The Basics of Investing 

Investing is the act of allocating money or other resources to a 'thing' with the expectation of generating a return or profit, allowing you to grow your wealth as a way to achieve long-term financial goals. Properly invested funds will help you and your family better prepare for the future. If you do not think investing is for you, then you are wrong! The most exciting aspect of investing is that anyone can participate, regardless of their background or financial status, especially once they become debt-free and have extra funds to allocate toward investment opportunities.

Every investment carries with it an inherent risk. If you are being told that an investment is "zero-risk" then you need to RUN, because the person telling you this is either not intelligent or is trying to take advantage of you. Both of these scenarios are bad for your money. Before you invest in anything, ensure that you understand your risk tolerance. If you need the funds you are investing to pay bills or for survival, than you SHOULD NOT INVEST IT.

Risk/Return/diversification