The world of investing may seem mysterious and complicated enough to be overwhelming, but take heart. The stock market is not as difficult as you might think. With some time and an attitude of discovery, you can explore the financial universe and gain expertise and even experience without risking a cent. Here are five creative ways to learn about investing.
Write Down Your Goals
The first critical step in learning about the investing process is about tapping into your own ideas, goals, and originality.
- Write down what stocks you want to buy.
- Explain why you want to own them.
- Describe what may cause you to sell them.
This seemingly simple process helps you probe your vision and cement your financial objectives, giving you a clearer idea of the type of investor you may be. You can later share these goals with the money manager of your choice. Asset managers at Fisher Investments, Goldman Sachs and others will ask you for your goals when you meet with them, so it is wise to have them nailed down.
Online Seminars
These web-based programs are designed to offer basic and intermediate education to those with some knowledge of investing as well as beginners. Topics can be general or specific, such as women and investing, retirement planning and financing long-term care. These free educational sessions are a good way to gain knowledge from finance veterans, and you can review recordings after the live events.
Videos
Videos are an extremely popular online medium. Many people respond well to videos, as they appeal to both auditory and visual learners. However, educational videos may also include text, and this multi-sensory approach stimulates deep cognition and promotes high memory retention. Videos are not just for entertainment anymore. They can teach you about investing among other subjects.
Some advisers, like Fisher Investments, produce videos that offer overall market analysis and updates as well as individual subjects. Each video is generally short, making even the most complex topics easier to grasp. In addition, you can watch them as many times as you wish, and you can learn whenever and wherever is convenient for you.
Hands-On Events
These scheduled events for investors are like a sort of Investi-Con for those looking to learn or share the tricks of the traders. These periodic showcases of financial operations give you a real feeling for how stock trading is done.
These types of occasions let you go onto the floor where trades are almost instantly made and also offer classroom lessons. Some of these types of events include friendly competitions. They can be a real eye-opener for investors about the world of the stock market.
Stock Simulators
Are you a fan of video games or computer flight simulators? Even if you aren’t, you can gain useful experience with trading by using stock simulators. These real-world platforms give you the experience of how investing works by letting you buy and sell in realistic situations without risking any of your own money.
These stock market games allow you to practice choosing stocks, making trades, and tracking your securities. You can find them at reliable financial websites. For example, HowTheMarketWorks.com offers a simulator program. This strategy is for the slightly more advanced investor who is familiar with what the numbers mean and the basics of stock trading. However, it is an easy way to gain valuable knowledge to help you feel more confident.
Investing is not as complicated as it may seem. When you lay down a solid foundation by initially clarifying your aims and financial comfort zone, you can easily build on it with the numerous educational opportunities now available to investors. The more you know, the easier it is for you to make sound investing decisions.
The post 5 Creative Ways to Learn About Investing appeared first on Wall Street Survivor.
