Investing is about making money work harder – but it comes with an element of risk. That’s why it is important to understand the basics before you invest. But it’s also important to consider how much money you have to spare and whether investing could help you reach your savings and lifestyle goals.
Investor Centre is a good place to start, but it is worth remembering that even the best saving accounts are unlikely to keep up with inflation and in some cases actually lose money due to taxes. For this reason, it’s essential to have an emergency fund in an easy-access account covering about 6 months of expenses before you start investing.
How to Start Investing in the UK – A Step-by-Step Guide for New Investors
While taking a punt on individual shares can be an exciting prospect, it’s very risky for beginner investors. Instead, most people choose the ready-made diversification of a low-cost tracker, or ‘index’, fund which tracks the fortunes of a basket of shares in a range of different companies. This can be held within a stocks and shares ISA, or in pooled investments such as unit trusts which are often tailored to different risk profiles.
You can even invest in bonds (loans to governments or corporations) to earn a regular income from fixed interest rates. You can either invest in individual bonds or use bond funds, which are pooled investments that hold a wide variety of bonds to provide an efficient way to diversify your portfolio. Another popular investment option is impact investing, where you are seeking a return from businesses and projects that make a social or environmental difference.