Why don't people invest?

bigadaj

elephantrosie wrote: »

economics and finance should be taught in school, right from 5 year old.

Basic maths would be better at that age.


I wouldn't want to depress them at that young an age either.

capital0ne

vacheron wrote: »

I think the simple answer is that the topic simply does not interest them.

I'm an engineer and I work with a team of engineers. Some sail, some travel, some like cycling. I happen to have an interest in finance and investing so I have taken the time to learn.
You could turn the question on its head and ask:
"I work with highly skilled and trained financial advisers, but none of them will consider running their own home servers or writing home automation applications using embedded Arduino hardware and I often wonder why."

Good example but as I'm an engineer I ca understand why you would be writing home automation applications, it's useful and fun.

TrustyOven

vacheron wrote: »

I think the simple answer is that the topic simply does not interest them.

You could turn the question on its head and ask:

"I work with highly skilled and trained financial advisers, but none of them will consider running their own home servers or writing home automation applications using embedded Arduino hardware and I often wonder why."

Fundamentally, if you have no interest in something then it is very difficult to voluntarily dedicate precious free time towards that thing.

I do agree.

I look at/modify C++ code all day long, and the last thing I want to do when I get home is to look at setting up some servers or play with my Arduino Uno, no matter how interesting my ideas are for personal projects.

It might be burnout. Wonder how many people, have burnout and therefore the last thing they want to do is look into the complexities (real or perceived) of investing.

capital0ne

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Can I ask when you first started investing and whether you've traded shares in more voltile times. As there's been a bull market for 9 years. Complancy being an investors worst enemy.

I started in 1980 - been through the ups and downs - just stay invested and don't trade needlessly

capital0ne

Glen_Clark wrote: »

The memory of salesmen and worse posing as financial advisers is perhaps what frightens many off?
They may be more regulated and professional now than they have ever been.
But I doubt if they have restored widespread public trust yet?

I think you've hit the nail on the head, financial advisors are just regarded as money grabbing parasites by the general public.

Eco_Miser

elephantrosie wrote: »

economics and finance should be taught in school, right from 5 year old.

bigadaj wrote: »

Basic maths would be better at that age.

Yes, but counting could include counting money; multiplication and division introduce unit pricing; and when they get to percentages, the simple interest formula could be introduced, along with VAT and income tax; then when they get to powers, that's the time for compound interest.

Eco_Miser

capital0ne wrote: »

I think you've hit the nail on the head, financial advisors are just regarded as money grabbing parasites by the general public.

Only that part of the public who know what financial advisors are.

Many people seem to think they are people like Martin, who will tell them which bank and credit card to use, but more personalised.

Thrugelmir

capital0ne wrote: »

I started in 1980 - been through the ups and downs - just stay invested and don't trade needlessly

We can all thank ""Reaganomics" for the past 30 plus years.

capital0ne

Thrugelmir wrote: »

We can all thank ""Reaganomics" for the past 30 plus years.

Thanks Reagan:beer:

bigadaj

Eco_Miser wrote: »

Yes, but counting could include counting money; multiplication and division introduce unit pricing; and when they get to percentages, the simple interest formula could be introduced, along with VAT and income tax; then when they get to powers, that's the time for compound interest.

Yes, that's not going to lose five year olds, and put them off finance for life!