I would like to talk a little about compounding and value investing and why time is your friend.
I believe equities offer the greatest potential and safety over time and one may expect returns of 5-7% average annual returns investing regularly in an index tracker such as the FTSE100. I would first like to exhibit the gains possible by subscribing to this method of investment when taking compounding into consideration, please note, inflation is not accounted for.
Years 20
Percent Yield 7%
Initial Balance £10,000
Monthly Contribution £400
Final Balance £248,758.05
However, my personal value investing strategy aims to outperform the FTSE100 by around 10 percentage points annually, and some funds have done this over time such as Marlborough Special Situations making around 18% annually since 1995, however it may be said that this fund has grown and returns may be difficult to replicate over the next 20 years with such a diversified portfolio. However, investing for the long term in a good manager can help you gain a massive advantage over the market and I would like to illustrate this below, obviously, this isn't the only way to make money, but it may be worth considering if you are struggling with trading the markets.
Years 20
Percent Yield 17%
Initial Balance £10,000
Monthly Contribution £400
Final Balance £1,090,440.28
Regards