Are you a DIY investor? Check your skills to be one.

Shruti Sharma - Sep 15, 2022

More first-time investors have entered the equities markets during the past two years than ever before. Although it is great that people are using their assets to supplement their income, doing investment research on your own has drawbacks. These are unlikely to appear when the markets are rising. Limitations only become apparent when events change and a correction takes place.

Whether you are positive that you are a do-it-yourself investor, why not quickly assess your abilities to determine if you meet the requirements.

“Being a DIY investor appears appealing, but can it really help you achieve your financial objectives?”

As a DIY investor, are you impartial?

Humans are intuitive and prejudiced by nature. This also affects investing. Consider the two IT equities, TCS and Infosys. Both are enormous, well-established businesses that have been operating for many years and are growing quickly. Individual investors typically choose one over the other, even though managed funds frequently include both in their portfolios. mainly on how they feel about the brand; some people adore Infosys, while others adore TCS. Even if the financial and business health of a company signals that we should invest in it, it is quite difficult to teach the mind to do so.

Similar to this, it is possible to hang onto underperforming stocks for far longer than is actually justified. The reason for this is simple—you know it will be effective in the long run. Being unbiased when choosing stocks takes time, experience, and a shift in perspective. This is not always the case for every person.

As a DIY investor, are you independent?

DIY investing frequently becomes about imitating what others are doing. We observe both large and small investors flocking to cryptocurrencies as a result of this herd mentality. But not everyone can comprehend them. Another instance of herd behaviour in the futures and options market involves retail investors.

Being unbiased toward other people's viewpoints is necessary for prudent DIY investing. You alone have the specific financial, personal, and lifestyle conditions that you do, thus this is significant. No other person or family will be in this particular circumstance. Consequently, how can anyone else's investing position meet your needs?

Large investments in small-cap companies might be advantageous for your neighbour, a homeowner with a sizable inheritance and a considerably higher financial surplus than you.

Your own net worth can also include extended family members who depend on your income or a sizable home loan that needs to be repaid. You should not take the risk of investing extensively in tiny caps in either scenario. Make individual stock and investment decisions that suit your risk profile rather than following the lead of the person in front of you.

As a DIY investor, are you keeping things straightforward?

Additionally, investing alone can result in a portfolio with an excessive amount of diversification and too many little investments due to the mental jumble of ideas. Thus, the result you're after gains little from this. Keeping it simple entails settling for a small number of specified financial securities and maintaining your investment over many years.

However, this strategy necessitates a great deal of patience and discipline. Even though you may have recognised the financial securities on your own, can you guarantee that you have the self-control needed to retain things straightforward?

Bottomline

Being a DIY investor is more about attitude than it is about being able to recognise investments and sort through data. If anything about this is difficult for you, consult a professional who can walk you through the statistics and behaviour.

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