Dipo Olowookere
By Ellie Richards
Recently, the entire world has been affected by the wave of inflation. From the United States to Australia, every part of the world has witnessed the ballooning inflation.
Whether it is a rise in the prices of daily commodities or an increase in property rates, the effects of inflation could be seen in every single sector.
While inflation affects the entire economy of a nation at a larger extent, its effects can also be observed in the daily lives of the common people.
As the prices of goods and services rise, the amount of money spent earlier to buy a specific quantity of a product would now not be enough to buy a similar quantity of the same product.
Thus, inflation increases the entire cost of living of the people in an economy. It also reduces the purchasing power of every unit of currency, eventually decreasing the value of a country’s currency.
Additionally, once there is an increase in the prices of goods and services, it is likely that the prices will either remain the same or increase further without much possibility of a reduction in the inflated prices.
Hence, it becomes extremely important for people to keep themselves prepared for any increase in prices. One of the common beliefs practised from years is a penny save is a penny earned. While this common belief cannot be implemented in today’s world, one needs to be ready to deal with the corrosive impact of growing prices on the economy.
To help you safeguard yourself from inflation, we have compiled a list of 7 ways to save and invest money to reap its benefits in the long run.
Invest in the Stock Market
While investing in the stock market can be a bit tricky, if done wisely, it can be a good way to fight inflation. As the prices in an economy rise, the corporations are likely to sell their goods at increased prices. This leads to a growth in the company’s revenues, its earnings and results in an upsurge of its stock prices. However, while investing in the stock market, ensure that you put money in companies which have the tendency to increase their prices naturally at the time of inflation. For example, companies which deal with commodities or products like grains, oil and metals enjoy the pricing power at the time inflation more than the manufacturers and distributors of electronics equipment.
Buy Precious Metals
Precious metals such as gold and silver can act as great assets to protect yourself from the growing inflation. With a decrease in the value of the dollar, there is an increase in the value of these precious metals. Also, there is a difference in the demand and supply of gold and silver. While silver has a limited supply and is mostly used by large companies across the world, gold is saved by people at household levels. Experts suggest, keeping a mix of both physical gold and silver on hand can be a great way to protect one from the growing inflation. However, before buying gold and silver, make sure that you buy it from verified dealers and avoid yourself from being scammed.
Invest in other currency
Economists of different countries generally compare the value of their currency with the American dollar to see if there is any appreciation or depreciation in their currency. The trends suggest that a decrease in the American currency results in an increase in the value of other currencies and vice versa. As investing in any currency can be risky for beginners, conduct an in-depth study of the currency trends before investing. Also, rather than investing in a single currency, try to diversify your investments in different currencies. Furthermore, to save yourself from getting duped, instead of buying paper currency, it is wise to keep physical currency in hand.
Buy a Property
Property is another great asset which can save you from inflation. Whether it is a house for yourself or a plot of land or a positive cashflow real estate, investing in the right property can be rewarding. For example, buying a house for yourself will save you from increased rents during inflation. Additionally, if you own land at a lower price, after inflation, you can get a good amount of money if you decide to sell it. Whereas, if you buy an additional real estate, renting it out will help you generate a passive income for the coming years.
Start a Side Business
In today’s world, depending on a single source to generate income is not sufficient. If you are working in a full-time job, you might have very little control over your monthly income. By starting a side business, you begin to build your asset that sees an increase and decrease in its value with the rise and fall of inflation. At the time of inflation, this side business can help you generate extra cash flow every month, which will cushion the consequences of inflation and will also give you the power to save some extra money.
Save Money at Better Paying Interest Rates
Whether there is inflation or not, saving physical cash is always a good idea. To get the most out of your savings, check out for saving schemes which come at highest paying interest rates. The rise in inflation will have no significant effect on your money and it will be safe in the banks. Additionally, the interest you will receive will make sure that your money keeps on increasing from time to time.
Control your Expenses
Although savings and investments are essential for staying safe from inflation, one of the most important factors which we neglect is controlling our expenses. So, if you have a habit of overindulging in shopping and buying things which are not needed, then think twice. Also, while applying for a loan for property or vehicle, do not forget to fix the rate of interest. This is one of the widely used hedging processes which will save you from paying increased interest rates as once the rate is fixed, you will no longer be subject to the growing expenses.
