Investing isn't a get rich quick tactic or something you can do for a short period of time and expect to make a significant amount of money. It's often a long-term process, one that requires patience, commitment, and keeping calm when the market fluctuates, as it inevitably will. But there are options for investing on a short-term basis, as well as options for investing to reach a long-term goal. You may have heard of long-term investments and short-term investments, but are unsure of what they mean, what the difference is, or what investment strategy is best for you.
When investing long-term, you are able to be more aggressive, so you could opt to invest in an aggressive mutual fund to get the highest rate of return. Determine the rate of return you want, then look for a mutual fund that averages that rate of return over a 5 to 10-year period. When you invest for the long-term you should not panic when stocks drop and you should not sell when the market looks bad.