Guide to money clubs or investment clubs
A money club is a great place for people to get together and
share thoughts, ideas and goals about money, planning, finance.
Here people learn about finances and ways to reach ones
financial goals. Friends in the money club provide encouragement
that each member needs to succeed.
This is one major reason why money clubs have picked up
significant momentum since their inception a couple of years
ago. Their aim is not to evaluate price/earnings ratios, but to
help members navigate pricky personal finance dilemmas. In a
time of economic unease, by joining a money club people can
establish and follow through their personal financial goals,
which may include improving money management, increasing ones
savings for retirement, spending intelligently, saving for
children's education, diversifying portfolio, curbing debt and
advancing estate planning or buying a home etc. In order to have
a successful club take certain precautions A new investment club
must have a solid structure to ensure the club's agenda is
carried out efficiently and without friction with legal
agreements and bylaws in case the club invests jointly in order
to avoid any unscrupulous person joining the club. make sure
that the number of members is such that it is not too much to
find a meeting place and also this would mean a higher retention
and too much management would not be required. An investment
club must have a clear way of determining each member's share at
a given point in time as members are likely to contribute funds
on a periodic basis, and may intend to withdraw funds from their
share of the club's assets at some time in the future.
Make sure that all members equally share the work. Pick a leader
or rotate leadership. Stay organized. Help the members to learn
and polish their stock researching capabilities, this way all
the members can contribute. There should be regular guest
speakers and field trips so that the club members are able to
sustain their interest instead of sticking to the same routine.
Meeting should be once a month since more of the meeting would
be a burden for some people and if it is less than people would
gradually loose interest. The meeting should be regular with
time and venue set. Changing venues could be inconvenient for
people and can derail them from their focus and subsequently
lessen their zeal to attend. Make sure that the members are
performing correct maths. This will not happen if careful
attention to paid to club accounting system. The National
Association of Investors Corp. (NAIC) offers instructions and
software on how to keep track of contributions and gains. When
looking for members of the club, one can select friends,
coworker or search internet in order to make sure members have
similar interest, goals and backgrounds for them to understand
each other and contribute accordingly.
When a member attains a financial goal, it should be celebrated
with adequate prize or gift certificate. This would drive
competition and thereby encourage everyone to do well.