You may hear investment advice on how to timing the market or make large gains before a market correction, but this knowledge is rarely useful to the typical long-term investor. You want to do the right thing, but with so much conflicting advice, you might be making judgments based on fear rather than rational thought.
One strategy to reduce market volatility is to focus on investing consistently over time, regardless of market highs or lows. Listen to this week’s episode of the wealthy & Regular podcast to learn more about the bull market, then read on to learn how consistent investing can help you avoid the noise and stick to your strategy.
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Pay Attention To Your Instincts.
Allowing investment “experts” on the internet or on television to overshadow the labor and thoughtfulness that went into your investment strategy is a mistake. Consistently investing, month after month, can help you maximize your profits while freeing up time to pursue other hobbies.
You may need to adjust your plan from time to time, but if that’s the case, trust your instincts and consult with a licensed financial adviser before making major changes to your investment accounts.
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Allow The Market To Do The Heavy Lifting For You.
In the stock market, consistency is key, as tiny investments made over time typically outperform bigger, more irregular bets. When the market begins to fall, though, it can be tempting to quit our strategy and undo a lot of the passive profits we’ve made.
You give the stock market the best chance to do its job and make you money by investing early and consistently. Panicking at every market blip wastes your time and energy, and if you do sell, you risk losing the gains that await you on the next rise.
Many investors sold when the market was at its lowest point in 2008, missing out on one of the longest stock market rebounds in history. Rather than selling depending on what the market appears to be doing on any particular day, week, or month, leave your money alone for as long as possible to allow it to grow.
Work with a financial advisor to develop the best plan for you based on your risk tolerance, and follow these guidelines to stay on track, even if disaster appears to be brewing:
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Concentrate On The Long Run.
We’ve all heard urban legends about people who become millionaires overnight in the stock market. That can be a pleasant concept, similar to thinking about winning the lotto, but it won’t help you achieve your financial goals.
Instead, consider your long-term objectives and search for ways to boost your monthly payments, even if it’s just a small amount each month. Because of the magic of compound interest, investing consistently from a young age will generate more significant profits in the stock market than making one major investment later in life.
Using this compound interest calculator, we constructed the following scenarios to demonstrate the importance of long-term investing.
An investor who invests $10,000 initially and then adds $100 per month for the next 20 years at a reasonable 6% interest rate will likely see their investment grow to around $76,214.
The identical $10,000 initial investment and $100 monthly payment made over 10 years (half the period in the market) will only yield roughly $33,725.
In this case, simply starting to invest 10 years earlier could result in a 50 percent increase in the stock market.
Avoid The Headlines.
When you’re invested in the stock market, it’s easy to become caught up in checking for updates and keeping track of every loss or gain. When you invest regularly over time, though, you know you’re devoting the same amount of money to your assets each month.
Eventually, that commitment may become so normal that the market’s inevitable ups and downs don’t bother you, and you just go about your business as usual.
Your investments don’t have to be an afterthought when you have a monthly contribution fully accounted for in your budget, and you can have confidence in your financial strategy.
You have peace of mind knowing that you are constantly adding to your investment accounts, regardless of what the news is talking about that day.
Even if you did not begin investing when you were younger, you still have time to ensure your financial future. Consult a trained financial advisor to help you strategically make up some ground in the method that best fits your circumstances.
Remember that the stock market’s highs and lows are normal, and you may gain some peace of mind by focusing on the long-term strategy rather than the short-term noise. Keep your investing strategy consistent and search for tiny methods to boost your monthly investment amount to set yourself up for success.