Investing involves putting money to work in order to earn additional money in the forms of capital gains, interest, dividends, or profit. Before you invest check the following criteria:

1. Safety of the investment
2. Potential return on the investment
3. Liquidity (the ease of converting the investment into cash)
4. Potential growth of the investment (the chances of the investment increasing or decreasing)

Stocks and bonds are two of the most common forms of investment. Real estate is another common form of investment, and involves the purchase of a home or a piece of property. Putting money into your own or someone else’s business is another way of investing. Finally, some people collect such things as antiques, works of art, stamps, coins, and rare books for investment purposes. In recent years, first editions of comic books and old phonograph records also have become valuable objects to collect as investments. Investing in such collectibles requires as much serious effort and study as any other investments mentioned above.

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