Investing 101: What Is Investing?

Investing: The act of committing money or capital to an endeavor with the expectation of obtaining an additional income or profit.

Legendary investor Warren Buffett defines investing as “… the process of laying out money now to receive more money in the future.” The goal of investing is to put your money to work in one or more types of investment vehicles in the hopes of growing your money over time.

What is investing?

Investing is really about “working smarter and not harder.” Most of us work hard at our jobs, whether for a company or our own business. We often work long hours, which requires sacrifice and adds stress. Taking some of our hard-earned money and investing for our future needs is a way to make the most of what we earn.

Investing is also about making priorities for your money. Spending is easy and gives instant gratification—whether the splurge is on a new outfit, a vacation to some exotic spot or dinner in a fancy restaurant. All of these are wonderful and make life more enjoyable. But investing requires prioritizing our financial futures over our present desires.

Investing is a way to set aside money while you are busy with life and have that money work for you so that you can fully reap the rewards of your labor in the future. Investing is a means to a happier ending.

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Investing Vehicles

There are many different ways you can go about investing, including putting money into stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, real estate (and other alternative investment vehicles), or even starting your own business.

Every investment vehicle has its positives and negatives, which we'll discuss in a later section of this tutorial. Understanding how different types of investment vehicles work is critical to your success. For example, what does a mutual fund invest in? Who is managing the fund? What are the fees and expenses? Are there any costs or penalties for accessing your money? These are all questions that should be answered before making an investment. While it is true there are no guarantees of making money, some work on your part can increase your odds of being a successful investor. Analysis, research and even just reading up on investing can all help.