Last Updated on Apr 8, 2020 by James W
Most of us are subject to the 9 to 5 grind. And unless you’re part of the minority who love their job, you’re likely often thinking of ways to get out of the rat race. While there aren’t many sure things other than having that winning lottery ticket in hand, there are ways to get creative with your money. The most important thing in increasing your earning potential is to add some passive income to that full-time job—make your money work for you. It’s possible to do this by investing your money, and if you’re looking for a bit of guidance in this arena, we can help. Read on for tips on how to make money through legitimate investment opportunities.
Play the Stock Market
Everyone has a story about their brother’s uncle’s cousin having lost his shirt by day trading. And, while it certainly isn’t for the faint of heart, it can work as a solid money investment. And when you get to understand it, you can make a lot of money very quickly and with a minimal investment. As this Entrepreneur.com article notes, there are ways to “hedge your bets??? to avoid anything too risky:
“Whether you play the general market or you trade penny stocks, ensure that you set stop-loss limits to cut any potential for significant depreciations. Now, if you’re an advanced trader, you likely understand that market makers often move stocks to play into either fear or failure or our greed.???
It’s not without risks but, as the saying goes, with no risk comes no reward.
Invest in Cryptocurrency
If you’ve been deservedly alarmed over the many security breaches, you might have already been considering looking for an alternative to traditional banking. Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that uses encryption techniques to verify funds transfers and regulate its generation. It operates independently of a central bank, making decentralization one of its biggest appeals to many. You could invest in cryptocurrency by using sites like Coinlookup for information on coins and trading.
Invest in Yourself
If you just rolled your eyes, hear us out. This might sound idealistic but, really, it’s probably the most important thing you can do. Not only that, but you’ll likely see the biggest return on investment. Instead of wasting away at a desk job that you hate each day, stop lamenting the cost of higher education or even just courses in a new genre. This will be money well spent, as it not only will likely help you get a better paying job, but you’ll be pursuing something that is a passion. Talk about a win/win.
Another way to invest in yourself is to be faithful about increasing your annual 401(k) contributions. The beauty of having one of these set up through your company is that it’s a bit of a “set it and forget it??? situation, which makes it an easy investment. However, you don’t want to completely forget it, as keeping your contributions the same year after year is counterproductive. As this Time.Money.com article notes, “If you simply stay the course and fail to raise your contribution rate periodically, you’re leaving money on the table. That’s because over time, being an aggressive saver and mediocre investor beats being a good investor with just average saving habits.???
Lastly, you can invest in yourself by pursuing things you can do in your downtime. Create a website or blog and monetize it, drive for Uber or Lyft, figure out ways to make real cash online, or take advantage of convenience apps like TaskRabbit.
Try Peer-to-Peer Lending
And by this, we don’t mean lending money to that crazy girl from high school who’s constantly posting GoFundMe campaigns and who claims she’ll pay you back with interest. This is a legitimate way to make money through investment lending. An online lending club will match you as the lender with a peer that needs money, and a contract will be drawn up. The investments can be automatic and based on your criteria or you can manually invest by perusing the loans that are available. As this Forbes.com article offers by way of advice, “Like any investment, make sure you choose notes that reflect your tolerance for risk.???
Investing in yourself and your future simply makes good sense. Find out whether you are comfortable with risky investments or if you prefer to err on the side of caution. Either way, the only thing left to do is to try it, and with equal parts skill and research put into the endeavor, you’ll surely reap the rewards.
