What influences your choices when investing your money?

Investing should play a huge role in everyone's life. You have to make your money work for you, whether its alot of money or not alot of money. This is critical and many ignore it, because you can make money off of your savings. It doesn't mean risky, safe investments (as in CDs) or high div paying stocks, or just checking for better interest rates, etc. (although rates are so low today but it won't be that way forever).

I'll tell you an interesting story .... about 4 years ago a good friend of mine was keeping around 700K in the bank (multiple banks) and was getting low interest rates, while CDs were paying much higher then. I asked him why he was making that mistake because he was missing out on alot of money. He said it wasn't worth the trouble and risk. I asked him if he would open a safe CD today if I paid him a $1000 to go do it. He said obviously, and I told him well he's losing out on alot more then that by just leaving in the bank. He left work that afternoon to go open some CDs .... lol .... he just needed someone to drive the point across in real dollars. Many ignore it.

The key to investing is to match your investing goals with your risk tolerance. Too many investor go into the market looking for a get rich quick scenario or they have a strategy that their capital cannot handle. Take the time to learn about the different investment vehicles (stocks, forex, futures, etc.) and determine which best matches with you investing style. Then create a trading plan that matches your goals with your tolerance for risk (loss of money)

Many things such as stability of the company. Is there room for growth in the share value.

Is their stock in demand and short supply as in copper mining. Would it be a subject for a takeover bid?.

And lastly will they pay a healthy dividend.

Those are my yardsticks for investing, and investing daily on the LSE has been my whole living since 1968.

In answer to your thoughts. Yes i am.

My age. now that Im older I take down on my risk.

Risk. How much risk are you willing to take?

The younger \you are, the more risk you should take.

Purpose of the investment. Buy a new home, retirement, etc.

Where should I invest my money? Bank, stock market,

mutual funds, etc.