Ive been really thinking about starting to invest money.

Im tired of wasting money on the car, and not having anything besides the material things I own. I would like to either gain some property or get into the stock market.

So my question is, when you first started to invest, where did you start?

 

Not in real estate. The time for that was in 98, 99, 2000. There was an article in the Baltimore Sun today that said sales in the MD area dropped 22% since last year. Home prices are extremely overvalued.

Where else, I don't know.

Warren

 

Did you mean, perhaps, elsewhere?

To answer the original question, if your employer offers a 401(k) - and especially if they will match contributions - you should invest all you can afford in it. As for allocating the money in that account . . . well, that's a difficult question to answer responsibly (and ethically) without finding out a lot more about your circumstances, goals, risk tolerance, and so on. As a general rule, mutual funds are a good way to start, but that only narrows your choices to several thousand possibilities.

If you look at my signature, you'll see that my website will soon be offering a tool to help you decide how to allocate your money amongst the investments you choose, but it won't help you decide which investments to choose.

 

I started investing when I was 17. I bought mutual funds. I'm 19 now, and still invest in mutual funds and I started an IRA as well. I'd like to invest in rental property in the ghetto in a couple of years when the S2000 is paid off.

 

Real estate properties are over valued right now. There are no bargains. Mutual funds is a good way to start. In the mean time, move your savings to an online savings account where they pay more interest +- 5%. Good luck.

 

I have a personal 403(b) *and* in addition a retirement account that my employer matches.


In two months, give or take, I'm going to put some money into an ING type savings account and get around 4-5% interest.

Other than that, I dunno. Just save save save I guess. Houses on sale here in cali have been up for months, nobody wants to buy em. Although I might think about real estate in the future.

 

good choice, my dad works for ing.

Im investing in properties, I undstand that many houses are currently over valued but many people are holding off due to rising interest rates but as we saw with gas, people cut down on driving with the initial jump then we adjusted to the prices by introducing more fuel efficient vehicles and working harder towards alternative fuel sources. The mortgage industry is introducing some very creative loans to make homes more affordable including 40 year loans and interest only mortgages. If you can buy an investment property with 40k in equity in it with no money down and put someone in it rent to own then you can easily pull 30-40k with no out of pocket expense.

 

have a look at overseas property such as shanghai or dubai.

that's if you have money already, otherwise.....you will be working for the rest of your life sorry.

 

 

1) Stop spending money on toys. You cant invest money if you dont have any.
2) Max out your 401k. I do 16% of my pre tax income.
3) Invest in a Roth IRA.
4) High Interest Savings Account i.e. ING Direct.