How to Begin Investing as a College Student

College Students And Investing

You might think that your college budget doesn’t allow for a variety of things, such as making investments. It’s going to be tricky, but your student years are one of the best times to start investing. After all, you’re on a learning curve and not afraid of making mistakes.

Unfortunately, there are no college courses on how to build your wealth. You’ll be pleased to know, however, that it’s not going to require thousands of dollars in capital to start your investment journey. You do need to know how to do it, and how to do it best. Below is an introduction to some of the most popular options for college investors and the best ways to get you started.

5 Main Ways to Invest Money

Cash in the bank is considered to be one of the safest options, but it’s not a great investment. Interest rates paid by banks tend to be lower than inflation. Certainly don’t leave your hard-earned money under the mattress because if you’re burgled, you’ve lost the lot.
For most people, property is the single best investment. It’s one you can start as soon as your income allows, simply by buying your own home. Once you’ve got your foot on the property ladder, you can climb your way up.
Antiques, art, wines, and collectibles can be a very interesting way to invest. Collectibles are often cheap, making them an affordable form of investment. However, it’s not the easy path to riches you might think. You need to be an expert in the things you collect to avoid being taken for a ride.
Equities can provide the beginner with the opportunity to make sizeable profits. They are a stake in a company, with shareholders often getting paid a dividend. Shares, stocks, and equities provide good growth potential. Equities allow you to invest smaller amounts, while also being cheaper to hold.
Bonds are the fifth option. They have a guaranteed interest rate and a date on which they’ll be redeemed. Bonds issued by governments are considered safer than company bonds.

Tips for College Students Who Want to Invest

If you want to invest in any of the options mentioned above, you should learn as much as you can. It’s possible to gain enough knowledge by reading books and articles online, and the information you gain will help you become a successful investor.

Any debts you have need to be paid off before making any kind of investment. Finding out how to refinance student loans will help you to repay these quicker. Making risky investments while you’ve still got high-interest loans to repay will only make your financial situation worse.

Making investments will require a brokerage account, so you need to find a reputable brokerage firm to handle your investment transactions.

A sensible thing to do when making investments is to diversify your portfolio. Don’t invest all your funds in one single company. Instead, put invest in various industries and investment types.