We want to create a money making machine that pays you without you having to work. Oh, now you are interested. Good, now that I have your attention, how owuld you feel about having money coming in that you didn’t even have to work for? You would be free to do whatever you wanted with your time without having to worry about money. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it. It IS possible and it ISN’T that hard. Create things that pay you back and earn income. It makes sense. The goal is to replace your hourly wages with cash flow from income producing assets like your art, rental property, a business, investments. At the least, you want to have something put aside so that if, heaven forbid, there is a slowdown, you lose your job or go through a slump, you don’t go deep (or deeper) into debt, or worse. If you don’t do anything about your financial future, it will reamin a dream – or worse, a nightmare. Start small and make some minor adjustments now.

You don’t have to wait until you are debt – free (or you may never invest!). Invest in a place to live. It gives you a roof over your head and when you buy the house it can appreciate in value. Invest in yourself too. Use your money to buy supplies, equipment, education and whatever you need to do your creative business. Don’t go overboard, but put 10 percent into the best investment of all – you.

Keep it simple. You don’t want your investments to take up too much of your time, and you certainly don’t want them to be a burden. Simple, somewhat safe, and something you understand is the goal. It should give you peace of mind and not use a piece of your mind. Investing can be an overwhelming proposition, you can end up paralyzed. Choose to invest in things that interest you and involve something you enjoy learning about or already have knowledge of or experience with.

• Think long term.  ‘If you aren’t willing to own a stock for ten years, don’t even think about owning it for ten minutes’ –  Warren Buffett 
• Become a student of the game. Knowledge and understanding is key to making money in stocks.
• Trust yourself first. What stocks should you buy? Ask yourself, what kind of company would I like to own? When you buy an individual stock you are investing in a company. Invest in things you are interested in and know something about.
• Buy low, sell high.  Be a bargain shopper.  It is best to buy undervalued stocks and hold them until they increase in value.
• The kind of stock you would bring home to meet Mom. Sexy investments are great if you seek publicity, a high profile and prestige. But you can do well with investments in less desirable areas. How about a simple, stable business? Boring, but profitable. No giant gains, but safe. They make good products and provide things people will want and need. They are an industry leader (no matter what that industry is) and you can easily check them out.