Most Common P2P lending mistakes

Introduction

You will have to do some experimentation when you first begin fishing since you will need to test out different rods, discover the ideal spot, learn how else to reel fish in, and there is a possibility that you may lose some fish along the way.

When you finally can get hang of it, though, you'll catch a lot of fish, and your cooler will be packed to the brim with them.

You will begin your career as an investor by first engaging in some trial and error. You may need to experiment with several different investment vehicles before you find the one that works best for you. During this process, you could even make some blunders.

That just starting frequently makes some of these blunders.

There are so many of them that we decided to group them all to assist you in avoiding them.

So, without further ado, here are the five most typical mistakes made while investing.

5 investment blunders you have to avoid

Ready? Let's dig in

1. Not commencing

The vast majority of people who are interested in investing do not. There are a few possible explanations for this, the most common of which are a lack of self-assurance, ignorance, or anxiety about the inherent risk associated with the investment. Nevertheless, the fact of the matter is with lending rates at 0.01 per cent – and some even being negative in only certain countries – investing is the only option to increase your funds passively.

Investors put off making decisions and tell themselves they'll get around to it later. This is a natural and understandable error, even though it is also a common one. In the blink of an eye, five years will have passed, and you'll still not have invested!

Beginning with extremely modest sums of money is one of the most effective strategies for overcoming the phenomenon known as "investment procrastination." Try it out with just ten Euros to get a feel for it.

There is no such thing as the "ideal moment" to invest, however, the earlier you begin, the more time you will have to put your money to work for you by letting the power of interest compounding do its thing.

2. A lack of consistent investment

The following are two tactics that the vast majority of investors use:

• Investing just when you sense like it is appropriate 

• Investing should only occur when there is money "leftover" after paying monthly bills

Even if it "technically" qualifies as investing, doing so in this manner is not a viable long-term strategy

It will be more difficult to anticipate the gains, plan for the long term, and achieve your objectives if you do not have an investment strategy. It also causes the returns on your investments to be lower because investing irregularly implies that you won't be spending as much money over time.

As a result of this, beginning your career as an investor by starting by making investments every month is a fantastic method to establish a profitable routine for yourself. You may get started with peer-to-peer platforms that are accessible, like Income Marketplace, for under €10, so don't let the minimal contribution requirements discourage you.

If you really can only afford to invest ten euros, start with ten euros. Isn't it clear-cut?

When investing becomes second nature to you, that is when you will notice a significant change, and it is also when you will begin to see returns on your investments.

3. No time frame

Although you should make investing a routine part of your life, it is essential to have a timeframe in mind when making financial decisions. That entails establishing some long-term objectives that you want to remember as you move forward.

It is important to keep in mind that these objectives must have a long-term time frame. If you just invest for 1 year, you will be dissatisfied with the results: a return of 14% on an investment of €10 is only €1.40, which is not exactly the answer to help you retire earlier.

And for this same reason, we have included investing for the short term on our list of frequent investment mistakes.

Contrast it with the examples that follow:

If you put €100 per year for ten years with a return of 14%, you will unexpectedly have had more than €2,000 at the end of the process. You've gone from buying an additional coffee to getting a free vacation with all of your expenditures covered because of that investment!

If you have a long-term objective in mind, it will be easier for you to determine how much money you should put away each month for investments, as well as the kind of investments you should make.

For instance, if you are aiming for early retirement, you may set a goal of 25 times your annual costs and a 10 percent return on your investments so that you really can retire before you are 50.

4. Not diversifying

Another typical error made by inexperienced people is the following:

Putting all of their hopes and resources into a single endeavour.

Putting your money into a variety of various assets is one approach to getting the best return on your investments. If the majority of your investment is now held in the stock market, you should consider diversifying your portfolio by beginning to invest in peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, or vice versa.

Diversification not only shields you from the adverse effects of economic downturns but also ensures that your savings continue to increase over time.

People who possessed P2P investments as well as other sorts of assets, for instance, were less severely affected by the market crash that occurred in March of 2020 and were still capable of building their funds during the epidemic. The crash occurred whenever the stock market dropped by 33 per cent.

The amount of risk that you are willing to take on and the goals that you have set for yourself are two factors that determine how much diversification you should have in your portfolio. The great news is that investors may get started investing with very modest sums of money thanks to the fact that brokers or investment assets make it possible to do so. As a result, there is no longer any reason not to diversify one's holdings.

5. Not comprehending taxes

Look, we get it — no one loves reading about taxes. However, we are aware of their significance. And if you don't understand how taxes work, they can eat up a significant portion of your assets and reduce the profits you get. Because of this, it is important to make sure that you do not pay more in taxes than is necessary on your assets, and it is always a good idea to conduct some research.

When it refers to peer-to-peer investment, having a solid grasp of applicable taxes might be challenging due to the wide range of differences that exist across nations in this regard. P2P investments can grow tax-free in nations like the UK if investors register accounts called IFISAs. These accounts allow for a certain amount of the initial investment to grow tax-free.

In certain countries, you can deduct losses from peer-to-peer lending from your taxes, while in others, income and capital gains are taxed in a manner that is distinct from one another. For example, Mintos has created a tax friendly environment for residents from countries such as Latvia.

Because the legislation in each nation in Europe is so diverse from one another, it is in your best interest to conduct your study in your native language. Checking out any local P2P websites and listening to what people there have to say is a smart option if you want to learn how other people in your nation handle similar situations.

Conclusion

These are among the most typical mistakes that new investors make when they first get started. We have high hopes that you will be able to steer clear of these pitfalls after reading about them and gain a good start on your financial future as a result.

If you are interested in P2P Lending and wish to start investing, we suggest you read the P2P Guide where we have described how the process works, what should be taken into consideration and how to make a successful investment.