Engaging with financial markets goes beyond hopping on every alleged get-rich-quick scheme. Here are some practical ways to keep yourself involved.

Getting into the financial market as a student is a smart move. Investing early comes with a lot of benefits that extend beyond being able to double your earnings or allowances. It allows individuals to develop a disciplined spending habit that translates into better financial decision-making ideologies in the future. 

 

Many people believe that engaging with financial markets is all about putting money into the latest investment opportunity. The reality is far from this, and there are several other ways to get involved, especially for students with limited income sources. The aim of this article is to explore these diverse opportunities that you can maximise when it comes to your interests in investments. 

Taking Courses

Educating yourself on investment markets comes first because it lays the foundation for every other decision you make on this journey. There are many beginner-friendly courses online that help you understand basic concepts, asset classes, risk levels, and portfolio management, among others. The financial market comes with some level of complexity, and familiarising yourself gets you closer to knowing how the market works. Some platforms you can visit to get free courses on investments are Coursera, Udemy, and Khan Academy. 

Join a Finance and Investment Club 

Many UK schools have finance and investment clubs offering students opportunities to learn and engage in practical financial activities. The London School of Economics (LSE) has the LSE Business and Investment Group (BIG), and the University of St Andrews has the University of St Andrews Investment Society, amongst many others. If you’re already in college, find out if there are existing finance clubs to join. If you’re planning your admission journey, consider adding this to a list of your requirements when choosing a school. Such networks matter because they introduce you to real-world experiences in the field, allow you to connect with industry experts, and possibly access exclusive opportunities. 

Maximise the Internet 

Platforms like Twitter, Reddit, Discord, and X hold vast stores of investment information. The Crypto Twitter community on X is a vibrant network of enthusiasts, investors, developers, and influencers who connect and discuss the latest developments in crypto. Twitter also has an active forex investors’ network that performs the same function. Reddit, on the other hand, is strictly a discussion platform where people dissect everything about the sector. It doesn’t matter what your interests or questions are; someone on Reddit most likely asked years back, and there is always a long list of answers readily available. Lastly, many trading platforms, like TradingView and MetaTrader, have forums for investors. Here, people can share knowledge and strategies and also connect with like minds. 

Follow Market Trends and News

Most financial markets are driven by economic conditions, policy changes, and macroeconomic factors, and one way to understand this relationship is by staying up-to-date with the media. A lot is going on with the global economy today, especially with tariff wars looming across the continent. While this persists, stocks, forex, commodities, and other assets are struggling in terms of performance. One way most investors keep tabs on these changes is through financial market news. Websites like BBC, Bloomberg, and Reuters are reliable news sources that publish the latest news of world economies. 

 

Use Micro Investment and Saving Apps

Microsaving and investment apps like Robinhood and Fidelity are great precursors to investing in the financial market. These platforms offer opportunities to buy fractions of shares, reducing the barrier to accessing large-cap stocks like Amazon and Google. This feature is called fractional shares, and it offers great flexibility for student investors. Aside from dabbling in these markets, these platforms also allow savings with interest and returns that could easily count as investing your money. 

Explore Paper Trading

Paper trading is an interesting tool on trading apps that lets you invest and practice trading without using real money. If you’ve gone through the phases listed above and you’re ready to start exploring investment in an asset class, this could be a great starting point. With this feature, students can get hands-on experience in selling and buying securities, analysing the market, and managing risks through stop loss and relevant features. Create a trading plan, track performance, and learn from your mistakes. After paper trading for a while and increasing your knowledge, you should be able to take gradual steps into investing with real money. Bonus tip: start small. 

 

Consistency Over Capital

This statement might be debatable for the older audience, but for students, it sounds about right. Starting small and building a habit over time is more important than diving head-on into investments. So many financial market assets are quite volatile, and it requires caution, patience, and discipline to succeed in this sector. Start by learning all you can, watching investors, listening to their success stories and failures, and building on this experience.