I want to stress something. It’s not difficult to learn how to invest. You—or anyone—can learn to do it on your own and get started in just 10 easy steps. However, you do have to put in the work to actually learn it.
Don’t think you can just open up a brokerage account and start making smart calls tomorrow.
It takes a bit of time and proper investing training to learn how to invest the right way, but if you do, you could experience incredible returns on your investments, and if you don’t, you could be sorry.
Knowing where to start can seem overwhelming, but don’t worry. You don’t need to spend hours searching the internet, weeding through information, trying to decipher what’s what and who’s right.
Finding the right investing training can be simple when you know what to look for. Plus, I’m here to help you along the way.
Let’s get started.
Are you smarter than the average investor?
Take 2 minutes to see how you stack up against other investors?
Why Learn How To Invest
So, why learn how to invest in the first place? There are two key points I want to touch on here.
First, investing your money is the best way to grow your wealth over time. If you want to prepare for your future financially, create a passive income, or build wealth that will sustain future generations, investing is the best way to do it.
Secondly, investing your money doesn’t have to be something you leave to “professionals”. If you leave it to the professionals, a lot of your money will go toward paying fees to the people running your accounts, and—spoiler alert—they usually can’t beat the market better than you can.
So, it pays to take the proper investment courses and learn how to invest on your own.
Resources to Get Started
I probably don’t have to tell you that there are a ton of resources out there to help with your investment training, but do you know where to look?
Here are a few great places to start.
YouTube
One of the best places to get investing training—for free—is on YouTube.
Albeit, you have to be a bit picky about who you listen to, but if you can find a reliable source who knows what they’re talking about, YouTube videos can be a cheap, easy, and effective way to learn how to invest, especially if you’re a visual learner.
They’re engaging, quick, and, did I mention, free?
Books
It’s been said that Warren Buffett spends 80% of his day reading. While many of us may not have the luxury of keeping our nose in a book, newspaper, or blog all day long, we can learn a thing or two from the investment advice in books.
So many experts have written down their knowledge in books, and it’s right there for you to benefit from.
The con of learning to invest by book is that books can become dated quickly, but if you choose from the best investing books and focus on the tried and true concepts, rather than the current statistics or examples, you’ll be in good shape.
Not sure where to start? I’ve got a list of 20 of the best investing books I think every investor should read.
Follow the Pros
Investing may be somewhat of a solo sport, but that doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. You can benefit a lot from learning from other people’s pitfalls and triumphs.
Apprenticing an experienced investor is arguably the best way to learn how to do it on your own. However, not everyone has access to an apprenticeship or the time to do so.
That doesn’t mean you can’t learn from the best, though. Lucky for us, the best investors don’t keep all their wisdom or best practices to themselves—they share it!
If you pay attention to what the best investors of our time are doing, and why they’re doing it, you can learn a lot.
Investment Course Options for Beginners
YouTube videos, books, and paying attention to the pros are all great ways to get some initial investing training, but they are Do-It-Yourself options, meaning you have to do the research, put in the time, and chart your own path.
Some people learn better from interactive classroom-type learning experiences such as investment courses.
There are a variety of “investing for beginners” courses available today that could be a great fit for you. If you’re looking for an investment course for beginners with more structure and teacher interaction consider these options.
E-Classroom Learning
E-classroom learning is exactly as it sounds. You can enroll in an online investment course for beginners with virtual classes.
The pro of this type of investing training is that you will gain an in-depth knowledge of a lot of topics and there is a lot of guidance along the way.
The con is that they are usually quite expensive. Investment courses offered by colleges will cost as much as a college course while courses from reputable investing sites could run you anywhere from $100 a month to a one-time payment of $1000-$5000.
Education Through A Brokerage
A great place to find free investing training is through your brokerage firm. Don’t have a brokerage firm yet?
There are a lot of great options out there such as TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, and Morning Star that not only offer great investment options and low fees, but also high-quality educational resources—for free.
Here, you can find general investing training for beginners or seek out specific topics such as how to invest in stocks.
Live Workshops
If you don’t want to fork over a few grand or commit to a few months for investing training through an online course, but want the interactive learning that comes with it, a live workshop could be a great option for you.
Workshops are usually highly-engaging experiences that range from a day to multiple days of intensive investing training.
At Rule #1, we offer a Virtual Investing Workshop, so you can get all the benefits of in-person training without leaving the comfort of your couch.
You’ll walk away with newfound knowledge of important investing principles and strategies, tools for continued learning, and your very own portfolio.
Plus, you’ll have access to a live mentor to answer questions throughout the workshop and a group chat to connect with fellow students.
Discover What Type of Investing Training You Need
Now that you know what options are available, you can determine what type of investing training is right for you based on your schedule, budget, and learning style.
When choosing an investment course, it’s also important to be honest about where you are at in your investing journey.
Take my Investing IQ Quiz to figure out what level of investor you are and which type of investing training is right for you.
Are you a beginner who needs foundational investing training before you get started or do you know your stuff but need to develop a greater understanding of key concepts to take your returns to the next level?
Are Investment Courses Worth It?
Let’s go back to the beginning to answer this question. Remember how I said investing is the best way to grow your wealth? I meant it. But it can also be an easy way to lose what you do have if you’re not smart about it.
Proper investing training is the best way to ensure you know what you’re doing when you begin investing and will experience great returns. But it doesn’t have to look the same for everyone.
I hope this helped you discover what type of investing training is right for you, and if you’re ready to commit, I hope to see you at my next virtual workshop!
Now… go play.
Phil Town is an investment advisor, hedge fund manager, 3x NY Times Best-Selling Author, ex-Grand Canyon river guide, and former Lieutenant in the US Army Special Forces. He and his wife, Melissa, share a passion for horses, polo, and eventing. Phil’s goal is to help you learn how to invest and achieve financial independence.