Investment Strategy: Ways to Invest for Beginners From Scratch

Investing is an essential tool for building wealth and securing a strong financial future. With so many investment options and strategies available, it's easy to feel lost and unsure about where to begin. By starting early and making smart investment choices, anyone can grow their savings and achieve their financial goals. Here are some best investment strategies for beginners to help them get started from scratch.

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Disclaimer: #The investment risk in the portfolio is borne by the policyholder. Life insurance is available in this product. The maturity amount of Rs 1 Cr. is for a 30 year old healthy individual investing Rs 10,000/- per month for 30 years, with assumed rates of returns @ 8% p.a. that is not guaranteed and is not the upper or lower limits as the value of your policy depends on a number of factors including future investment performance. In Unit Linked Insurance Plans, the investment risk in the investment portfolio is borne by the policyholder and the returns are not guaranteed. Maturity Value: ₹1,05,02,174 @ CAGR 8%; ₹50,45,591 @ CAGR 4%. *Tax benefits and savings are subject to changes in tax laws. All plans listed here are of insurance companies’ funds.

Understanding Investment Basics

Whether you're a seasoned investor or just getting started, it's important to understand the basics of investing to make informed decisions and achieve your financial goals.

Here are some key concepts to understand when it comes to investing:

Risk and return: The higher the potential return on an investment, the higher the risk you will likely have to take on. Conversely, investments that offer lower returns usually involve lower risk. Understanding this tradeoff is crucial when making investment decisions.
Diversification: Spreading your investments across different asset classes (such as stocks, bonds, and real estate) can help reduce your overall risk. By diversifying your portfolio, you are not putting all your eggs in one basket, so to speak.
Asset allocation: This refers to the mix of asset classes in your portfolio. Your asset allocation will depend on factors such as your risk tolerance, investment goals, and time horizon.

For example, if you have a long time horizon (such as decades until retirement), you may be able to afford to take on more risk by investing a larger portion of your portfolio in stocks.
Fees: Investment fees can eat into your returns over time, so it's important to understand what fees you're paying and how they impact your overall investment performance. Common fees include management fees, expense ratios, and trading commissions.
Market cycles: The stock market goes through cycles of ups and downs, and it's important to understand that these cycles are a natural part of investing. Trying to time the market or make investment decisions based on short-term market movements can be risky, as it's nearly impossible to consistently predict market fluctuations.
Long-term focus: Investing is a long-term game. Trying to make quick profits or beat the market can lead to poor investment decisions. Instead, focus on building a diversified portfolio that aligns with your long-term financial goals.

What are the Best Investment Strategies?

Start with your goals

Before you invest, you need to determine what your investment goals are. What are you investing for? Is it for retirement, a down payment on a home, or something else entirely? Your investment goals will determine your investment strategy. If you are investing for a long-term goal, like retirement, you can afford to take on more risk because you have a longer time horizon. If you are investing for a short-term goal, like a down payment on a home, you need to be more conservative because you cannot afford to lose money.
Educate yourself

Investing can be intimidating if you do not understand the basics. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help you learn about investing. You can read books, take online courses, or attend seminars. You can also talk to a financial advisor who can help you understand your options and create an investment plan that aligns with your goals.
Start small

You do not need a lot of money to start investing. In fact, you can start with as little as Rs. 100. Many online brokers and investment apps allow you to open an account with a small amount of money. Starting small allows you to get a feel for investing without risking too much money.
Consider index funds

Index funds are a type of mutual fund in India that invests in the stocks of a specific market index, such as the Nifty 50 or the BSE Sensex. The goal of an index fund is to match the performance of the underlying index by investing in the same stocks in the same proportion as the index.

When you invest in an index fund, you are buying a piece of the entire market, which reduces your risk. Additionally, index funds typically have lower fees than actively managed funds, which can eat into your returns over time.
Start with a Retirement Account

A retirement account is a great place to start investing for beginners. Most retirement accounts offer tax benefits, such as tax-deferred growth or tax-free withdrawals in retirement. The best investment option in this case includes, Deferred Annuity, Immediate Annuity, Annuity Certain, Defined Contribution, National Pension Scheme (NPS), Defined Benefit
Invest in Real Estate

Real estate can be a great way to diversify your investment portfolio. You can invest in real estate by buying a rental property, investing in a real estate investment trust (REIT), or investing in a real estate crowdfunding platform. Real estate investments can offer long-term growth and income, but they also require significant upfront capital.
Diversify your portfolio

Diversification is the key to reducing risk in your investment portfolio. When you diversify, you spread your money across different types of investments, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate. This helps reduce the impact of any one investment on your overall portfolio. You can diversify further by investing in different sectors, geographies, and asset classes.
Invest regularly

Investing regularly is one of the best ways to build wealth over the long term. You can set up automatic contributions to your investment account each month, which takes the emotion out of investing and helps you stay committed to your goals. Regular investing also allows you to take advantage of dollar-cost averaging, which means you buy more shares when prices are low and fewer shares when prices are high.
Rebalance your portfolio

As you invest, your portfolio will become unbalanced because some investments will perform better than others. Rebalancing involves selling some of your winners and buying more of your losers to bring your portfolio back into balance. Rebalancing can be a tedious task, but it is essential to maintaining your desired asset allocation and reducing risk.
Don't try to time the market

Timing the market is a strategy where you try to buy low and sell high based on market trends. This is a risky strategy because it is impossible to predict market movements with any degree of certainty. Instead, focus on your long-term investment goals and stick to your investment plan. Over time, your portfolio will grow, and you will be able to weather market ups and downs.
Be patient

Investing is a long-term game. You will not get rich overnight, and you may experience ups and downs along the way. It's essential to be patient and stay committed to your investment strategy, even when the market is volatile. Remember, investing is a marathon, not a sprint.
Consider seeking professional advice

While it is possible to learn about investing on your own, some beginners may benefit from seeking professional advice. A financial advisor can help you create an investment plan that aligns with your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. They can also provide ongoing guidance and support as you navigate the ups and downs of the market.

Wrapping it up!

In conclusion, investing can be an accessible and straightforward way to grow your wealth over the long term. By investing in the best investment option and by seeking professional advice, beginners can begin their investment journey with confidence. Remember, investing is a journey, and anyone can achieve their investment goals with patience, commitment, and discipline.

†Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. This list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. The sorting is based on past 10 years’ fund performance (Fund Data Source: Value Research). For a complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website, www.irdai.gov.in

Past 10 Years' annualised returns as on 01-12-2024

^The tax benefits under Section 80C allow a deduction of up to ₹1.5 lakhs from the taxable income per year and 10(10D) tax benefits are for investments made up to ₹2.5 Lakhs/ year for policies bought after 1 Feb 2021. Tax benefits and savings are subject to changes in tax laws.

*All savings are provided by the insurer as per the IRDAI approved insurance plan.

Tax benefit is subject to changes in tax laws. Standard T&C Apply
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^^The information relating to mutual funds presented in this article is for educational purpose only and is not meant for sale. Investment is subject to market risks and the risk is borne by the investor. Please consult your financial advisor before planning your investments.

#The investment risk in the portfolio is borne by the policyholder. Life insurance is available in this product. The maturity amount of Rs 1 Cr. is for a 30 year old healthy individual investing Rs 10,000/- per month for 30 years, with assumed rates of returns @ 8% p.a. that is not guaranteed and is not the upper or lower limits as the value of your policy depends on a number of factors including future investment performance. In Unit Linked Insurance Plans, the investment risk in the investment portfolio is borne by the policyholder and the returns are not guaranteed. Maturity Value: ₹1,05,02,174 @ CARG 8%; ₹50,45,591 @ CAGR 4%

¶Long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax (12.5%) is exempted on annual premiums up to 2.5 lacs.

**Returns are based on past 10 years’ fund performance data (Fund Data Source: Value Research).