates are investment securities issued by banks. In practice, it’s as if you lend your money to a bank (which needs it to ensure the financial transactions of all customers) and receive your money back after a certain amount of time, with the due increase in interest. The profitability of CDs follows the Interbank Deposit rate (ID rate), which can vary from month to month.
Treasury Direct
This type of investment follows a logic similar to CDs, but instead of lending money to a bank, you’re practically lending money to the federal government. It is a very safe investment and a great option for anyone who’s just starting out. The return on Treasury Direct public securities is determined according to the current interest rates and inflation levels in the economy.
Debentures
Also with very similar dynamics in relation to the Direct Treasury and the CD, debentures are the same kind of loan, this time involving private companies. By investing in debentures you’re basically buying debt securities issued by some companies to raise funds. This is a good option for those willing to risk a little more when investing, which can, in turn, pay off immensely if their hunch was right.
LCI and LCA
The Real Estate Letters of Credit (LCI) and the Agribusiness Letters of Credit (LCA) are investments aimed at raising funds for financial institutions that operate in these two sectors. The biggest advantage this type of investment has is that the securities are exempt from Income Tax and, therefore, those who opt for them receive the net value of the income.
Main variable income investments
As much as investing in fixed income is more conservative, variable income investments tend to guarantee greater profitability (which is compensation for the greater risk) and are great alternatives for those who want to diversify their investment portfolio and build their equity.
Below you’ll find the many types of variable income investments you’ll run across.
Actions
A very common type of investment in the market, shares, are traded on the stock exchange and represent a portion of a company’s capital. When you buy shares in an organization, you become a partner in the company, and by selling these assets for more than when you bought them (if the company was highly successful for example), you could make immense amounts of money.
Stock fund
This is a type of investment that allows you to buy shares in companies without having to trade on the stock exchange. It works like this: you buy one or as many shares as you want and leave the asset management to a responsible professional, who will manage the fund. Your income will be proportional to your participation in the fund.
ETFs
Exchange Traded Funds are also known as index funds and are a type of investment fund that, unlike traditional ones, have several stocks in a single asset. By opting for this type of investment you can diversify the risk in variable income, since, with a single investment, you will be investing in a package of assets.
Exchange
Foreign exchange investments are investments based on foreign currencies. Some of the ways to make this type of investment are through foreign exchange funds or the purchase of dollar contracts traded on the stock exchange floor. The advantage of this type of investment is that your money is not entirely hostage to fluctuations in the economy.