If you are new to investing, you may have all sorts of questions about how to get started, what to look for, what to avoid and what your next step should be. While we cannot answer all of your questions in this article, we can give you a few basics that you must know before you get started.

1) The Stock Market Is Not a Get Rich Quick Scheme

If you are looking to get rich quickly, you need to look elsewhere. Investing in the stock market is a long-term proposition and you need to be prepared to hold your investments for years (if not decades) to come.

2) You Need to Have a Plan

Before you start investing, you need to have a plan. You need to know what you are trying to achieve and how you are going to get there. This may sound like common sense, but you would be surprised how many people start investing without any sort of plan.

3) You Need to Have an Emergency Fund

Before you start investing, you need to make sure that you have an emergency fund in place. This will ensure that you have money set aside for unexpected expenses and it will also help you avoid having to sell your investments during a market downturn.

4) You Need to Diversify Your Investments

One of the most important things that you need to do is to diversify your investments. This means that you should not put all of your eggs in one basket. You should spread your money out across different asset classes and different investments.

5) You Need to Understand the Risks

Investing in the stock market comes with risks. You need to understand these risks before you get started.

6) You Need to Have a Time Horizon

When you are investing, you need to have a time horizon in mind. This is the amount of time that you are willing to hold your investments.

7) You Need to Be Prepared to Ride Out the Storms

There will be times when the stock market is going through a rough patch. You need to be prepared for these times and you should not sell your investments just because the market is going through a downturn.

8) You Need to Have a Strategy

When you are investing, you need to have a strategy. This means that you should have a plan for how you are going to make money.

9) You Need to Stay disciplined

Investing is not a get rich quick scheme. It takes time, patience and discipline to be successful.

10) You Need to Review Your Portfolio Regularly

You should review your portfolio on a regular basis. This will help you to make sure that your investments are on track and that you are still on track to reach your goals.