You finally have money to call your own. Now that you have your own money, you naturally want to see it grow. Maybe saving money in a bank simply doesn't entice you because there is so little growth potential. You want something with more risk so you have the potential to realize a far greater financial return. You decide to turn to the stock market.

Wait a minute! Are the risks involved in investing in today's volatile stock market worth your hard-earned cash? Investing can be an effective tool to grow your money, but you must have an open mind and know exactly what to look for.

As everyone knows, investing in the stock market is a risky endeavor. There are certain risks you simply cannot control.

One example is to exercise caution when investing in “hot” stocks. Of course there are some people that get wealthy investing in “hot” stocks, such as the “dot com” bubble that happened in the 1990s. However, when the initial buzz about these “hot” stocks starts to slide, so does your investment in them.

Once these stocks fall, they tend to fall really hard in a short period of time. Your money and the money of others like you falls along with the stocks. If you really feel the need to invest in “hot” stocks, you must keep a constant eye on them and sell them right away as they start to level off or drop.

To avoid risks such as these, diversify your investment portfolio. Buy a little bit of a lot of different types of stocks and bonds. By doing this, if one stock goes down another is likely to go up so you can attempt to recover some of your losses. It is always a wise idea to have a few stocks in the technology sector, biomedical, consumer corporations and telecommunications.

Over time, add to your portfolio with diamond and precious metal indexes and some general investment funds. A diverse portfolio increases your chances of profiting from the stock market.

There are companies that exist offering “safety stocks” to investors. It is a solid decision to have several shares of these type of “safe” companies in your investment portfolio. These types of stocks rarely fluctuate and usually offer steady, slow growth so you have some level of assurance in your investments.

Never rely on tip that says a stock is “going to be really big” or other related hype. These tips are usually unfounded and the stocks are often almost worthless. When you invest in these stocks you may get a higher return at first but in the long run, these stocks will be your greatest concern.

Take time to carefully read the Wall Street Journal or read the latest stock report on the news networks to find out more about your investments. Check relevant websites to verify how your stocks have been performing in the past few weeks. Lastly, keep up to date with the current stock market to make sure your investments are still smart.