Investing Unit 8: Action Steps

• Introduction
• Unit 1: Basic Building Blocks of Successful Financial Management
• Unit 2: Investing Basics
• Unit 3: Finding Money to Invest
• Unit 4: Ownership Investments
• Unit 5: Fixed-Income Investing
• Unit 6: Mutual Fund Investing
• Unit 7: Tax-Deferred Investments
• Unit 8: Investing Small Dollar Amounts

• Investing Tax-Deferred
• Buying Stocks
• Buying Fixed Income Investments
• Unit Investment Trusts
• Mutual Funds
• Summary
• Action Steps
• About the Author

• Unit 9: Getting Help: Investing Resources
• Unit 10: Selecting Financial Professionals
• Unit 11: Investment Fraud

• Study Guide
• Action Steps
• Monthly Investment Messages
• Glossary

Check off the steps after you have completed them.

Increase contributions to your tax-deferred plan each time your pay increases.

Establish and maintain a reserve emergency fund (See Unit 1 for details).

Reduce household expenses to free up money to invest (See Unit 3 for details).

Make a list of financial goals (e.g., retirement, college) using the "SMART Financial Goal-Setting Worksheet" in Unit 1. Match the goals with appropriate investments.

Investigate investment options available through your employer [e.g., 401(k) and savings bond purchase plans].

Attend an employer-sponsored investment seminar or classes sponsored by Cooperative Extension or financial services firms.

Calculate whether a traditional or Roth IRA is best for you, based on individual factors such as household income and age.

Identify at least three "shoestring" investments that match your goals and available cash flow.

Research these investments and compare at least three specific products (e.g., three large company growth funds). Use the "Shoestring Investment Comparison Worksheet" to record the key features of each.

Dollar-cost average mutual fund purchases and/or enroll in an automatic investment program.