Is it better to save money in bank or invest it online, in real estate or maybe gold?
Many new investors don't understand that saving money and investing money are entirely different things. They have different purposes, and play different roles, in your financial strategy and your balance sheet. Making sure you are clear on this fundamental concept before you begin your journey to building wealth and finding financial independence is vital because it can save you from a lot of heartache and stress.
I've witnessed firsthand, and spoken with many individuals, who lost everything despite having wonderful portfolios because they didn't appreciate the role of cash in their portfolio. Cash deserves respect. The goal of cash is not always to generate a return for you.
Perhaps the best place to start would be to spell out the differences between saving and investing for you, defining both concepts.
- WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAVING AND INVESTING?
Saving - is putting money aside, bit by bit. You usually save up to pay for something specific, like a holiday, a deposit on a home, or to cover any emergencies that might crop up, like a broken boiler. Saving usually means putting your money into cash products, such as a savings account in a bank or building society.
Investing - is taking some of your money and trying to make it grow by buying things you think will increase in value. For example, you might invest in stocks, property, or shares in a fund.
- HOW MUCH SHOULD I SAVE VERSUS HOW MUCH SHOULD I INVEST?
Saving money should almost always come before investing money. Think of it as the foundation upon which your financial house is built.
The reason is simple. Unless you inherit a large amount of wealth, it is your savings that will provide you with the capital to feed your investments. If times get tough and you require cash, you'll likely be selling out your investments at the worst possible time. That is not a recipe for getting rich.
There are two primary types of savings programs you should include in your life. They are:
As a general rule, your savings should be sufficient to cover all of your personal expenses, including your mortgage, loan payments, insurance costs, utility bills, food, and clothing expenses for at least six months. That way, if you lose your job, you’ll be able to have sufficient time to adjust your life without the extreme pressure that comes from living paycheck to paycheck.
Any specific purpose in your life that will require a large amount of cash in five years or less should be savings-driven, not investment-driven. The stock market in the short-run can be extremely volatile, losing more than 50 percent of its value in a single year. Purchasing a home is a great example as we discussed in Best Places To Invest Your Down Payment Money.
Only after that these things are in place, and you have health insurance, should you begin investing (this really is vital — for more information on the reasons, read Investing in Health Insurance – One of the First Lines of Defense for Your Portfolio. The only possible exception is putting money into a 401(k) plan at work if your company matches your contributions. That’s because not only will you get a substantial tax break for putting money into your retirement account, but the matching funds basically represent free cash that is being handed to you on a silver tray and there are material bankruptcy protections in place for assets held within such an account should you be wiped out entirely.)
- MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SAVING MONEY
For more information about how you can begin saving money, read The Complete Beginner's Guide to Saving Money (
https://www.thebalance.com/the-complete-beginner-s-guide-to-saving-money-358065). It is filled with articles, resources, essays, and lessons about how to save money, how to invest money, and how to get started on the road to wealth. It may seem daunting now, but every successful self-made person had to begin by earning money, spending less than they earned, taking those savings, and putting them to work in projects that threw off dividends, interest, and rents (
https://www.thebalance.com/building-wealth-with-dividends-rents-357896). They are no better than you are. If you learn the same thing, and can act as rationally so as to manage your money with discipline, you can enjoy the rewards of success, just as they did. In the end, saving money comes down to simple math. It really is as fundamental as 2+2=4.
- WHO SHOULD SAVE?
1. Setting up an emergency fund
Everybody should do their best to build up an emergency savings fund.
The general rule is to have three months’ worth of living expenses saved up in an instant access savings account. This should include rent, food, school fees and any other essential outgoings.
Your emergency fund means you have some financial security if something goes wrong.
2. Keep saving
Now that you’ve got an emergency fund, it’s a good idea to save up at least 10% of your earnings each month (or as much as you can afford).
Set yourself savings goals and put away enough to buy what you want. This could be a house deposit, a wedding, or a trip.
You could also start to think about investing your money.
- WHEN SHOULDN’T YOU SAVE?
The only time you shouldn’t save, or invest is if there are more important things you need to do with your money.
For example, getting your debts under control.
- ARE YOU READY TO INVEST?
Whether or not it makes sense for you depends on your goals – specifically if they are long, short, or medium term.
+ Short-term goals - are things you plan to do within the next five years.
Medium-term goals - are things you plan to do within the next 5-10 years.
Longer-term goals - are ones where you’re won’t need the money for ten years or more.
Short-term goals
For your short-term goals, the general rule is to save into cash deposits, like bank accounts.
The stock market might go up or down in the short-term and if you invest for less than five years you might make a loss.
+ Medium-term goals
For the medium-term, cash deposits might sometimes be the best answer, but it depends on how much risk you’re willing to take with your money to achieve a greater return on your investment.
For example, if you’re planning to buy a property in seven years and you know you’ll need all your savings as a deposit and don’t want to risk your money, it might be safer to put your money into a savings account.
However, bear in mind that your savings will still be at risk from inflation.
This is where the interest you earn on your savings fails to keep up with the rate of inflation so the buying power of your money is reduced.
On the other hand, if your needs are more flexible, you might consider investing your money if you’re prepared to take some risk with your original capital to try and achieve a greater return on your investment than would be possible by saving alone.
+ Longer-term goals:
For longer-term goals, you may want to consider investing because inflation can seriously affect the value of cash savings over the medium and long-term.
The stock market tends to do better than cash over the long-term providing an opportunity for greater returns on any money invested over time.
You can lower the level of risk you take when you invest by spreading your money across different types of investments. This is called diversification.
- GETTING ADVICE
When investing it is a good idea to consider if you would benefit from professional advice from a regulated independent financial adviser.
- A LOOK AT SOME GOALS – SAVE OR INVEST?
Goal Situation and timescale Save or invest?
Buy a new car Your old car is ready to give up the ghost – you need a new one within a year. Save
Put down a deposit on a house You’d like to move in to your own home by the time you start a family – maybe in three years. Save
Pay for your child’s wedding Your child is still very young – probably at least 15 years away from getting married. Invest
Your child is older – a couple of years away from getting married. Save
Have a comfortable retirement You’ve just turned 30, and you’d like to retire when you’re about 65 – 35 years in the future. Invest
- SET YOUR SAVINGS GOALS
As you can see from the table above, you probably have quite a few financial goals.
They’ll all have different timescales, which means you might want to do some saving and some investing. That’s why it’s important to make a plan.
