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May 24, 2023

What are the key factors of investing?

5 factors of investing

In this article, we will discuss key factors of investing. This article will make it easier for you to make intelligent investment decisions.  

Everybody wants to become wealthy quickly and have a lavish lifestyle, but as we all know, Rome was not built in a day. You must have patience, practice financial discipline, and most importantly, make sensible investments if you want to become wealthy.  

5 Factors of Investing  

1. Have a clear financial plan

Investments made without a purpose are of no use. Therefore, the secret to your financial success is a solid financial strategy.  

Your existing income, obligations and short-term and long-term goals should all be accounted for in a sound financial plan. Most significantly, your financial strategy should be on the basis of your financial objectives, risk tolerance, and capacity for bearing losses.  

Only once you have a detailed financial blueprint should you move forward with your investments. 

2. Start early

As emphasized by us in many previous blogs, starting investments at an early age is a considerable advantage for you because your money gets much more time to show the compounding effect.  

The early investment allows you to use compounding – reinvesting your investment profit to increase your earnings.  

The first is reinvestment and the second is time – both essential factors for compounding to function. 

Example: Let us understand this with an example – Reshma invests Rs 10,000 at 6% in her first year of investing. Instead of taking out the Rs 600 (Rs 10,000×1.06) that she earned in year one, she reinvests it in the same instrument.  

Assuming the interest rate remains the same, she earns Rs 11,236 (Rs10,600×1.06) by year two. Thus, just by staying invested, her money begins to compound, and her wealth increases yearly – this is called the Power of Compounding. 

3. Diversification

Proper asset allocation is a crucial aspect of investing. No matter how appealing the profits may seem, you should never put all your eggs in one basket.  

Your risk is distributed when you invest across asset classes like equity, debt, commodities, and real estate – because different asset classes carry varying levels of risk and do not necessarily move in the same direction.  

factors of investing
Source: pixabay

4. Beware of Inflation

Your assets may lose value rather than gain if you do not invest your hard-earned cash wisely this is a result of inflation, which is the gradual increase in prices that can reduce the purchasing power of your money. 

Let us observe what happens. Say A hides 50,000 rupees in a mattress for 15 years. In 15 years, the value of money would have been rupees 23,160 if the average annual inflation rate were considered 5%. 

Therefore, you mustn’t let your money sit about idly; instead, choose investments that outperform or at the very least stay up with inflation.  

5. Stay invested for the long term

You should always keep your long-term objectives, such as purchasing a home, funding your children’s education, getting married, and retiring, while making investments.  

Avoid letting market highs and lows derail your course toward achieving the long-term objectives that you have set.  

The ideal course of action for you is to make a predetermined investment plan where you decide on a predetermined amount of money to be put across various asset classes in inflation-adjusted instruments.  

Investments must be made in a disciplined manner over some time without being distracted from your long-term goals.

FAQs

What are the key factors to consider before investing?

The key factors to consider before investing are your financial goals, your risk factor, the time horizon of investment, your investment amount, and your portfolio management.

What are the 5 golden rules of investing?

The 5 golden rules of investing are – knowledge of investing, keeping track of your investments, diversification, understanding the risk involved, and investing for the long term.

Does inflation impact your investments?

Yes, inflation has a huge impact on your investments. This is why choosing the right type of investment for the long-run is important. Investors are encouraged to invest in assets that can yield returns that beat inflation so that their money holds value in the long term horizon.

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10 ways to better plan your education abroad

10 ways to better plan your education abroad

Stressed about going abroad to study at your dream college? Wondering how to better plan your education abroad? Then, take a deep breath and let all the negativity flow out. Next, formulate a plan to go about the whole process in the most systematic way possible. There are a few intrinsic steps involved in this journey. We have made a list right here which can help you set your goals right and achieve them one at a time.   Top 10 ways to plan your education abroad 1. A Basic plan  Every journey begins with a basic course of action. Sometimes journeys appear more difficult than they are and this is often the case with education abroad. Charting out what you want to do demystifies the complications, it offers you clarity on what you must do next and how much time you have to do it. When global education is involved, usually the course of action starts with deciding which part of the world you want to study. 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11 reasons to study in Australia

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15 gadgets to make student life easier

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Here are some gadgets for students that make their lives easier: Smartphone or Tablet Laptop or PC External Hard drive Noise Cancellation Headphones Printer Electric Kettle & Emergency Lamp Kindle External Batteries & Portable Chargers Rocketbook Everlast smart reusable notebook Anti-theft laptop bag External hard drive Laptop tray with fans Folding Bluetooth keyboard Wi-Fi range extender Portable phone charger Why are gadgets useful for students? Gadgets serve many purposes; they make our lives easier, help us stay connected with the world, and make significant life decisions. From helping with homework to traveling the world, gadgets are useful, for students for education, learning, and life experiences. What are some fun gadgets? Here are some fun gadgets for students: FitbitSmartphone or TabletLaptop or PCNoise Cancellation Headphones Conclusion Choosing the correct devices to make your student's life easier should not be a taxing chore. 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4 essential tips on investing in your child's education

4 essential tips on investing in your child's education

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4 Reasons why you should have an EduFund

4 Reasons why you should have an EduFund

Why should you have an education fund dedicated to your child’s college education? Don’t you already have to worry about saving up for your home, your retirement, and any other emergency that may arise? With all these goals it might look daunting to have another fund for education as well. Is it such a big deal? Well yes, It is a very big deal! Here are the top 4 reasons why you need to start saving up for education, as soon as you can, even if your child is just 4 years old! 1. The cost of education will most likely jump (a lot!) education-cost-jump In India, the cost of education is increasing at a rate far higher than the inflation rate. 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For e.g. Stanford’s tuition fee for its MBA program is USD 140000/year and which is more than one crore, considering the currency rates that are prevalent now. Even if you factor in an inflation rate of just 10%, it's going to cost double the amount to send your child to college, say 15 years later, than what it costs today. Whichever destination you might choose to send your child to college, the money that you are going to spend, just on tuition fees, will be very high. 2. To avoid dipping into your retirement corpus! retirement-corpus It is more prudent to maintain separate funds for your savings and your child’s education. ‍This is due to the simple reason that no one is going to give you a loan to take care of your expenses post-retirement. While your child may get a loan that will fund his/ her education expenses, you need to make sure that you and your spouse, are not dependent on one post your retirement. Hence, EduFund comes to the rescue! 3. Let your child be debt-free! 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FAQs What is EduFund? EduFund is an investment app dedicated to helping Indian parents save, invest and plan for their child's education needs. How can EduFund help you? EduFund can help you invest, save and plan for your child's education needs. It allows you to customize your plan, and invest in tools like mutual funds, US stocks, ETFs, and digital gold to diversify your investments. It sets long-term and short-term goals for parents and children to save up time and help them achieve their goals. EduFund also helps you with education loans and connects you with the best loan partners in India and USA. How can you set up an account with EduFund? You can download the App from Play Store or apple store and set up your account free of cost. All you need is a bank account, an Aadhar, and a pan card to open your account and start investing in mutual funds. 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4 W’s of Balanced Advantage Funds

4 W’s of Balanced Advantage Funds

What is Balanced Advantage Fund? A balanced advantage fund is a fund that can invest 0-100% in the equity market or 0-100% in the debt market dynamically as per the prevailing market condition. For example - If a fund manager finds that the price of the equity market has gone up, he will tilt the portfolio more towards the debt market. Likewise, if the equity market trades at a discount, then the fund manager can tilt/shift the portfolio towards the equity market.  The valuation is the internal process of the fund. Based on valuation, the fund manager can take the call. This way, the fund manager can take the opportunity and change the asset allocation. The fund manager can go aggressive in the equity market or can also decide to play conservatively to reduce the portfolio's volatility. The aim is to minimize the portfolio's downside risk and maximize the returns.  Who should invest? Investors who are looking for long-term wealth creation. Investors who are not comfortable with the market volatility. Investors who do not want to face high volatility and looking for equity-like returns. Investors who are unsure which type of fund they should invest in, whether in the equity or debt-oriented fund. Risk-averse equity investors with an investment horizon of more than three years. Additional read: Financial mistakes to avoid Why should you invest? A balanced advantage fund is a dynamically rebalancing fund between two asset classes, i.e. equity and debt. It has the complete flexibility of rebalancing from 0-100% in both asset classes. It provides you with better risk-adjusted returns. It manages the equity market volatility and provides stability in the portfolio by diversifying the portfolio into the debt market. It offers you equity-like returns, which help your portfolio to grow at a much faster rate than debt funds and also helps you to beat inflation. Minimizes the downside risk and provides scope for growth by investing in the equity market. When should you invest? When the volatility in the equity market increases and you do not want to have such high exposure to the prevailing volatility. When you want equity-like returns but do not want to face high liquidity. First-time mutual fund investor looking for long-term wealth creation. Conclusion Try to allocate some portion of your portfolio towards a balanced advantage fund if you want to reduce the portfolio's volatility. A balanced advantage fund is like all season fund. Consult an expert advisor to get the right plan TALK TO AN EXPERT
5 financial things to consider before child planning.

5 financial things to consider before child planning.

Both life and wallet will never be the same once you decide to have a baby. No event in your life will signify financial change quite the way this one does, from the first prenatal appointment to the day of their college graduation (and beyond). 5 financial things to consider before child planning 1. Create a budget Before you start child planning, you need to have a budget in place. You and your partner may need to create a realistic budget based on your expenses and your streams of income. Once you know how much you can afford to spend, you will be able to tackle the costs easily. A new child is a new family member that needs space! So if you need extra space once the baby is born, figure out what kind of home you can afford, whether it's a slightly larger apartment, a warm cottage, or a pricey house. Will you want the latest baby things or your sister’s passed-on ones? Think about what sort of child care would you require and get candid with your expenses before you start making any purchases. 2. Costs associated with birth As new parents, you need prenatal vitamins, alternative therapies, labor and delivery alternatives, and screening tests. Give yourself enough time to change or upgrade insurance plans should you need more comprehensive coverage. Good health insurance is vital in this economy. Hospital bills, medical fees, and maternity costs can be high. According to estimates from the industry, a straightforward delivery could cost between Rs 50,000 and Rs 70,000, but a private specialty hospital could charge up to Rs 2-3 lakh. A cesarean delivery could result in a cost rise of up to Rs 4-5 lakh. Before having a kid, you should make financial arrangements for the costs associated with the delivery and child care. 3. Consider maternity leave The vast majority of Indian employees are not entitled to paid family leave. If the mother is employed, you might need to think about taking a lengthier (unpaid) maternity leave or a sabbatical for a year or two. This can be a huge financial loss for families that rely on both streams of income. Paid parental leave is not always an option. Find out if your workplace offers paid leave for new parents and if there are any policies in your favor that you can utilize. Determine the number of weeks covered and the proportion of your salary that is used. Do you have to use your sick and vacation days first? If you don't have access to paid time off or you're going to take more unpaid time off, you might want to cut costs or rely on your savings. Additional read: Money management tips for homemakers 4. Purchase life and health insurance You'll want your child to be stable financially if something were to happen to you or your partner. A life insurance policy can assist pay for things like child care, housekeeping, cooking, and more. Purchasing maternity insurance is the first action you can take to cover maternity costs. When purchasing health insurance, (even for a couple), it is important to confirm that the policy includes coverage for maternity costs and, if applicable, any applicable waiting periods. Additionally, by paying a larger rate, you might add pregnancy coverage to a current insurance policy. Buying health insurance is most important when considering having a child. Get your health covered in your plan so that you are not financially burdened in case of a health emergency. 5. Plan for child’s education Just like the prices of lemons and oranges are growing, the cost of education is skyrocketing. Saving for your child’s college is a necessity. When it comes to saving money for college, time and compound interest are your best friends. Even while inflation is an unavoidable fact, keep in mind that education inflation is far higher. Utilizing the force of compounding is one approach to combat this, but it will only be effective if you have a long-term strategy in place. You indeed have no idea what career path your child will take, but you still need to put aside a portion of capital that can be utilized when the time comes. Right now, you need to think about the type of education you would like to offer because the practical costs of studying engineering in India vs the US would be very different. From giving birth to seeing them off to college, watching your child grow and thrive is every parent’s dream! So give those dreams wings by planning ahead and investing for their bright future!  Consult an expert advisor to get the right plan TALK TO AN EXPERT
5 Pro tips on creating your child's education fund

5 Pro tips on creating your child's education fund

Everyone speaks about the rewards of preparing early for education funds and securing them as soon as possible. What they forget to explain is how to reach that goal. Fear not, for we have prepared a list of things you might want to tick off if you want to secure your child’s education.  1. Choosing the right platform is important There are a number of investment platforms available for investors. As an investor with a goal in mind (the education fund for your child), it is important to choose a platform that is built for that purpose or has certain advantages in the pursuit of your goal. There are two great advantages of choosing a goal-specific platform - one, you separate your investments in a way that you know how much amount is set aside for that particular goal every month, and second, you get the added goal-related benefits that the platform could offer. In the case of EduFund, a platform built for parents to save for their children's education fund, you have added advantages like readily available education loans if you fall short, or free counseling if your child needs it. 2. Investing in the right mutual funds  Once you decide to invest in mutual funds to achieve higher returns than Fixed Deposits, you also need to do your research to find which investment schemes are best suited for you. Many factors play crucial roles in this procedure. For example, one of the first things you need to consider is the balance between your monetary goals and the level to which these will be fulfilled by the fund returns and the risk associated.  Time is another important factor that will shape your decision in this matter. You also need to consider what exactly you want out of your investment whether it is tax reductions or high returns with high risks or more stabilized returns with low risks. To indulge in smart investments, stay aware of the best investment schemes currently trending in the stock market. 3. Investing in international stocks Parents who like to stay alert about the current trends related to the education system and finances must be well aware of the phenomenon called education inflation. This is what makes a global education exponentially more expensive than one attained within India.  The value of the Indian Rupee has depreciated over the years against foreign currencies like the American dollar. This means that the cost of a course pursued in a foreign land like the US or the UK will be tenfold compared to the same course pursued in this country. The cost of living will be equally high overseas. A smart way to deal with this problem is to invest in international equity funds. This means higher returns because if you invest in US stocks, you will be earning in dollars, not rupees. Moreover, if your investments in Indian stocks get affected by market fluctuations, you can still depend upon your foreign stock investments which will remain relatively more stable.  4. Consider the availability of education loans  Sometimes your life savings and your investment returns are not enough to fund your child’s education. Do not worry. Education loans can take care of your child’s aspirations in such situations. Even if you are in a position to be able to afford your kid’s dream college, student loans are still a healthy way to teach your kid the value of money and how to build credit.   Creditworthiness is a virtue that will financially discipline your child so that they can take monetary decisions in your absence. It will also ensure that they can take future loans as part of their education fund at low-interest rates. Only loans exceeding a very high amount of money require collateral or a security deposit, which means you can easily avail of student loans.  5. The right guidance for your children Career and academic counseling sessions are crucial for your kid if they are going through a transition phase in their lives. As their primary caregiver, you are entitled to guide their way but sometimes what might be required is professional help. You are longer required to pay for these counseling sessions. A platform like EduFund offers them the best education counseling services in India for free of cost. Let nothing stop your child from achieving their goals.  6. Expert advice to get you to your goal EduFund believes in helping you attain as much clarity on financial affairs as possible. In case of expert advice on investment, you can rely on the world-class experts from EduFund. The Edufund app provides you with all the useful tools to attain the best from your child’s education fund.  For example, it comes with a calculator that helps you calculate the education cost. This is a smart calculator developed to give you inflation-adjusted rates. This is the first step toward getting an idea of how much you will need to invest or save up as an education fund.  FAQs How do I plan my child education fund? Starting early is key to building your child's education fund. You can start saving with mutual funds, PPF, US stocks, Indian stocks, fixed deposit and much more. Before starting it is important to consult a financial advisor and figure out the cost of education before starting an SIP. Which fund is best for child education? Here are some of the best funds for your child's education fund: Axis Long-Term Equity FundSBI Equity Hybrid FundParag Parikh Flexi Cap FundAditya Birla Sun Life Tax Relief 96 Fund Growth Aditya Birla Sun Life Tax Plan-GrowthDSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund Growth Axis Long-Term Equity Fund Growth How do you build a corpus for child education? The first step to building a corpus for child education fund is to figure out the cost using the College Cost Calculator. Knowing the financial goal you need to invest in before starting an SIP helps you remain focused and know the exact amount you need to save monthly to get started. Conclusion What seems like a mammoth task can be easily managed by diving it into smaller tasks and simplifying it. Each small step is quite crucial in itself. But once you have the checklist ready, you can be sure if not losing sight of things. DisclaimerMutual fund investments are subject to market risks. The previous performance of a fund or scheme is no guarantee of future success. Please read the offer document carefully before investing.
5 Reasons why Global Education is the Best for Indian Students

5 Reasons why Global Education is the Best for Indian Students

It is universally acknowledged that education is a very powerful weapon. Education can transform an individual and colleges can broaden a child’s horizon. Every child deserves to receive a quality education. There are various reasons why global education is the best for Indian students. ‍From our experiences, we know that when a student receives a world-class education, it helps them become their best version – professionally and personally. Pursuing higher education outside of India seems to be promising in more ways than one. In this blog we will talk about how studying abroad can affect your life for the better. Let's get started. 5 Reasons why Global Education is the best for Indian Students When you think about it, there are innumerable ways in which a global education can benefit an Indian student. In this article, we will talk about the 5 major ones. Let's get started. 1. Changes Your Life, for Good! International exposure to study at a foreign university and the experience of living in a new country can be life-changing! The combined power of both results in gaining practical knowledge that can help you in life immensely. Living alone in a foreign country can be daunting in the beginning, but it teaches you an immense number of values, and ethics, and not to mention, you become a pro chef! You learn what is not written in the textbooks. Such experiences also shape your personality and groom you as a responsible professional. 2. Holistic And not just Academic Development The Indian education system offers academic rigor. However, there still is room for improvement and development. The cut-offs in premier Indian colleges soar to touch the sky. But whether these colleges provide excellent holistic development is still a big question mark. Regardless of the foreign country you prefer to study in, most global universities focus on not just academics, but also professional qualifications, leadership, and personal development. Foreign programs have gained popularity because the faculty is invested in a student's all-around growth. 3. Opens closed doors Whether it is studying for a master's abroad or Ph.D. – foreign universities offer what you commonly don’t find in India. An array of courses across all fields and subjects like - Artificial Intelligence and Data Security or Criminology, and Media Relations. You name it and they have it. As per reports released by the USIEF, in 2019, Indians studying in the U.S. made up 17% of the international student population there. If you want to take the road less traveled or pursue a career in a highly-specialized niche, global education opens closed doors. 4. Brighter Career Prospects ‍Indian students who have received good foreign education have an edge over others. You wonder why? Recruiters view international experience as an asset. It is reflective of many things like your skills to compete in a global setting and your ability to adapt to diverse cultures. Global education helps you hone your skills and grow exponentially. ‍After completing their degree, outstanding students can bag an international job as well. 5. Diversity They appreciate unique students. Many top-notch B-schools and other universities seek to promote diversity and inclusion. This means that the admissions team deliberately tries to encourage people from different walks of life to join the classroom. Highly reputed universities welcome meritorious international students. Some even try to strike a balance in their gender ratio thereby including talented girls and giving them an equal chance to fly. As the saying goes- "Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life!" Take the first step towards a brighter future. And, live the life of your dreams! FAQs Why is global learning important for students?   International exposure gained while studying at a foreign university and the experience of living in a new country can be life-changing! The combined power of both results in gaining practical knowledge that can help you immensely in life.  What is the value of global learning?   ‍Indian students who have received good foreign education have the edge over others. You wonder why? Recruiters view the international experience as an asset. It is reflective of many things, like your skills to compete in a global setting and your ability to adapt to diverse cultures. International education helps you hone your skills and grow exponentially.  Why foreign education is better than Indian education?   They appreciate unique students. Many top-notch B-schools and other universities seek to promote diversity and inclusion. This means that the admissions team deliberately encourages people from different walks of life to join the classroom. Highly reputed universities welcome deserving international students.    Why do Indians prefer foreign education?   Indian students prefer foreign education because of many factors. Studying at an international university will give students great exposure in terms of meeting people from different cultures and countries. It will also create excellent employment opportunities abroad. Having studied at a foreign university will add value to a student’s resume.   Conclusion These are some of the major reasons why global education molds an individual for the better. In reality, there are many more points that one can consider. Whether it is the quality of education- or the experiences one attains, education abroad is a stepping stone toward untapped opportunities. We know many of us are now thinking, "What about the fund required to study abroad?". Well saving up for higher education is not as hard as you think. If you start saving early, you can create an education fund that can support your dreams of studying abroad.
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