Its appraisal time! What is your strategy for saving your additional earnings?

As the month of March comes to a close and we head towards April, all we can feel are the rising mercury levels. While this is just a polite reminder of the scorching summer that’s already on its way. There is a cloud on the horizon which heralds a pleasant breeze that soothes your senses. It’s your appraisals!

Coming summer, most of us will look forward for that raise in our income. Throughout the year you have worked hard, given your best and now it’s your turn to get the best that you deserve. But even before you actually start getting this ‘extra’ income, most of you must have already started to plan your ‘extra’ expenses.

An international family vacation, a diamond necklace or that Rolex watch for your spouse or a new car, you must be already making plans banking on that ‘extra’ income!

While there is no harm to splurge on your dreams / desires for once, you must understand that there are better ways to appreciate your increased income after the appraisals.

Every investor, be it a man or a woman, should focus on investing on a regular basis. Systematic Investment Plans (SIP’s) will enable you to invest that surplus income through Mutual Funds in periodic installments. The SIP mode is a good option to invest in equities for working individuals as it helps them invest a small portion of their earnings regularly and takes the hassles of timing the market away since whether the markets move up or down, you remain invested.

You can invest in equities through mutual funds for as low as Rs. 500 a month or Rs. 100 a day. That is the wonder of SIPs - Invest big through small savings. An SIP gives you the ease to manage your investment commitment like any other monthly or daily expense that you have.

Take the first step towards your investment process by consulting a financial planner to measure your risk appetite and determine how much of your savings should be invested in equities.

While investing in equities you may look at investing in a diversified Equity funds, like the Quantum Long Term Equity Fund since diversified equity funds invest in companies across sectors and are not tied down to a particular sector. Thereby providing some cushion for your portfolio in case markets react adversely.

The Quantum Long Term Equity Fund (QLTEF) is an Open-ended Equity Scheme that gives you an opportunity to invest in equities. The investment objective of the Scheme is to achieve long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in shares of companies that will typically be included in the BSE 200 Index and are in a position to benefit from the anticipated growth and development of the Indian economy and its markets.

Some attributes of QLTEF other than the complete transparency we offer and the convenience of Investing Online without any paperwork are;