While technology keeps moving closer to a virtual world, supply and demand still determine the worth of your retirement. Many people have brokers and invest their extra money in the stock market. However, if you don’t know anything about it, and you put your faith in the judgment and knowledge of others, you may end up losing everything. The good news is that you don’t have to work on Wall Street to create a nest egg for your retirement.
Gold/Silver
With the countries debt growing at an alarming rate, well into the trillions, investing in something tangible like precious metals can prove quite profitable in the end. If you are in your thirties and have many years before you reach retirement, a good place to invest a portion of your savings is in gold or silver. While precious gems often move in time with the stock market, go up and down in value, if the stock market crashes you will still have your investment as a means to barter for goods or services.
Rare Coins
A diversified portfolio for your retirement will give you the best chance at the highest gain on your investment. Rare coins are one of those investments that brokers and retirement specialists advise collecting. They take up minimal space and as the years go by these rare coins can increase their value significantly. That’s due to something known as supply and demand. When the supplies are low and the demand is high, you can pretty much create your own price.
Antiques/Collectibles
If you own a piece of furniture that you received from your grandmother who initially received it from her grandmother, like a watch, china or a piece of furniture, it’s an antique. And, depending on the condition, type of item and collectors interest, you could have something worth a lot of money sitting in your home. Old paintings, furniture pieces such as a vintage armoire and estate jewelry are just a small sample of what collectors look to buy. Most people don’t have enough expertise in the field to know a real antique from a fake. If you have family heirlooms, contact an antique shop and get an estimate on the piece. Along with the appraisal, most dealers will also give you valuable advice on future care to preserve it. And, the nice thing about antiques is that the stock market doesn’t control what you can make. If someone wants what you have, your asking price no matter how high is considered.
Government Bonds/Certificates
Government bills, notes, and bonds are not a get rich quick scheme. In fact, U.S. Treasury issued bonds can take upwards of 10 to 30 years to mature. However, they are a sound investment with the backing of the U.S. government that will yield a modest return. If you are in your fifties and don’t have 30 years to waste, notes issued by the government mature within a time frame of 2 to 10 years.
Real Estate
There are many shows airing on various networks that make investing in real estate look easy and profitable. While you can make money flipping homes or owning several properties and renting them out, you need money in the bank to make it happen. If you have a 401K or substantial savings, you can purchase a property, hire people to fix it up and then sell it. However, if you need to borrow the money from a bank for anything other than a primary residence, there’s a good possibility of getting a denial for a loan. Another possibility, if owning real estate is something you really want to do, is to become a silent partner with someone else. This way you only need to worry about your monetary investment and you receive a percentage of each sale.
You’re at the point in your life where you want to plan for a lucrative retirement. You want to create a large nest egg where you can live where you want, relax and enjoy the sun and the sand in style. Thankfully, you can turn a dream into a reality by making a few sound investments.
