The aim of investing is to obtain more money or long-term value than you initially invested. This is known as a "positive return": your investment increases in value and you make a profit on it (in the form of interest or dividends). To do this, you can buy company shares, bonds, ETFs or other financial products.
Getting started with investing means taking a long-term view. The recommended investment period is 5 years or more. If you buy and sell quickly to take advantage of any rise in value, that's called "speculation". However you do it, don't forget that you can also lose money on your investment.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Why invest?"},{"componentType":"comparisonCards","comparisonCardList":[{"title":"To complete a project","usps":[{"body":"Would you like to give your child a financial boost or buy a property abroad? Investing can help you to achieve your personal or professional goals.","iconType":"check-mark"}],"cta":{"componentType":"cta","textLink":{"url":"/en/individuals/investing/investment-calculator","text":"Make a simulation"}}},{"title":"To generate income","usps":[{"body":"Would you like to enjoy a more comfortable life? The potential return on your investment may enable you to generate additional income.","iconType":"check-mark"}],"cta":{"componentType":"cta","textLink":{"url":"/en/individuals/investing/investment-calculator","text":"Simulate your investment"}}},{"title":"To offset inflation","usps":[{"body":"Do you want to preserve your purchasing power? When inflation is high, it makes sense to combine savings and investment to maintain purchasing power.","iconType":"check-mark"}],"cta":{"componentType":"cta","textLink":{"url":"/en/individuals/investing/inflation","text":"Discover more"}}}],"title":"To complete a project,To generate income,To offset inflation"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Right or wrong: which statements do you think are correct?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"1. It takes a lot of money to invest
Wrong! You can invest from as little as €10/month.
2. You need to be an expert to start investing
Wrong! Of course, knowledge is a plus, but you can rely on our experts to manage your investments.
3. Investing is far too risky
Wrong! Although investing always involves some risk, you can choose the level of risk you are prepared to take when you invest. The risk involved will depend on the type of investment you choose, as well as the investment frequency and investment horizon.
Investing in shares means buying shares in a company. If the company does well, the share price will rise. If things don't go so well, it will fall. When you invest in a bond, you are making a loan to a company or a government. You will then generally receive interest on this sum. Investing in bonds involves less risk than investing in shares, but the expected return is generally lower. It is also possible to invest in other types of assets. By investing in a combination of assets, via investment funds, you can spread the risk and have a better chance of achieving a positive result over the long term.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"How to get started?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"For beginners, how to invest is often a huge unknown. You know that there are risks involved, but also that it offers an opportunity to make your capital earn more. If you follow this step-by step beginners guide to investing, you’ll go a long way:
"}},{"componentType":"accordion","accordionList":[{"title":"Step 1: Decide on your goal","richBody":{"value":"You probably have a dream about something you want to do or achieve. And you often need money for that. Working out beforehand how much you need and by when will make it easier for you to determine afterwards how to approach this, bearing in mind how much risk you are willing to take.
"}},{"title":"Step 2: Find out what type of investor you are","richBody":{"value":"We distinguish between different types of investors based on different characteristics. These characteristics have to do with how much risk you want to take with your investments, the term you have in mind, and so on. The 4 types of investor are: Conservative, Moderate, Balanced and Dynamic.
"},"textLinks":[{"url":"/en/individuals/managing-my-assets/investment-academy/start-to-invest-tips","text":"Discover the description of each type of investor here."}]},{"title":"Step 3: Weigh up return and risk for yourself","richBody":{"value":"Return and risk go hand in hand. The more risk you take, the greater the chance of a high return, but also the greater the chance of losing your money or some of it. So, you must decide whether you can cope with the value of your investment falling (temporarily). Would you be calm and patient enough to stick to your plan?
"}},{"title":"Step 4: Decide how much you want to invest","richBody":{"value":"First and foremost, make sure that you keep enough money in your savings account to cover any unforeseen expenses. You must also consider your other financial obligations. So, we recommend that you put aside 3 to 6 months of your salary. This way, you can determine how much you can spare for investing, whether you want to put down a sum in one go right now or to invest smaller amounts on a regular basis. Remember that a long-term view (at least 5 years) is advisable.
"}}]},{"componentType":"linkList","iconTitle":{"title":"Also interesting!"},"textLinks":[{"url":"/en/individuals/investing/how-to-start-investing","text":"How to start investing: your first steps"}]},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Want to find out more?"},{"componentType":"cards","cards":[{"componentType":"productCard","cardType":"product","cardSize":"small","title":"Managing my assets | Investment Academy","intro":"Everything you need to know, whether you are a beginner or an expert.","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/84dcd387-57d8-4e52-8d43-d95613039b23/Young-girl-obscures-face-with-violin-and-bow","type":"image","width":5616,"altTextEN":"\"","altTextNL":"\"","altTextFR":"\"","altTextDE":"\"","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/7ce22a8e87820db1/original/Young-girl-obscures-face-with-violin-and-bow.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"link":{"url":"/en/individuals/managing-my-assets/investment-academy"}}]}]},"complementaryZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Also interesting!"},{"componentType":"cards","cards":[{"componentType":"productCard","cardType":"product","cardSize":"medium","title":"Investing in a turnkey solution","intro":"ING Easy Invest","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/cac7dea3-63db-4c1b-bc75-cbb68d0ead8e/easy-invest-1920","type":"image","width":1920,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/1abd4374aab13c43/original/easy-invest-1920.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"link":{"url":"/en/individuals/investing/easy-invest"},"checkMarkList":["Simple and fully digital","Managed for you","Socially responsible"]}]}]}}}