There is so much chatter these days about finance and related matters in the media and especially online that you could be forgiven for thinking that the wider world assumes a fair bit of knowledge on the topic. So if you are feeling like you have missed out on some knowledge somewhere, the chances are you are not alone – not by any means. You do have the opportunity to find out about the world of finance yourself though – and it is free online.
The latest trading craze around is forex – trading foreign currencies against each other. This market is available to anyone with a computer and a credit card to open a trading account. Sadly though, the vast majority of traders (95% is the general term thrown around the market) will wipe out their first funded trading account. The reason for this is that they simple do not know what they are doing – they are inexperienced and have not practiced their trading sufficiently on a demo trading account. Others still are taken by promises of free automated forex trading, a scheme which rarely (if ever) works, and should be trialled extensively on demo account before you allow it access to your own funded account. Be careful!
Another finance option that is popular, especially for retirees, is the range of annuities on the market. These are in essence private pensions which pay you instalments in exchange for you handing the company a chunk of capital. You should avail yourself of as much information as possible though, so you can make an informed decision. For example, the issues around fixed annuities will be very different to variable annuities pros and cons – and you are well advised to do your research thoroughly before you sign on the dotted line. Your bank balance will thank you for it.


