Don't End Up In The Stocks: Alternate Investment Ideas

Sure, stock markets around the world have had a pretty good run in recent years. But we all know that even the longest win streak doesn’t last forever [cough Lehman Brothers]. The other thing with stocks is they aren’t foolproof or tangible, and somebody else is usually getting rich off your risk. Luckily for you, there are plenty of other ways to invest your money that are sure to surprise you. Some old age old investment techniques, other are part of the disruptive technology ag we find ourself in. Read on to find out more.

Debt

This is an unbelievably underrated means of investment, and what’s more it is so incredibly simple to achieve. It is simply a matter of investing those fund you were going to buy stocks and shares with in your own debt. It doesn’t matter whether you are paying off a student loan or a mortgage or your credit card. It will be just the same as receiving a rate of return just without the income tax consequences usually attached to investing. It’s risk-free too. It is guaranteed to produce returns, which is why this should be your very first consideration when it comes to alternative ways to invest.

Property

Unlike stocks and shares, bricks and mortar are the most tangible investment anyone can make. And there are loads of ways you can go about this. It could be you get yourself onto the property ladder with your first home buy. It could be you add to your portfolio and go down a buy-to-let route. It could just be that you perform renovations on your house in order to increase its value. Whatever you’re thinking, property is almost always a safe investment, not least because property can produce rental income, appreciation or even both. You could even go down the crowdfunding route if you fancied.

Peer-to-Peer

This has been one of the most successful examples of a disruptive technology, and it is only the beginning. It’s up there with the likes of Uber and Airbnb. Essentially, it is just lending without a middleman. Why this is such an attractive proposition is simple: higher rates of return for the investor and lower rates for the borrower. Win-win. You may think this comes with substantial risk, and sometimes it might. But on paper, it is a much more logical system that encourages success because the borrower is faced with a much more attainable repayment because it is so much less expensive.

Collectibles

Is there a more enjoyable way to invest your money than in something that takes your interest, something cultural, something spectacular. What’s more, it is entirely up to you want you invest in. It could be art or antiques or artefacts or coins or any other type of treasure you can possibly think of. It could become so much more than an investment too. It could become a real passion, one that sees a world-famous painting hang in your kitchen for a few years before you collect a nice profit.