The stock market seems to be a scary place today. In 2007 it seemed so easy with most stocks rising steadily with some going from strength to strength.
Borrowing money and then investing the money (with no guarantee of capital growth) seems to be a option only for the brave. However with several smart ideas you can lower your risk. If you're too scared to invest on your own, you can go for the strategy of safety in numbers. One way to do that is to join an investment club or similar where you can all contribute a little and guide each other through the process.
My research indicates that there is no complete register of investment clubs, however it is naive to believe the quantity are growing growing as there seems to huge interest, particularly among women.
From my experience Investing with others is also a great way to learn about risk. This is particularly important for women, as many studies have are typically more risk-averse than men. However, as we all know men should also be part of this group!.
Whilst these clubs can provide a real chance to learn about the stock market and investing in general, it is advised that an investor still makes their own decision but uses the education. A potential nasty experience can be when several amateur investors want to team and equally contribute to an investment. In this case a partnership agreement needs to be established. In your partnership agreement you need to establish what happens if a member stops contributing money - for example, doesn't come to meetings or wants to leave the club. Otherwise you can end up having an argument with some people that you do not really know. It is best to make it a business relationship then the rules are set out in the beginning.
However, most of all education and research are the key to success and these clubs can be a very useful tool. Furthermore, some areas may have clubs that specialise in either property or the sharemarket or even both. Plus they can be real fun.

The easiest ways to locate investment clubs is to google them or just look in your local phone directory. If do not like the first club you attend you can just go to another. Remember it education and research

Good luck in your endeavours

Author's Bio: 

Keiran Travers is an avid property and funds investor from Australia. He is an experience project manager and has been involved in a wide variety of businesses. He has an MBA from the University of Queensland.
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