Client Query: No Time To Invest!

Client Query: No Time To Invest!

Client:

I have a highly demanding job. I would like to invest my bank savings so as to supplement my main income. Due to time constraints, active investing may not work for me. In the interest of time, how can I invest like a ‘lazy investor’?

Funguo Finance Consultant response:

As a financial planner, I understand your need for a passive investment approach that fits your busy schedule and lifestyle. Investing like a “lazy investor” typically refers to adopting a strategy known as passive investing or index investing. Let’s explore how you can implement this approach:

1. What is Passive Investing?

Passive investing involves constructing a portfolio that closely mirrors a specific market index, such as the S&P 500. Instead of actively trying to beat the market, passive investors aim to match its performance over the long term.

2. Benefits of Passive Investing:

– Lower Costs: Passive strategies often involve investing in index funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that have lower expense ratios compared to actively managed funds.
– Diversification: Index funds and ETFs offer instant diversification across a broad range of securities, reducing the risk associated with investing in individual stocks.
– Market Returns: By investing in the overall market, passive investors aim to capture the returns of the market as a whole, rather than trying to outperform it. Here is a guide on generating passive income.

Here is a robust plan on how to invest your savings, the “lazy investor” way:

3. Steps to Implement a Lazy Investing Strategy:

Step 1: Set your goals

The first step is to set your financial goals. What do you want to achieve with your investments? Do you want to save for retirement? Buy a house? Pay for your child’s education? Once you know your goals, you can start to develop a plan to reach them.

Step 2: Choose your investments

There are many different types of investments available, so it’s important to choose the ones that are right for you. If you’re a lazy investor, you’ll want to choose investments that are low-cost and easy to manage. Some good options include index funds, ETFs, and mutual funds.

– Asset Allocation: Determine an appropriate asset allocation based on your risk tolerance, financial goals, and investment horizon. This involves deciding how much to allocate to stocks, bonds, and other asset classes.

– Choose Index Funds or ETFs: Select index funds or ETFs that track the performance of specific market indexes. Consider funds with low expense ratios, sufficient liquidity, and a good track record.

Step 3: Create a budget

Once you’ve chosen your investments, you need to create a budget to track your spending and make sure you’re investing the right amount of money each month. A budget will help you stay on track and make sure you’re not overspending.

– Automate Investments: Set up automatic contributions to your chosen funds at regular intervals. This ensures consistent investment without requiring constant monitoring.

READ MORE: Become a Millionaire the Lazy Way

Step 4: Rebalance your portfolio

Over time, your investments will likely become unbalanced. This is because some investments will perform better than others. To keep your portfolio balanced, you’ll need to rebalance it periodically. This means selling some of your winners and buying more of your losers.

– Rebalance Periodically: Review your portfolio periodically (annually or semi-annually) to rebalance back to your target asset allocation. This ensures that your investments stay aligned with your desired risk level.

Step 5: Assess the Risk Management:

– Risk Assessment: Understand your risk tolerance and investment objectives. Ensure that the chosen asset allocation aligns with your comfort level and financial goals.
– Diversification: While passive investing provides broad market exposure, it’s important to diversify within asset classes and consider factors like geographic exposure and industry sectors.
– Stay Informed: Stay updated on market trends and economic indicators that may impact your investments. However, avoid making impulsive decisions based on short-term market fluctuations.

Step 5: Stay the course

The most important thing to remember is to stay the course. Don’t panic if the market takes a downturn. Just keep investing and let your money grow over time.

Here are some examples of financial assets you can begin with your savings:

  • Index funds: Index funds are a type of mutual fund that tracks a specific market index, such as the S&P 500. Index funds are low-cost and easy to manage, making them a good option for lazy investors.
  • ETFs: ETFs are similar to index funds, but they trade on an exchange like stocks. This makes them more liquid than index funds, but they may also have higher fees.
  • Mutual funds: Mutual funds are a type of investment that pools money from many investors and invests it in a variety of assets. Mutual funds can be a good option for lazy investors, but they can also have high fees.

Here are some scenarios and examples of how you can use these financial assets to reach your goals:

  • If you’re saving for retirement, you can invest in a mix of index funds and ETFs that track the stock market. This will help your money grow over time and reach your retirement goals.
  • If you’re saving for a down payment on a house, you can invest in a conservative mix of index funds and bonds. This will help your money grow safely and reach your down payment goal.
  • If you’re saving for your child’s education, you can invest in a mix of index funds and bonds that are appropriate for your child’s age. This will help your money grow and reach your child’s education goal.

Remember, while passive investing requires less time and effort compared to active trading, it is essential to regularly review and rebalance your portfolio to maintain your desired asset allocation. By adopting a lazy investing approach, you can potentially build wealth over the long term without the need for constant monitoring and active decision-making.