Now that you have accumulated some savings, it’s time to think about investing. This can help your money work harder for you. You should keep some money in a savings account or a credit union CD. Before beginning to invest, remember that investments generally are meant to pay for your long-term needs-such as your children’s education or your retirement.

Most investments have more risk (meaning that you could lose some of the money you put into them) than savings accounts. But, they also offer more opportunity to make money on your savings.

Mutual Funds - When you put your money here, you join a large number of other people who are putting their money into the sane fund. If the fund’s investments do well, you will make money. If they don’t do well, you could lose money.

Stocks - Owning stock means you own part of a company. The value of stock can go up and down. To lower your risk, it’s a good idea to own stock in more than one company.

Bonds - Companies and governments issue bonds. When you a buy a bond, such as a savings bond, you are lending money to the issuer. The bond is a legal promise to pay you interest for the use of your money. Your principal ( the original amount you paid for the bond) also will be repaid to you.

Real Estate - A real estate investment may include owning rental property, undeveloped land, and more. Real estate is not a “liquid” investment, which means that it may be hard to sell the property when you want to. It’s possible for property values to fluctuate, so you can lose some of your investment