Don’t let financial intimidation stop you from investing
Learning about investing isn’t as difficult as you might think – in fact it can be fun! Here are four helpful tips to get started.
Updated 
3 min. read
Learn about investing the easy way
It’s so easy to say ‘I don’t know anything about investing,” and not give it a second thought. Besides, there are people out there who’ll handle your money for you, right? But wouldn’t you like to at least understand the basics now – and potentially, one day, have more of a say about how your money’s invested?
Feeling intimidated is natural, especially with all the terminology floating around. Sure, you may be familiar with RRSPs and TFSAs, but what are ETFs?
It’s okay. You don’t have to become an investing professional to understand investments. All you need to do is ease into it. Let’s take a look at four easy ways you can get started:
1. Start small
Here’s the good news: there’s no shortage of investing info out there. Our advice? Start small. First pick a topic that applies to you, like retirement (since it affects everyone). Test your overall knowledge with a quiz, and once you’re happy with your score, read a little more about the details. Once you’re starting to get comfortable with the topic, build onto your knowledge base by learning how you can use a service like SmartFolio with RRSPs for a winning combination!
Or let’s say you’re not sure what the difference is between investing online and with an advisor? Explore the topic and learn the benefits of each approach. Then talk with your friends and family about their investment approaches.
The key is to zero in on small bits of information and work from there to grow your understanding.
2. Read some blogs
Blogs can be much more accessible than in-depth articles or complex brochures. Find a few that appeal to you and read through them while you’re commuting to work, waiting for an appointment, or just have a few minutes to spare. Try these ones to start footnote star.
- Young and Thrifty : a blog for millennials about saving and investing.
- My Own Advisor : more focused on investments than Young and Thrifty, this blog teaches you how to become your own advisor.
- Million Dollar Journey : a financial literacy blog with a purpose, the author highlights important personal finance and investment tips on his journey to becoming a millionaire by 35.
3. Check out podcasts
If you’re more of a listener, or like to learn while you're in the car, there are almost as many podcasts as there are articles. Choose ones that are geared towards people who want to learn about money and investing in easy-to-understand ways. Just search for the investing topics you’re interested in and download/stream away. The best part? All you have to do is listen!
4. Invest small
There’s probably no better way to learn about investing than by doing. Start small with SmartFolio. You can invest as little as $1,000, pay low fees and have someone manage it for you. Even better: when you’re signing up, you’ll be asked a series of easy-to-answer questions that will give you and the SmartFolio team an idea about your risk tolerance.
Learning about investing can seem daunting at first. It’s a big topic with some complex areas. But the more you ease into it, the more you’ll find it begins to make sense. We encourage you to continue to learn about investing so you can make your money work harder for you!
Ready to start investing?
Open your SmartFolio account and let us help you reach your financial goals. Start by getting matched with an ETF Portfolio.
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Footnote star details These links do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by BMO Financial Group of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. BMO Financial Group bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.