8 Tips to Keep an Eye on Your Investments in Volatile Times

Current financial markets are more volatile than in recent memory. Therefore, you need to keep an eye on your investments. Whatever the source or your skill level, you need to understand some basics of portfolio management, such as when to check your assets. Some of the best apps to use and what investment types are best for short and long-term goals.

Sign Up For Alerts From Your Platform

There are tons of investment platforms available these days. You can invest in everything from commodities and stocks to bonds and cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrency is an excellent investment these days. But because the price of Bitcoin is highly volatile, sites like Binance are ideal for keeping up-to-date information on price peaks and valleys. Online platforms like this, and mobile phone apps like eToro, offer alerts, so you know if there is anything you need to know. Otherwise, you can get on with your life and let your money work for you.

Don't Obsess Over Your Assets

Watching your assets isn't advised if you want to stay feeling secure and worry-free. While investments are risky in general, you will only make yourself feel uneasy if you keep checking them. Additionally, investments are supposed to provide long-term gains. If you obsess over any assets you have, you will only see minor results in short periods. Unless you really feel like you need to, it's best to check your investments around once per year to see your annual returns. Or even longer if you make smaller investments as a beginner or for savings purposes.

COPYRIGHT_WI: Published on https://washingtonindependent.com/investments-in-volatile-times/ by Stefano Mclaughlin on 2022-04-26T15:04:39.462Z

Pay A Professional To Keep An Eye On Your Investments

With modern technology like online services and apps, it's easier than ever to invest money yourself. But, of course, you aren't an investment professional like a stockbroker. So even with apps like eToro available, it's a good idea to pay a professional if you can afford it. A stockbroker can monitor your assets and reinvest the money on your behalf. That way, you get the services of someone who knows what they are doing. Remember, though, you are subject to fees when using brokerages. Your accountant can provide guidance on such services.

Check-in At A Reasonable Time

If you feel you need to keep track of your investments, check-in once every few months. You can see negative versus positive gains since some assets will outperform others. By checking in, you can see where each investment is at, so you don't end up focusing only on investments you know are doing well. This is an essential strategy because market volatility is expected in most industries. Tomorrow's gains could be double today's losses. So, unless it's your job to watch the market, you don't need to obsess over the day's movements.

MORE: The Best Investment Apps As A Beginner

Investing is easier than ever, and you can do it at the touch of a button no matter where you are using apps. Where trading was once a closed-off activity, you can pick it up in a second and even do it as a hobby. Out of all the apps available, here are some of the best for a beginner:

• Robinhood
• Acorns
• Wealthbase
• Ellevest
• Investor

These are the best for beginners because they focus on providing a solid and reliable user experience with built-in systems for managing risk. Many will show you how to invest and trade in crypto and others, and some offer virtual trading while you learn to use the platforms.

Understand That Your Capital Is At Risk

There's always the chance you will lose money with any investment in a financial market. Most people don't understand that investment is like gambling because you can't accurately predict the outcome. However, unlike gambling, you have a lot more information to work with. Therefore you can make informed decisions using accurate data at the time. But as history shows, there is no guarantee of returns, either short-term high or long-term low. In any case, you can reduce the chances of loss by not chasing money, diversifying, and using lower leverage.

Consider Safer Options

Of course, there are safer options for long-term money assets. If you aren't bothered about making money quickly, which you really can't do without large sums, there are options. Some of the best focus is on savings investments. For long-term gains, consider opening accounts to make your money go further. Some of the safest savings inventions include high yield bonds, savings ISAs, and Corporate Bonds. Of course, you can also consider valuable commodities such as gold, and real estate is always a guarantee.

Keep An Eye On Your Investments By Playing The Long Game

According to most surveys, around 50% of people save and invest for retirement. And the best way to do this is over the long term. So if you are under 40 years old, it's not too late to play the long game with savings investments. For example, in the USA, a good portfolio of diverse assets and savings could be worth well over $1 million by the time you are 60. Of course, this is dependent on markets and whether or not there is a financial catastrophe. But you can make a contingency of saving and reinvesting money from shorter-term investments.

Only Invest What You Can Afford To Lose

The risks involved in investments mean you could lose a lot of money. And you will if you aren't careful. It's always helpful to learn how to invest correctly and understand the markets. Of course, you can always use a qualified brokerage. Either way, don't invest everything you have because things can go sideways very quickly. Most financial advisors recommend saving between 10% and 15% of your pre-tax income. Others follow the 50-30-20 rule. This rule states 50% on needs like bills, 30% on wants such as days out, and 20% on savings and investments.

Summary

Investments are a great way to secure a financial future for your retirement or for your children. But your money is always at risk, and you will have a hard time appreciating what investment does if you obsess over it. Of course, there are better investment types for the short or long term, but your money is safer with savings accounts. And only invest what you can afford.

About The Authors

Stefano Mclaughlin - For the first five years of his career, Stefano worked as a financial advisor on state and local tax matters, developing internal marketing technology for his multinational tax business. With over 12 years of experience designing high-performance web applications and interactive interactions, Stefano is now a marketing technology specialist and founder.