Investing $1,000 every other month may not seem like it has the potential to change your life, but you’d be wrong.

The Australian share market has provided investors with an average total return of 9.2% per annum over the last 30 years.

This means that if you had invested $1,000 every other month and earned the market return, you would have grown your wealth to just under $930,000 today.

This is good for two reasons. Imagine you started investing these funds when you were 20. Now you would be 50 years old and have a share portfolio worth almost one million dollars.

If you were to now rotate your portfolio into high yield income shares that collectively offer a yield of 5%, you would generate $46,500 of income each year from these investments. That could arguably be enough for some people to quit the day job and start living a life of leisure if they have paid off their mortgage already.

Overall, I believe this demonstrates why investing on a regular basis and with a long term view can be a very rewarding endeavour and something you’ll be very thankful for in the future.

With that in mind, here are three shares that I think would be great options for a $1,000 investment today:

a2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

I think a2 Milk Company could be a great option for that first $1,000 investment. Although the company has been growing at a very strong rate over the last few years, I’m confident it still has a long runway for growth. Especially given the increasing demand for its infant formula products. In addition to this, I believe a2 Milk Company could accelerate its growth with new product launches and acquisitions in the near future.

Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

This award-winning printed circuit board (PCB) design software provider could be another ASX share to buy. It has also been growing at a rapid rate over the last few years. This has been driven by the proliferation of electronic devices globally which has led to increasing demand for its software. Pleasingly, with the Internet of Things boom still accelerating, I think the future looks very bright for Altium.

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

A final option to consider investing $1,000 into is IDP Education. It is a leading provider of international student placement services and English language testing services. Although its near term growth will inevitably be impacted by the pandemic, I expect it to rebound strongly once the crisis passes. Outside this, I believe its long term outlook is very positive due to its sizeable opportunity, strong market position, and growing software business.

More reading

• Why these ASX shares could help you beat the market
• 3 ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade
• Is the Altium share price the steal of the century?
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy right now
• Why Appen, Healius, IDP Education, & Propel shares are racing higher

James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Altium and Idp Education Pty Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post How to become wealthy by investing $1,000 into ASX shares appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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It’s hard to know whether to buy or sell ASX 200 shares right now. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has been volatile in recent days as investors worry about the recent bull run.

But despite the share market heating up, now is not the time to panic.

Here are a few things that I think are worth considering if you’re nervous about buying right now.

3 reasons to buy ASX 200 shares right now

The first thing to remember is why you’re investing in the first place. While it could be to make a quick buck, it’s most likely to build long-term wealth and enjoy a nice retirement.

That means that stepping out of the market while ASX 200 shares are volatile may not be the best strategy.

For instance, many investors missed out on huge winners like Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) because they cashed out of the market.

There are many Aussie companies that have shed billions in value this year. That could present some great buying opportunities right now.

The coronavirus pandemic hit global markets hard and ASX 200 shares like Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) have crashed lower in 2020.

That leads me to my second point: market timing.

In the long-run, it’s just not possible to time the market correctly. It’s easy to say that but not follow through, especially in a bear market. However, if you’re investing for the long-term, you should drown out the noise.

Consistently investing in ASX 200 shares is the best way to achieve long-term returns. That means you can invest for your time horizon in the decades ahead and not worry about current movements.

Transaction costs and taxes are two factors that can deplete your after-tax returns which investors often forget.

A final reason to invest in ASX 200 shares right now is that there aren’t many other good options available.

Interest rates are at record lows which means savings accounts and bonds don’t offer much yield.

Aussie property tends to be very expensive which means shares are really one of the few high-yield options available right now.

Foolish takeaway

These are just a few reasons to buy ASX 200 shares in the current market rather than not investing at all and holding cash.

More reading

• Is $1,000 invested in AGL Energy shares a smart investment?
• Will the Afterpay share price hit $100 in 2020?
• Why Afterpay and these ASX shares just stormed to new highs
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• ASX 200 jumps almost 4%, Webjet share price soars

Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post 3 reasons to buy ASX 200 shares right now appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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