It was mid-October when I came across a beautiful picture of Spiti Valley in winter.
Without any delay, I called up the trekking group who organised the treks to Spiti Valley in winters and asked them about the cost. Since it was winter and they had to make special arrangements, the cost was on the higher side.
The cost definitely would have been a dent in my bank balance. But guess what? I had mutual funds to my rescue! I used my mutual fund's money which I had invested just a year ago to pay for the full trek amount. And in fact, I never had to touch my bank balance for the entire trek.
If you look at it, a 25K trip cost me nothing literally, because I was using the money I had invested a year ago.
But all of this was possible because of the duration of the money I invested and the patience that I had to keep. In return, I experienced one of the most breathtaking treks in India.
Investing in mutual funds is like finding a 100 rupee note in your pocket out of nowhere. The only difference is that your money grows in mutual funds without you having to constantly monitor it.
I started investing in mutual funds since my first job. The purpose back then was just to invest but right now it is helping me fulfil my travel goals.
The equation is very simple. You put your money in mutual funds and forget about it.
I mean don't worry about it so much because there are experts who invest your money wisely. Hence, the first step is to invest with a trusted fund house or through a Certified Financial Planner.
Still confused?
Here's an example.
Remember the time when you go to a new restaurant and can't figure out what to order? Yes! And that's when you call the chef to help you decide the best dish with his expertise. It's as simple as that!
So come let's find out what are mutual funds and benefits of investing in them.
What is a Mutual Fund?
By investing in MFs you pool money in a fund just like you do for booking a car for a road trip with your friends. The experts then invest these funds in different shares and bonds for you.
Benefits of investing in Mutual Funds
1) In the hands of the experts
You hire a guide since trekking in some of the treacherous and unknown regions of the mountains can be risky. The guide is well aware of the routes and ways to avert risk which makes your trekking experience memorable.
Similarly, when you invest in MFs you go through experts who have an in-depth knowledge of the markets. They put your money in different places like the equity market, debt market, and gilt funds. All you have to do is trust them and enjoy the benefits in the future.
2) Liquidity
Pulling out your money out of MFs is as simple as finding a beer in Goa. This is the most beneficial factor of investing in mutual funds that there is no lock-in period.
So in case you are struck by wanderlust in the middle of the night, you can easily withdraw money from MFs and just pack your bags and get going the next day. Yes, it's as simple as that!
While there are some MFs that have a lock-in period but their purpose can differ from those who don't have a lock-in.
3) Risk diversification
Just like how we don't keep all the cash in one place during long journeys, similarly, MFs diversifies risk by investing our money in different markets.
So in case of an extreme scenario, we won't lose all of the invested money.
4) Long term benefits
I kid you not, you can fund a 20-25 days Europe trip just by investing in Mutual Funds for at least 1.5 t0 2 years. That's the benefit of investing for long-term in mutual funds.
MFs can give you an average return of 13% to 20% (depending on market fluctuation), hence be patient with your invested money.
Check out this MFs calculator for more understanding.
5) I don't have enough money to invest
This is one of the most common worries of people who want to invest. But guess what! You can start your investment with Rs. 500 only.
And there's no need to pay a lump sum amount since SIP (Systematic Investment Planning) lets you invest on a monthly basis.
(Try out this SIP Calculator to get a rough idea of your returns if you invest X amount of money.)
Mutual Funds are one of the many financial instruments that will help you achieve your travel goals. But wherever you invest patience is the key.
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and invest your money in Mutual Funds and tick off all those destinations of your list one at a time!
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