The stock market is intimidating for someone who is thinking about buying stocks for the first time. There are so many terms that are confusing and you really need to learn a lot before you start buying stocks and investing your hard earned money.
The stock market is a place where people have made millions. But it is also a place where people have lost their life fortunes as well. Unlike investing in Treasury bills or bank CD’s, stock carry risk and you need to understand and be able to accept that risk. If you know you are going to need the money you have to invest, it is best to stay away from stocks.
The real risk that exists in the market was clearly evident to everyone a couple of years ago when the Dow was almost cut in half in a matter of months. People all over the country lost their retirement money and now find themselves having to work way past 60 just to survive. Older workers are having to fight to hold on to jobs they don’t really want just because they lost so much in the market.
Stock investing is, therefore, not for anyone who cannot stomach risk. Your holdings will go up and down everyday and if you cannot handle that, then you need to be in something a little safer. You can get FDIC insurance with most interest bearing investments but you don’t have that with stocks. In exchange for the lack of any security though, you have the chance for much greater gains.
Anyone buying stocks for the first time should do it gradually until they get the hang of it. You will never be able to learn all you need to know in a short time and you should proceed carefully and cautiously while you learn how the market works. Stocks go up and down based solely on people’s perceptions of their value so it is something that is hard to wrap your head around. You should not expect to be able to learn everything right away and know that it may take you many years before you are comfortable investing in stocks.
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