Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and other self-made billionaires did not just make money upon success. They made smart investment decisions along the way. Thanks to technology, the world of investment nowadays has a lot of opportunities for both small cap and high net worth investors. Here is a list of the top six smart ways to invest your money and make it grow.

Securities

Many people dread the stock market due to its volatile nature. However, there are a lot of opportunities for investors who are willing to take the risks head-on and invest in the top stocks under 5 dollars. The first thing you will need is an account from a stockbroker. You can either choose a full-service or discount account. Full-service accounts deal with higher net worth individuals. Discount accounts are more affordable, but they don’t offer high returns when compared to full-service accounts. You can open a trading account with as little as $100.

You can also choose to buy shares directly from a company through their direct stock purchase plans (DSPPs). Some of these plans restrict investors to certain amounts, which range from $100 to $500.

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-peer lending is a form of debt financing that allows people to borrow money without involving a financial institution as an intermediary. This form of lending has higher returns to the investors and lower interest rates and fees to the borrowers. It allows investors to diversify the loan portfolios they are interested in. For instance, if you invest $20,000 through a peer-to-peer lending club, the debt may spread over hundreds of individual loans. In case one or two loans fail to yield the desired results, your portfolio will still remain stable. You can try peer-to-peer lending platforms such as Lending Club, Prosper and Funding Circle. You will need a minimum of $25 to get started.

Real Estate

Real estate is a popular form of investment across the globe. Many people prefer real estate because it can produce income through rents or capital appreciation. It also provides shelter, which is a basic need. Real estate is also tax-favored and has generous depreciation write-offs.

There are several ways you can invest in real estate. You can choose to purchase a property or join real estate limited partnerships. You can also put your money in real estate mutual funds where you buy shares and collect your money in form of dividends or capital appreciation.

Have a Robo-Advisor Manage Your Money

A robo-advisor is a perfect option for those who lack investing skills and are afraid to loan out their money online. Robo-advisors are companies that develop automated applications designed to manage people’s investments using certain criteria. They usually require their clients to take a questionnaire to determine how far they are willing to take risks. Investing using a robo-advisor is cheaper and offers comprehensive portfolio management. You can try out companies such as Betterment, Personal Capital, Sighing and Wealthfront.

Bonds

A bond is a form of debt investment where a person loans money to a government or corporate entity at a variable or fixed interest rate for a specific period. The investor earns interests every year and is repaid the original amount after the set period expires. Bonds issued by corporate institutions offer higher returns than those provided by the government. You can invest in bonds with as little as $100.

Hedge Fund

Hedge funds used to be only for high net worth individuals. However, things have changed drastically and most people can now afford to invest in hedge funds. A hedge fund is simply an alternative investment that uses pooled funds to generate active returns. Hedge funds explore different market opportunities and invest aggressively to get as much profit as possible. They are set up as limited private partnerships and allow only a certain number of accredited investors.

Yourself

Investing in yourself is the simplest, cheapest and most profitable form of investment. Doing so improves your ability to make more money and perform better in every project you undertake. Take at least one course that can improve your productivity and performance and acquire certain certifications that will improve your job prospects. Take more responsibilities at work to expand your knowledge base and increase your level of experience. Learn more about investing to improve your returns.