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Investing. It sounds hard, but it’s a relatively simple concept that helps people go to college, retire, or build a nest egg.
When you put money in to try and get more money back, that’s investing. What can you invest in? Businesses, land, trading cards, gems, time machines—almost anything.
Investing is often done through stocks, sometimes called “shares.” Stocks are just small pieces of a business that add up to make one business.
If a business issues 100 shares worth $1 each, that business is worth $100. That’s its “market capitalization,” a fancy way of saying what the market thinks its value is.
That makes buying a stock a lot like buying an entire business, which is why you should only invest in what you know as well as a cat knows cardboard boxes.
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Maybe you’re a time machine expert. Put your knowledge to work and invest in a business that makes the best time machines.
Stocks are bought and sold on stock exchanges. They used to be physical places full of shouty people, but now they’re mostly digital places full of computery people.
So what else makes a great investor? Well, a few things: patience, patience, and did we mention lots of patience?
But always keep in mind that investing is risky. Stocks go up and down, which is why it's often smart to stay in the boat when waters get choppy.
Risk is a factor in any investment—not just in stocks. That’s why you should only invest with money that you can afford to lose or see devoured by time gators.
It’s a good idea to spread your investments across different companies and sectors. This is called diversification, and it's a great way to help reduce risk.
If you’ve ever felt like you could be a great investor, now’s your chance—though it could be years until you know for sure. Unless you have a time machine.