5 Places to Invest

*Please note: Investment advice is a reflection of the opinion of the guest poster and not blog admin. Blog admin recommends you consult a qualified professional for your investment advice.

Finances have been tight globally over the past year and a half, but as the markets pick up again it is time to reconsider where your money is invested. This brief article will explain some of the wisest investments you can make from fixed rate bonds to property investment.

1. Buy a property

The best, but least flexible, way to invest your money is by putting it into property. Investing in bricks and mortar will practically guarantee a steady rate of return if you invest wisely. Make sure you utilise property valuation software and do your research on the area and the property before investing because a wise investment will provide much larger returns. This option will tie up your money for a long-term period but will enable you to reap large benefits.

2. Get a fixed rate bond

If you are able to tie some of your money up for a long-term period then getting a fixed rate bond is a very wise investment. Generally the interest rates on a fixed rate bond will be far higher than in an easy access account and it will enable you to earn some extra money whilst your cash sits safely.
Opting for a one or two year bond is the best option in the current climate because it will enable you to reconsider after a period of time and see if there are better and more competitive rates available to you. There are also options for Christmas bonds which will allow you access to your money in time for the Christmas expenditure on December 1^st. Whilst this will have a slightly lower rate of interest it will enable you to earn some more value over a short period of time without limiting your chance for celebrations at the end of the year.

3. Get the best easy access savings account

If you are unable to tie your money up for long periods of time for any reason then it is prudent to shop around for the best easy access account. There is huge variation between the offers of banks and the interest rates for easy access savings accounts.

This account will provide you with a better rate of interest than a normal credit or savings account and will still enable you to get easy access to your funds. Be sure to shop around for the best deal because you will be able to find options which are dramatically better than other offers.

4.Get the best current account

It is almost unbelievable but you can sometimes get a better rate of interest on some current accounts than you can even on savings accounts. There is often variation on interest depending on the amount of funds you have in any particular account. It can make the difference between 3.5% and 0.1% interest returns on your money. Often there will be a cap around $3,000 - $5,000 at which point the interest rate will drop dramatically. Be sure to make note of the limits and remain within them to ensure the best returns on your cash.

5. Get an index tracking fund

An index tracking fund will automatically invest in the top 100 stocks in the market of your choice. If the stocks rise then so will your fund but if it drops then so will the value of your fund. This is a higher risk of investment but can potentially see excellent returns on your investment.