Stock market-related news hits the headlines every day, and investing in the stock market can seem impossible if you don’t know where to start. But it doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it seems! It’s easier than you think to start your own portfolio and make smart investments that can help you grow your savings, no matter your age or current financial situation. To get started, take some time to brush up on some of these tips and tricks before putting your hard-earned money into play.

1) Keep Your Emotions at the Door

One thing that most investors have trouble with is keeping their emotions at bay. Whether you’re investing for retirement or just looking for a new way to grow your money, you must develop an investment strategy and stick with it. This means ignoring short-term swings in your portfolio and long-term market trends, as well as handling periods of high volatility without making rash decisions. Don’t get caught up in whether stocks are going up or down—investing is about staying committed to your long-term goals, not watching every tick on your portfolio. If you stay focused on what matters—your goals—you’ll be better equipped to weather any market storm.

2) Avoid Individual Stocks if you’re a Beginner

Do yourself (and your finances) a favor and skip individual stocks until you’ve mastered more beginner strategies, like investing in an index. For example, say you have $5,000 to invest—it might seem tempting to purchase as many stocks as possible and reap greater rewards. However, if your goal is long-term wealth building through consistent returns with minimal risk, it’s smarter to spread out that $5K investment among large-cap funds. This way, you can benefit from stock market growth without taking on too much risk at once. The same principle applies to bonds: If you buy individual bonds instead of bond funds, you could lose money when interest rates rise, or defaults occur. Diversification is key for beginners looking to invest in any asset class.

3) Develop a Diversified Portfolio

In finance, diversification is all about spreading your assets across multiple investments. It’s like not putting all your eggs in one basket: if you invest all of your money in stocks, and then one major company goes under, you’re out of luck. But if you spread your money across stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other securities—you can mitigate risk if one sector or stock suffers a big hit. That said, it’s important to remember that diversification doesn’t guarantee success; it just helps you manage your risk.

4) Prepare for a Downturn

Stocks have historically been one of the best investments available, but nothing is guaranteed. There will always be times when your portfolio takes a turn for the worse, so if you’re investing long-term, you must prepare for that downturn by developing a diversified portfolio and staying committed. If you want to ensure your money lasts through every market cycle, start now; don’t let today’s upward trends blind you from tomorrow’s possible downturn. A sudden drop in value could leave you out of luck—but being prepared will keep your finances safe.

5) Give Simulator a Try Before Investing Real cash

To minimize your risk and maximize your chances of success, try investing with a simulator before putting any real money into your investment. These simulators are usually free and give you an accurate idea of how much you could make from an investment. Most brokers offer virtual portfolios where you can get started without spending money. Instead of buying stocks with your hard-earned cash, decide what stocks might be worth buying or not based on their performance over time. While these aren’t perfect simulations, they’re still a great way to test different strategies before committing yourself to them.

6) Don’t Give up on Your Long-term Portfolio

When choosing stocks, select only those you plan to hold for at least five years. This will ensure you’re investing in companies with durable competitive advantages and strong cash flows that are poised for long-term growth. Don’t let short-term market fluctuations distract you from your long-term goals; if your portfolio dips below your target allocation, don’t panic and sell off investments just because they seem overvalued. Remember: Over time, markets go up. And when they dip down, there are plenty of opportunities to buy more shares from quality companies at discount prices.

7) Be Open-Minded in the Market

Sometimes, everyone feels like getting into or out of something, but you need to stick with your long-term strategy if you want to make money. The stock market is filled with opportunities, but if you don’t stay focused on your goal, you’ll end up going nowhere. If every move causes you to doubt what you’re doing and puts pressure on your portfolio, then take a step back and reassess your approach. You might be over-reacting.

8) Start now

No investment is risk-free, but investing early and sticking with your plan through thick and thin will give you much more control over how you reach your goals. You’ll also have time on your side as your investments mature. Set up an automatic monthly transfer from your bank account—even if it’s just $250—to add up over time. Many financial apps allow for recurring payments, too. While $250 might not seem like much, remember that compound interest can work wonders over time. If you invest $250 monthly starting at age 25 until retirement at 65 (with 6% annual growth), you will end up with more than $1 million by age 65!

Conclusion

Stock market investment is a journey, not a destination. It’s an exciting ride, but you need to be prepared for bumps along the way. Make sure you research and understand what you’re getting into before jumping in with both feet. If you’re looking for some practice, try investing with fake money on an online simulator first—it will help you get your feet wet without risking any of your hard-earned cash. Once you feel confident about your approach, it’s time to start investing real money.