by: Francisco J. Colayco

first published in Good News Pilipinas on October 14, 2013

Believe it or not, most investors invest without clearly defining what they expect to gain, what they need it for and when it should happen. For many people, “Hope springs eternal” because their focus is just in earning the gains. Having clear targets with specific timetables is the best guide in tracking investments.

In the first place, before you make an investment, you have to study how your money will be used to generate income and grow in value over time. In the process, you must also study and understand the attendant risks that could cause losses. It could be a bank deposit or a bond or a mutual fund or real estate or a car or anything that you will put out money. You have to look at all documents and study them carefully. Ask advice if necessary but please do not ask advice without having studied first. It is so sad and frustrating that many people want to be “spoon-fed.” This means that they don’t even want to study. They just want to be told what to do. Unfortunately, when you do this for your money, you could be in trouble.

You cannot depend on anyone except yourself for money issues. If you insist on depending on someone else, you are taking a very serious risk. No human being knows everything and the person you depend on, even myself who you probably think already knows a lot about money issues, is certainly limited. So, my advice is that you really have to educate yourself. Read books, articles…take seminars, listen to talks and do everything you can to learn.

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