5 Ways to Diversify Your Portfolio and Grow Your Money

Thanks to modern technology and widespread information sharing, Americans are becoming more and more financially sophisticated.

One of the ways this sophistication is presenting itself is through increased investments.

According to a recent Gallup poll, as many as 55 percent of Americans own stock.

However, not everybody knows how to properly navigate the system and make their investments grow faster.

One of the best ways you can ensure your investments don’t remain stagnant and become lucrative is by diversifying your financial portfolio.

This refers to putting your money in multiple avenues of growth, from mutual funds to different stock options in companies.

Learn five effective methods you can use to make sure your money is hard at work multiplying.

 

1. Always Consider the Risks

Just like how you practiced caution when you bought your first company stock, you should always assess the risks of putting your money in different investment options.

For example, putting your money in a mutual fund is relatively low risk but also takes time to yield significant rewards. On the other hand, investing in a business that helps make a new kind of collaborative robot can be highly profitable but also very risky.

Consult with your financial adviser or investment manager before making any major investment plans. Their expertise will be invaluable when determining which types of investment options are right for you and your level of income.

 

2. Monitor Commissions

Financial consultants and investment managers are some of the most experienced professionals in the world. Their knowledge and keen eye for investments are hard to replicate, especially if you are going to diversify your portfolio. However, there are unfortunately members of these professions that may take larger cuts off of your profits than necessary.

When you’re looking for a professional who can help diversify your investment portfolio, do research on them. There are websites where you can find out if there have been complaints about their commission rates as well as potential news items.

Ask friends who have diversified their portfolios on their opinions about their financial managers. Thorough background and reputational checks will b be useful in avoiding losing more of your money than necessary.

 

3. Control Portions

Most Americans won’t be able to put tens of thousands of dollars into different investment opportunities. Mustering thousands, even hundreds of dollars, can even be difficult for the majority of the population. The point of diversifying your investments is to split your accrued resources in the most appropriate way possible.

Assess how much money you have set aside for investments and then apportion them as needed. Some types of investment will grow faster than others. For example, a mutual fund may be slower to grow than directly buying and selling stocks, but it’s faster than putting your money in residential real estate.

Consider which of your investment options requires more initial capital. For example, you may put larger portions of your money in low risk but slow investments for safe and steady growth while putting average quantities in high yield but high-risk investment opportunities.

 

4. Shift Investments

Corollary to controlling investment portions is shifting these portions as necessary. Markets change and they can change quickly. You must be willing and able to shift your resources at the drop of the hat and to do so with precision.

Although your financial advisers or investment manager will have crucial input in this process, you will have the final decision. You must learn how to put shift your money intelligently.

One of the best tips in this regard is to shift according to potential. For example, if your fast-moving investments are underperforming, you can take some of your money from them and put them in something slower but surer.

If your slow-growing investments are taking too much time for you to mature, you can pump their money into your underperforming investments instead.

 

5. Learn When to Pull Back

Finally, you must learn when to call quits and pull back from an investment. There are several factors you should look out for when you are considering pulling out from an investment.

The first is performance. Is the return of your investment worth the time and amount of money you put into it? The second is a risk. Is the company you’re putting your money in performing well or are there major red flags? Understanding these factors is essential to avoid losing one of your caches.

Diversifying your investments protects your money from disappearing in case of one bad mistake or one fluke in the market. These tips will be essential if you want your diversification plan to work and make your money grow.