10 Interesting Investments to Make in Your 20s -

AAHHHH if I knew then what I know now.....I guess I missed the boat with this, but I ill share some of these thoughts with my kids





Your 20s is a time to set yourself up for debt-free 30s. The money you save now will pave the way for real estate and college funds. In the throes of student debt and low pay, here are 10 ways for a 20-something to start investing in their futures, a few dollars at a time.




1. Gym membership. The U.S. leads the world on medical spending, with $2 trillion spent annually on healthcare expenses. It’s common knowledge that this number could be drastically reduced if people took better care of their health. Getting fit in your 20s prevents expensive health issues later in life, and for around $10 a week, a YMCA gym membership won’t break the bank either.

2. Three bottles of good wine. Wine is a stable investment that can be traded on the Wine Stock Exchange. It takes a minimum of five years for wine to mature for sale, and most wine auction sites sell in sets of three. Stored properly, your investment could make you thousands. Bordeaux and Burgundy are popular drops and in the worst-case scenario, if you can’t offload it, you can drink it.

3. Kiva. Kiva is a non-for-profit microfinance organization that allows you to loan money to third-world business enterprises. For example, assisting a Kenyan in purchasing a bike to do deliveries. Kiva is a personalized approach to charity that helps people help themselves. The minimum investment is $25, and you’re given the option to withdraw or re-invest in the same or another business as soon as you start receiving repayments.



4. Social media strategy. According to a recent study, 18 to 34-year-old Americans spend on average 3.8 hours a day on social networking sites. How much of this time spent on making business connections and profiting from these platforms is unknown. Developing a simple social media strategy by identifying your brand, your offering and who you need to connect with will make good use of this time. An online presence takes years to build up, so it’s best to start right now.

5. An extra set of keys. This may seem like a ridiculous ‘investment,’ but who can argue that they’ve never locked themselves out, creating panic and wasting time. Taking simple preventative measures for when life goes wrong, such as always having a spare tire will save you thousands in the long run. A callout to a locksmith can cost upwards of $200. A spare key will set you back $2. You do the math.

6. Self-insurance. Chances are that in your 20s you won’t have mountains of insurable items or be at the stage to consider mortgage cover, but you must protect what is most valuable. Consider insuring the three technological items (laptop/tablet/phone) that are imperative to your business and find a policy that covers their loss at any location, not just at your home. Consider wage insurance to cover your bills during periods of unpaid sick leave and unemployment.

7. Retirement plan co-contributions. When you’re in your 20s, scurrying money away for your 60s seems impossible, however, there are several incentives to take advantage of a company-sponsored 401(k) scheme where your co-contributions will be rewarded. Some companies will match your deposits; most will give you at least half. If your company doesn't offer matches, or you're self-employed, you must set up your own fund. You won’t have to work forever if you start saving today.


http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231791