Do you have investor FOMO?

Our stints in lockdown have come with rather unexpected consequences.  We filled our homes with houseplants and revived the sourdough starters from the back of the fridge. 

We also turned our focus to our finances, with an explosion of interest in online investment platforms amidst a vague fear that we would otherwise be missing out.

Investment platforms have surged in popularity

Financial Market Authority Research has shown that in the last few years, a huge number of us have hit the “Join now!” button on investment apps, and then we’ve tried to understand just what to do when our shares, like that drama-queen calathea plant, wilted or thrived.  

Sharesies, Hatch and Stake.  The apps have catchy names and cheerful websites, and they offer entry-level ways to venture into the share market.  And now that we have emerged like slightly grumpy butterflies from our second government-mandated chrysalises, perhaps now is the time to get serious about those investments, and really refine how to make them work for you.

Glyn Lewis-Jones, investment specialist at Motueka’s Castle Trust Financial Planning, says that KiwiSaver has made people aware of the potential returns of investing in the markets.

Professional investment advice – or a tip from a friend?

“The online investment platforms have made investing even more accessible. But in order to do well with your investments, you need to go beyond just picking names you know or going on a ‘hot tip’ from a friend. You need to have a plan and invest with that in mind – and understand what to do when your investments fall in value, because from time to time they will.” 

Sitting down for a face-to-face chat with a professional financial adviser gives you the opportunity to get immediate and detailed explanations about your potential investments.  You also have the chance to get personalised answers to all your questions without having to navigate a series of drop-down menus. 

The team at Castle Trust Financial Planning want to help investors make informed decisions and safeguard themselves against risk. Their qualified advisers offer a collective 100 years of experience in the financial industry, which means that they have steered their clients through many financial storms.  

If you’re looking to level up your investment strategy and really make it count in the long run, come in for a chat with the team at Castle Trust Financial Planning, in Richmond and Motueka

– By Elise Vollweiler