Stock Investing Basics - 3 Things To Do Before You Get Started
By Zainul

No doubt you can make millions of dollar and get rich from stock market, but it won't happen if you missed these critical checklists in the first place. In case you are so eager to invest in stock market, hold yourself first. Make sure you have the right starting point before putting any money in any stock.

Have Enough Money

You can invest everything you have in savings into stock market, but it is like risking your life into it. The truth is, there is nothing as guaranteed as cash deposit when it comes to no matter how strong the stock is. So, it is a wise decision to create an emergency fund in case the stock is turning against you. I always advise my friends to keep at least six months income worth in savings before in share market.

Trust me, you can concentrate much better by doing just this.

Understand Yourself

There are many ways to make money in stock market. For instance, you can buy and hold the stock forever, buy and sell stocks after holding them for few years or even trade the stocks in the same day. Believe me, there is no one way that is better than the other. It is really up to you which style suits your needs. Besides, your capability, commitment and the available fund will affect your preference too.

Spend time asking yourself, which style you prefer the most.

Aware of the Risks

There are three risks associated with stock investing; namely individual financial risk (possibility of you went broke), company business risk (possibility of the company went down) and market risk (possibility of weak market sentiment). There is no way you can avoid these risks, but you can reduce the risks by applying some mitigation measures. For example, invest in stock market whenever you have enough money or buy stocks that offer huge growth potential only.

It is not about avoiding risk that matters, but how you can manage the risk is more important.

Not many investors did these whenever they've decided to invest in stock market. What they do is simply jump into the market using others tips. Stock brokers, insiders and friends influence them the most in deciding which stocks to invest. If you are high risk investors' type, then it is fine. But if you are looking for long term profits, I suggest you stop it now.