Choosing How Best to Invest Your Money.

Investing money is personal

Everyone has a unique financial situation. The best way to invest depends on your personal preferences along with your current and future financial circumstances.

Here's a five-step process that can help you figure out how to invest your money right now:

• Identify your financial goal and when you want to achieve that goal.
  
• Decide whether you want to manage your money yourself or work with a service that does it for you.
  
• Pick the type of investment account you'll use.
  
• Open an account.
  
• Choose your investments. 

And here are the details on how to put your cash to work in the right way.

1. Give your money a goal

Figuring out how to invest money starts with determining your investing goals, when you need or want to achieve them and your comfort level with risk for each goal.

• Long-term goals: These goals are at least five years away. One common goal is planned budget, but you may have others as well: Do you want a down payment on a house or college tuition? To purchase your dream Car,  home or go on an anniversary ?
• Short-term goals: These goals are less than five years away. This is next summer's vacation, a house rent for next year, an emergency fund or your holiday piggy bank.