How To Start Investing In Stocks: A Beginner’s Guide

As a beginner, learning some investment strategies in the stock market can be a bit challenging. But a careful study of several investment strategies out there and choosing which investment approach to use as well as the account that would suit you best can be a positive step to investing in a stock. 

The stock market is a very big market where companies put up their shares for the general public to buy and sell. This in turn gives them leverage, raises capital for them and set their foot off to a big financial gain. 

But as a new investor, you need to know some stock trading apps and experts that can help you make big profit off the stock exchange market. Learning which style suits you best can place you in a pole position of gaining wealth. You can decide to trade these stocks and ETFs. 

What are ETFs?

ETFs also known as Exchange-traded funds are used to fund trades on exchanges, thereby tracking a particular index. When you decide to trade an ETF, you have varieties of assets to buy and sell when the trading market opens. Here, your risk and exposure to serious losses are potentially reduced while at the same time helping you to diversify your portfolio. 

If you decide not to trade stock, you have an option to invest long-term in stock. Granted, the process of choosing a stock to invest in can be overwhelming for beginners. This is because there are thousands of stocks listed on major exchanges. 

Investing in stock is filled with complex strategies and approaches, but then some successful investors have continued to stick with the basics of the stock market which have worked for them.  Successful investors have advised that before a beginner invests in a particular stock, he has to believe in the company’s capacity for a long time growth. 

Another good thumb rule of stock investment is to diversify your investment portfolio and stick with it even when the sea of the stock market becomes very rough. The primary goal of investing in stock is to make your money work for you yielding more money for you in future. 

Basic Stock Investment Guide For Beginners

As a beginner, before investing in stock, you have to apply due diligence and must consider the basic steps needed while asking the right questions. Look at the options laid out and carefully choose which one would work for you. In this section, we will be considering five basic guides before investing in the stock market. 

• Choose how best to invest in the stock market: When making the decision to invest in the stock market, there are several approaches to follow. Pick the best option before you and a practical way you can execute it. Three possible options you might want to consider are this:
  • Choosing Stocks and stock funds on your own: Deciding to choose your own stock requires careful analysis of the stock market. You might have to carry out research, consult experienced investors for advice and choose the amount of capital to invest in that particular stock. This might take some time but can yield good results.
  • Choosing an Investment expert to manage the process for you: Based on your circumstance, you might decide to trust your investment with experts. You might also consider using the Robo-adviser, a service that presents low-cost investment management.
  • Investing through your Employer: This is an option if you don’t have the full capital to invest at once but have a retirement plan option where you work. This works by contributing a percentage of your salary to this retirement plan option and using it to invest in your future. This process is also known as a 401(K) retirement plan.
• Choose a Stock Investing Account: When you are ready to invest, you have to choose a preferred investment account. Opening a brokerage account will offer you a fast and less expensive path to stock buying. Some brokers give you an option of having an individual retirement account or an option of opening a taxable brokerage account if you already have a 401(K) plan with your employer.
  • A passive option is opening a Robo-advisor account. A Robo-advisor provides investment management services and does not require you to do the work of picking individual investments. It does all that for you.
• Set a Budget for Your Investment in Stock Market: As a new investor, you might wonder how much funds you need to start investing in a stock. The amount you might need will depend on the worth of the shares you want to buy. If your budget is small, you might consider investing in ETFs. Unlike mutual funds which most times have a minimum start-off of $1000, the ETF affords you the freedom of purchasing stocks at a lesser price.
  • Also, you might consider how much money you want to invest in a stock. Having a financial advisor might be helpful to you so that you won’t invest more than what you can’t afford to lose.
• Have a Long-term Investment Plan: Over the decade, the stock market has continued to prove that the best way to grow wealth is by investing long-term. Sometimes, the stock market returns might be high and sometimes they might be low. This should not bother you much if you have a long-term plan.
  • As a long-term investor, no matter the fluctuations in stock price and assets, the stock market is one of the best investments for you. When you invest in stocks or mutual funds, don’t look at them. Avoid the habit of looking at the current profits or losses as this would help you avoid making an impulsive decision.
• Manage your Portfolio: In as much as you are trying to avoid daily checkups on your investments, it would be wise to check in on your stocks or other investment once in a while. This will help you ensure that everything is on track.

Following these steps when you want to start stock investment can be a good way to make you a successful investor. Remember to consider international stock investments. As a good investor, you should have some international stocks in your portfolio. This will help you to build wealth overtime.