Investing can be an emotional process, especially if you try to time the market. The “what ifs” can be overwhelming, leading to missed opportunities in the market. A strategy that can help you overcome this challenge is dollar cost averaging. You can invest a fixed amount of money at predetermined intervals over an extended period. A dollar cost averaging strategy allows you to automatically buy more units when the price is low and fewer units when the price is high.
To illustrate the benefits of dollar cost averaging, consider the example below:
Here are three reasons why dollar cost averaging matters:
1. Consistency
Your overall returns will reflect the general trend in the investment’s performance, rather than the specific price from one day.
2. Reduced risk
Instead of having to invest a large lump sum at once, you can periodically invest smaller amounts over a longer period.
3. Long-term mindset
It enables you to stick to a long-term investment mindset, rather than focusing solely on daily price changes.
We are experiencing a very different market than the previous 10 years. Higher interest rates, which are intended to combat inflation, are weighing on companies and consumers. Dollar cost averaging allows you to invest regularly without worrying about what’s happening in the market. It also provides the following benefits:
Implementing a dollar cost averaging plan will help you avoid emotional reactions to market swings by automatically investing your money regardless of day-to-day changing conditions. It also reduces volatility by averaging out your investment costs over time. Overall, having a dollar cost averaging plan in place reinforces the importance of maintaining a long-term mindset when investing.
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