The value of investments can fall as well as rise, and you may not get back the full amount you invest. Eligibility criteria, fees and charges apply.
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Investment guide
When is a good time to invest?
Is now a good time to invest?
Right now nothing is certain, but uncertainty is no reason to put your future plans on hold.
Any investment should be looked at as a medium to longer-term goal (five years or more). The sooner you start investing, the sooner your money could be working for you.
How to start investing
Some people try to ‘time the market’ – they watch how share prices are moving to find the perfect time to invest. We believe good investing is about “time in the market”, rather than “timing the market”.
Read the investment information below to help you get started and make investing part of your financial planning.
In this article we’ll explain a few investment truths, in terms that should make sense to everyone.
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Seize the opportunities
By trying to time the market you can miss possible opportunities.
Seize the opportunities
By trying to time the market you can miss possible opportunities. The unpredictability of the markets means that picking the perfect time to invest can be very difficult, if not impossible. “A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step” - Lao Tzu.
The same principle could be applied to investing by getting started. And to avoid having all your eggs in one basket, you could invest in funds that spread your money between different types of assets, including equities and bonds.
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Is investing the right option for you?
When it comes to the potential for investment growth, timing is less of an issue than not being invested at all.
Is investing the right option for you?
You need to decide whether this is the right time to invest for you. There are risks that come with investing – markets can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invested.
You should set aside enough money in accessible savings to cover any emergencies - an amount of around 4 times your essential monthly expenditure is typically about right.
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Investing should be part of your financial planning
Investing shouldn’t just be seen as a shortcut to the potential for higher returns.
Investing should be part of your financial planning
Investing shouldn’t just be seen as a shortcut to the potential for higher returns. You should make all your decisions based on your own financial planning needs. If you aren't prepared to see the value of your investment fall along the way, or you’re fearful of the market, then investing may not be right for you.
If you do decide to invest, focus on the longer term, this could give you the best chance of making investment work for you. Remember to have some money set aside to cover costs in an emergency.
Key takeaways
- Make sure you can afford to invest for the long term, before you invest.
- Make sure you’re aware of the potential highs and lows of markets, any time could be a good time to invest.
- It's better to consider when investing might serve your wider financial planning needs.
- Have patience with your investments and give them time to bear fruit.
Get started with NatWest Invest
You’ll need to be a NatWest customer with Online Banking, aged 18 – 84 and a UK residence for tax purposes.
Click “Continue” to log into the NatWest Invest portal.
Learn more about investments
Whether you’re an experienced investor or just finding out what investing is, we’ve got a range of articles to help you understand more about investing.
We regularly update our articles depending on what’s happening in the market so check back for future updates.