Why Should Women Invest in Mutual Funds?

The question has two parts. First, why should women start investing, and second, why mutual funds.

Let’s talk about the first part. We are in an age that’s constantly at a war against gender stereotypes and looking for more equality. Having said that, even today, a large number of women are dependent on male family members, for not just putting the bread on the table, but to ensure their secure future as well. Financial planning isn’t something a lot of us women are encouraged to take interest in. We’ve seen women of our family manage our homes and household expenses expertly but, how many of us have grown up seeing them making an investment call? 

Despite earning well, we women refrain from making investment decisions because of the fear of the repercussions of a bad investment. But we need to ask ourselves, how will we ever learn, if we never dare to take the first step? Women need to take that leap, trust their skills, and start working towards making investment decisions for themselves. 

Now coming to the second part of our question, why mutual funds. 

An investment journey must begin with the identification of goals. Some of our most prominent goals are higher education, childbirth, childcare, or retirement planning. In addition, we women should also invest to build a corpus for any uncalled emergencies. After listing out the goals, the next step is to calculate the amount required to attain the goal and also the time horizon for each goal.

Now comes the time to decide where to invest your money to attain these goals.

Fixed deposits are traditional favourites since they guarantee the principal amount and fixed returns. However, FDs do not beat inflation. 

Investments need to be diversified across various asset classes for better returns. Investment in mutual funds will offer such diversification into various asset classes such as equity and debt, based on your risk appetite. Investing in mutual funds will help you use the power of compounding. It can work wonders for you if you invest wisely. Compounding is a simple yet powerful concept that has a multiplier effect. The longer you invest, the more your money works for you to build your wealth.

Start small if you are anxious. There are various systematic investment plans (SIP), which allow small investments as a starting point. This is important because it will help you gain confidence in your capabilities as an investor. And secondly, because it will help you shape your future as per your requirements. 

Being in control of your investments lets you have a say in your financial future and that of your loved ones. It takes care of two very important factors when it comes to financial stability– uncertainty and dependency. So ladies, take the reins of your future and start investing.