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amount of money at once. Systematic investing will reduce your average cost of investing.

An important issue is the risk you want to take and it is often wise to invest in balanced mutual funds (mutual funds which invest for 50% in shares and 50% in bonds). If you come near to the age of retirement you can limit the risk and switch them in mutual funds which invest for a higher percentile in bonds.

*Retirement plans

Retirement plans are popular and a necessity for the future. It is maybe the best system of investing small amounts of money. You only need to know that you can't withdraw from this account before you reach the age of retirement. It's an investment plan which provides money when you reach the age of retirement. You can't invest in these plans for ten years to buy a house or something else.

There are different retirement plans between all the countries and certainly in different continents but the main principles are the same. You can invest a small amount of money every month or once a year in these plans. IRA's and 401(k) plans are popular in America; pension funds are popular in Europe. There are plans with a fixed rate which is much higher than a savings account but you can only choose for an investing system in mutual funds according your risk profile.

These plans offer also tax benefits. Every time you invest in these plans you will enjoy tax benefits. In other words have two benefits; all these investments reduces your tax bill at the end of the year and you will reach a higher return when you reach the age of retirement compared with a savings account. It is wise to take the necessary precautions because you may need to limit your risk.

*Investing in bonds or shares

You can invest small amounts of money in bonds or shares but you will likely pay too much costs compared with investing in mutual funds. There are many shares which can be bought for a small amount but the fixed fees are often too high. There is one system where you can avoid these high fees and you even don't need to buy a whole share but these plans are not well known because it is forbidden by law to advertise these plans. Direct purchase plans allow investing small amounts to buy stocks; it is already possible for $25.00 each month. The disadvantage is that you need to invest in at least 20 companies if you want to diversify to limit the risk.

There is plenty of choice to invest small amounts of money and you may need several options to limit your risk. A savings account is a necessity for building up your safety net but you may need to invest small amounts of money in mutual funds and retirement plans to reach your goals. Investing is a necessity and you don't need much money to start investing and before you know you will reach a high investment portfolio.

Learn more about this author, Erik Van Tongerloo.
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