As the UK enters yet another recession, it may be a good time to look at what types of investment are available and what ones are a good ‘go-to’ during these tough times.
The beautiful South-East is a great place to start, bringing tens of thousands of tourists each year, known for its sparkling seaside towns, such as Eastbourne and Brighton, and beautiful inland green spaces such as Kent, also known as ‘The Garden of England’. In the South-East we’re also spoilt for choice in where to plant the seeds of investments.
INVESTMENT GOALS AND PLANNING
There are many different types of investments out there, and it’s important to be clear on what your goals are and what steps you’re willing to take to reach them.
Investment planning will help you identify the type of product that would be more suited to you.
Start with your goals and what you want to achieve and then put it into a plan.
WHAT TO SET OUT IN YOUR INVESTMENT PLAN AND WHAT TO CONSIDER
How much of a risk appetite do you have? Not all investments come with risk but it’s good to consider how much you’re willing to risk if any.
Be precise on how much returns you need and can reasonably expect.
What sort of time-frame do you have? Is it a long-term investment or a short-term investment you’re looking for?
Are you going to be the one that oversees the plan? if not, include any adviser fee’s you’re willing to pay
How much money do you have to invest and how much of it are you willing to lose along the way?
Consider what type of investment fee’s you may need to pay for.
There are four main types of investment
These are also known as “asset classes”
CASH INVESTMENTS
Cash investment is good if you’re looking for a short-term investment, and are looking to get returns quickly.
Cash investment includes everyday Bank accounts, high-interest saving accounts and term deposits.
Though they bring in the lowest amount in return, they can generate regular income and are a low-risk investment.
Cash investments are a good way to go if you’re goal from your investment is saving for a deposit on a house, weddings or general safety net savings.
PROPERTY
In the South-East there are a lot of great property investment opportunities.
Property has and will always be one of the best places to invest, creating a solid financial plan for the future.
Property prices can rise considerably over a medium to long period and is a good low-risk investment if you’re looking for something in the long-term.
Property investment comes with a lot of pros and cons, it helps build wealth and generates a good return but it also requires a lot of money upfront and depending if you’re buying to rent or buying to sell, it can come with a high maintenance cost.
SHARES
Shares (also known as equities) are where you essential own a small part of a business and a proportion of the company’s values.
You can pool money together with other people in a collective investment, which is known as a fund.
The price of a share can go up and down if a share price reduces then the value of your investment goes down, so there is some risk involved in share and is best to be used as a long-term investment.
FIXED INTEREST SECURITIES (BONDS)
Bonds are essentially you loaning a company money, for a certain amount of time.
In return, they pay you a guaranteed interest rate through the duration of the loan and at the end of that time, the money you loaned them is due to be returned.
The interest rate you receive depends on how long you are lending the money for, the longer you lend for, the greater the interest rate.
Bonds are generally known as being less risky than shares but are more likely to be affected by inflation.
There are many different directions to take and understanding yourself and what interests you are key in knowing which direction to take.
Here at Diamond Accounts, we love talking business and investments, so whether you’re decided or not, in which route to take, we’re happy to assist you in reaching your goals.