Investing for your retirement is different from investing for growth

Plan your retirement now!  Everyone's first investment goal is to establish a healthy retirement account! Investing for retirement should always come BEFORE investing for growth.   Most strategies for retirement invest a fixed percentage of your salary whereas growth  strategies use only money you can afford to lose.  If necessary adjust your lifestyle to fit your budget AFTER investing for retirement.  Invest for retirement FIRST so plan your retirement FIRST.

Here are the Basics Steps of Retirement Investing:

• Start investing for your retirement as soon as you have a paycheck, even if you're 12!
• Invest a fixed percentage of every paycheck.  No cheating.
• Determine your asset allocations.
• Select which investment vehicles to use.
• Setup your Retirement Account.
• Setup and make your periodic contributions to the account.
  
• Manage your Retirement Account.
• Re-balance your asset allocation every year.
  

 Here are the Basics Steps of Growth Investing

• Start investing for growth when you have extra money you can afford to lose.
• Determine how much money you have to invest (lose).
• Determine what level of risk tolerance you have.
• Determine your investment strategy to match your risk tolerance.
• Select an appropriate investment vehicle.
• Setup your Investment Account.
• Make your initial investment.
• Actively manage your investments (i.e. know when to sell)