If you want to get a head financially, investing your money to make it grow while you sleep is the way to go.
Here's a link to get started: https://sharesies.com/r/3H4KNX - #ad We'll both get $5 out of you using this link.
Firstly, What is Sharesies?
Sharesies is an awesome platform which allows you to buy stocks from the comfort of your own home.
It's easy to access, easy to use - the best invention of woman kind!
"Sharesies is on a mission to create the most financially empowered generation, by giving someone with $5 the same investment opportunities as someone with $500,000" - from the Sharesies website.
So, How does Sharesies work?
Sharesies is a platform to purchase stocks. Stocks are small pieces of businesses. Business owner's gain funding from investors by every day people investing money in to it - through stocks.
Some of the biggest businesses in the world are funded by investors like me and you: the investment of stocks.
Think of a business such as The Warehouse. Let's say that the warehouse is a big pizza. Instead of the pizza having 8 pieces though, it has thousands. 1 stock, is one piece. When you own 1 stock in the Warehouse, you own a tiny portion of the company. This means that you have certain benefits for owning it.
So, How can I make money through stocks?
Stocks are like the seats on a roller coaster. The business - they are the whole roller coaster. What this means is that as the business increases in value, so too do your stocks - and vice versa! So, if you buy 10 x $10 stocks in Tesla, and then tesla stocks sky rocket to a value of $100 per stock, you now own 10 x $100 stocks of Tesla.
What this means is that you could sell your 10 stocks now worth $100, and get $1,000. If you minus your initial investment of $100, you have made a profit of $900.
This what I have just explained is called a 'capital gain'. Capital Gains happen when an asset you own increases in value. Houses get capital gains as well!
The other way to make money through investing is through something called a dividend. A dividend is a small payment a company will make to it's shareholders when the company wishes to do so. Some companies pay dividends, and some do not.
Dividends are payments which are usually paid quarterly or annually. Sometimes I get payments of $10 and sometimes it's $1. It all depends on your capital invested. What this means is that the more you have invested in to a company, the more money you can make through capital gains and dividends.
How do I learn how to invest in sharesies?
If you're willing to put the initial time in to learning, investing on Sharesies does not have to be difficult. There are lots of different resources to learn how to invest. Some of my favourites include:
The Money Hub website - they break everything down so that we can all understand it. https://www.moneyhub.co.nz/
Girls that Invest is run by Sim and Sonya and is my absolute favorite podcast! Watch their tik toks too because those are fire!
@Themarkethustle is really good for that extra bit of mojo you need.
Graham Stephan doesn't really invest in stocks but he's a good youtuber to watch if you just need something to watch that is both educating and humorous.
Other than these online resources, I'd also recommend the following books:
The Millionaire Next Door
The 4 Hour Work Week
She's on the Money
Barefoot Investor - I've never read this one but heard that it's fire
So, here's the link https://sharesies.com/r/3H4KNX . Make an account now. I'm about to tell you What you should Invest in:
Please be aware that I am not qualified in finance. I am NOT a financial adviser. But, I have experience and all I am doing is sharing my tips and tricks. Always seek your own financial advice before making any financial decisions.
Managed Funds are honestly key to building generational wealth. Managed funds are like a big pool with heaps of different stocks in it. There's a qualified fund manager who works for the fund and invests the money in to a diverse range of stocks to maximize returns, and minimize loss. I like to invest 90% of my Sharesies money in to Managed Funds. Here are some of my favourite ones:
Smart Shares NZ Cash Fund - you can read about this fund here - https://smartshares.co.nz/types-of-funds/bonds-and-cash/nzcashtrust
iShares Core S&P 500 you can read about this one here - https://www.ishares.com/us/products/239726/ishares-core-sp-500-etf
Smart Shares NZ Bond Fund
AMP Capital Ethical Leaders NZ Fund
Pie Australasian Dividend Growth
I want to make something clear: Investing in managed funds is not going to make you rich overnight. Next week, you'll still be the same person. Even next year - you will be the same person. This is not a get rich quick scheme. Instead, these are the skills of learning that as time progresses, as the market gains momentum, your money will start to work for you.
Time in the Market will always outweigh Timing the Market - unless, you know how to predict the market exactly.
Why invest in stocks?
The Market has never had a crash that it did not recover from. This is why! What this means is that no matter how low the stock market goes, it will recover. When it recovers, your money will grow.
Why not leave my money in a bank account?
Leaving money in your bank will offer you like 1% interest or even less at this point in time. This % isn't even enough to combat inflation meaning that your money is going down in value as time goes on. So, why would you keep your money somewhere where it's going to lose value?
Money is a resource which can buy things to take care of loved ones, feed us, allow us to travel, to experience - we must take care of the money we have and allow it to grow.
How does Te Kahukura invest in Sharesies?
When I get paid each week, I pay my very necessary bills. There's usually $100 remaining and this is what I use invest.
I buy shares in 'managed funds'. Managed funds are a combination of several different companies all in the one stock.
ETF and Managed fund = same thing
An ETF can be structured to track anything from the price of an individual commodity to a large and diverse collection of securities. ETFs can even be structured to track specific investment strategies.
The 'S & P 500' is a fund which tracks 500 of the best companies in the USA.
You can search 'S&P 500' on Sharesies and this is one of the funds which will come up.
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF IVV | NYSE
It should cost around $450USD for one share. This is about $650 NZD
Hint: You do not need to buy a whole share. I've been investing for several months now and I own about 1.3 shares.
You can top up in increments of $10 +
I like to keep as consistent as possible.
Investing Hacks:
I like to 'Dollar Cost Average'
Dollar Cost Averaging is when you buy regular amounts of an investment which will allow you to average out the highs and lows of the market. For example: If you invest $10 at -5% in week 1 and then another $10 at +5% then your investments have averaged out, otherwise known as: Dollar Cost Averaging.
I also like to invest for the long term:
Investing for the long term allows for exponential growth, but my favourite thing about investing for the long term is that you don't need to worry during volatile times such as the 2022 stock market, post corvid impacts on the market, and the crumbling healthcare systems all over the world. Investing for the long term allows you to ride out the lows and be in for the wins long term.
I like to follow this quote. So, if one week I can only invest $10, I do it. If another week I can invest $100 I do that. The idea is to be consistent and to invest no matter what.
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a basket of securities that trades on an exchange just like a stock does.
Here's the link to get started on your journey: https://sharesies.com/r/3H4KNX You won't regret it.
ETF share prices fluctuate all day as the ETF is bought and sold; this is different from mutual funds, which only trade once a day after the market closes.
ETFs can contain all types of investments, including stocks, commodities, or bonds; some offer U.S.-only holdings, while others are international.
ETFs offer low expense ratios and fewer broker commissions than buying the stocks individually.
An ETF is called an exchange-traded fund because it’s traded on an exchange just like stocks are. The price of an ETF’s shares will change throughout the trading day as the shares are bought and sold on the market. This is different from mutual funds which are not traded on an exchange, and which trade only once per day after the markets close. Additionally, ETFs tend to be more cost-effective and more liquid.
Comment below your favourite fund to invest in!