Investing in precious metals and foreign currencies is a great way to protect your savings from inflation and increase them.

People who decide to invest money in foreign currency most often choose euros and dollars for this purpose. Is it really so profitable and what rules should you follow in order for investing to be profitable?

As a rule, all transactions with currency are short- and medium-term in nature; in fact, they are simply speculation and the opportunity to make a profit on the difference in rates when buying and selling currency. It should be noted that this process is quite risky, especially if there is a crisis in the country.

Does it make sense to invest in euros and dollars?

When choosing a currency for investment, it is very important to consider its liquidity, i.e. There is a constant demand for it; you can exchange liquid currency at any time of the day at any exchanger. Pounds sterling, yens, francs, dollars and euros are considered the most highly profitable in terms of investment.

You can purchase currency at exchange offices in the city, at a bank or at currency exchanges. If we talk about profit by buying and selling foreign currency in exchange offices, then the profit will be very doubtful. In addition, many points introduce an additional commission for this type of operation.

If you invest in foreign currency and simply store it at home, then this method of storing savings does not stand up to criticism at all. Firstly, money doesn’t “work”, and secondly, there is always the possibility of robbery and you will lose everything you have accumulated.

Earning options

You can earn more if you make a deposit in a bank using at least two types of reliable currencies. The money will make a profit thanks to the interest on the deposit, you will have peace of mind. The main thing is to choose the right bank, focusing on the offered interest rate, terms and amounts of the deposit, as well as the availability of the ability to replenish the deposit account.

It is important to remember here that profit can only be obtained if the investment is long-term. Trying to withdraw money ahead of schedule will not bring benefits, because... Interest will be lost.

Investments in currencies can generate income if you manage your money wisely. In essence, the goal is always the same - buy cheaper and sell more expensive, and this can be done in several ways:

1. use exchangers, purchasing money from one and then selling it to another. Here you will always have real money in your hands, but the method has a number of disadvantages and, first of all, it is a commission for services. It won’t work to speculate, so we won’t consider this option;
2. You can make a profit on the difference in rates on the Forex exchange. The investor here is called a trader; he acts through a broker, investing his savings on the stock exchange. In the process of trading, you can either earn or lose the deposited funds, hence the mass of myths about the supposed “scam”. You can also entrust your money to a professional trader; he will take his own commission for this, but this way you get confidence that the deposit will not go bankrupt. Usually you can get about 25% of the investment amount, but, as with everything, there are exceptions to the rules.

If you decide to invest in foreign currency, do not give in to general skepticism and panic. Many people simply don’t realize that with the right approach, passive income can also be impressive. So the right attitude and calculations will help you.

As noted earlier, the most important indicator is its liquidity. For example, so far the list of the most liquid currencies in the world includes US dollars and euros; both can be sold almost instantly. The same cannot be said about dinars and other extravagant currencies.

In addition, investing in low-liquid currencies is even riskier and the chance of losing money increases. Stability in the country that issues the currency is the most important indicator. There is a direct connection between the development of the economy and the stability of the currency, thus the investor himself will protect himself from unjustified risks.

If you want to invest money for a long term, pay attention to the inflation rate in the country whose currency you want to purchase. It makes sense that the more value lost year after year, the less attractive one is for investment.

You can start even with small amounts, gradually gaining experience. If we are talking about a deposit made from different types of currencies, then find out from the bank whether it is possible to replenish the deposit. This is very convenient, because any extra penny can be transferred to the balance, and the interest will still accrue.

For example, Sberbank offers clients to open an account in dollars or euros, and interest on the balance will be accrued monthly. Typically, the average duration of the deposit is about 5 years, the average interest is 3-4%. It is possible to open a multi-currency deposit; the account will contain dollars, rubles and euros.

This option is optimal; even a beginner will not have any problems with investing. With the right approach, you can make good money on the difference in rates. Opening an account takes only an hour and does not require additional documents, just a passport.

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Financiers, experts and ordinary citizens are interested in what currency to keep their savings in 2019. The Russian government and the Central Bank talk about the profitability of the national ruble and the instability of the euro and the dollar. In reality, the ruble is successfully fighting inflation, but world experts predict a significant rise in the American dollar in 2019.

Financiers' forecasts

Next year, 2019, will be known in the economic world for changing trends in the foreign exchange market. Significant fluctuations in exchange rates will be caused by many economic, and most importantly, political factors. Financiers are increasingly taking the latest trends into account when forecasting exchange rates for 2019. This factor is also taken into account when choosing a currency to store your savings.

If we take into account the stability indicator, then the Swiss franc is the most reliable currency. The exchange rate of this currency is fixed against the euro by the Central Banks of Switzerland. In general, the list of currencies that are perceived by citizens as reliable has not changed over the past decades - the American dollar and the euro.

At the same time, we should not forget that the fluctuations occurring in the global economy have shaken the leading positions of traditional reserve currencies, which creates the preconditions for the emergence of new reserve currencies not only for personal purposes, but also on a global scale.

Economic situation of the ruble

The national Russian currency depends on the price of oil. If raw materials become more expensive, the position of the ruble on the market in 2019 will strengthen against the euro and dollar. At the moment, there is no complete confidence in the rise in oil prices next year. The level of production of “black gold” in the United States is only increasing, which restrains the price increase by 1 barrel.

But this situation has a positive effect on the rate of inflation - it is decreasing in the Russian Federation. Taking this factor into account, Russians can save in rubles, as they are profitable. Also, the rate on ruble bank deposits has increased, which cannot be said about deposits in foreign currency. If in the second case it sometimes exceeds 2% per annum, then in the first case it is equal to 8%.

Economic situation of the dollar

Financiers have come to a consensus that in 2018 the dollar will maintain its positive dynamics, and in 2019 it may increase its position in the world market. This is evidenced by macroeconomic indicators of the US domestic economy. Taking into account the data, economic growth in 2019 in America will also be. This will allow the Fed to further increase the main rate, helping to strengthen the dollar's position.

Russian experts came to the conclusion that the US dollar against the ruble will increase by 8-10%. For 1 dollar you will have to pay 66 rubles in 2019. But the Ministry of Economic Development speaks about a possible increase in the cost of one dollar to 70 or even 80 rubles. This depends not only on the economy of the State, but also on the sanctions and actions of the Russian government.

Economic situation of the euro

The main problem of the euro is instability, which scares off investors. On the one hand, the EU economy is showing positive dynamics, but on the other hand, there are risks of currency weakening due to the tense situation in the banking sector.

The euro is allowed to rise with successful elections in Germany and regulation of the Brexit issue. If these problems are resolved positively, the euro will grow significantly relative to other currencies.

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The head of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation recommends that Russians keep their savings in rubles, since inflation in the country has decreased and will continue to decrease, and deposit rates currently exceed the depreciation index. This market situation will only benefit investors.

Global FX highlights the volatility of the euro due to the difficult situation in the banking sector. The dollar retains its growth potential. We can expect that in 2019 there will be a devaluation of the ruble. But this depends on the situation, both within the Russian Federation and on the global economic market.

The fall of the ruble to 70 rubles per dollar is not considered the worst forecast. The devaluation could be more widespread, especially if the price of oil falls. There is currently an oversupply on the oil market. If the market situation does not change, a barrel will fall in price to $40. In this case, the real value of the ruble will decrease significantly.

Conservative strategy

New addition – cryptocurrencies. Some experts and economists have been able to make good money by investing and selling cryptocurrencies. But in 2017, Bitcoin rose sharply, and at the beginning of 2018, it fell sharply. Only a few experienced investors have maintained their interest in cryptocurrencies. “Cautious” investors suggest keeping savings in different currencies that have achieved their stability and have not tended to jump over the past 10 years. These currencies include the dollar and the euro. The following are also considered reliable monetary units:

• pounds;
• Swiss francs;
• Norwegian kroner.

You can distribute savings into different currencies proportionally. Obviously, the dynamics of the rates of the above currencies are similar.

Reserve currency 2018-2019 – Russian ruble

Confidence in the national currency of the Russian Federation has changed for the worse in recent years. This is due to the sharp drop in oil prices that occurred in 2014, as well as the subsequent devaluation. The dollar exchange rate doubled, and the ruble fell. This led to higher prices for imported goods.

If we take statistical data for the last 3 years, the price of all goods, not only imported, but also nationally produced, has increased significantly. On the other hand, inflation decreased in 2017, accounting for 2.5%. Due to low inflation, the Russian Federation has become similar to European countries. One could assume that in the coming years the ruble will take a reliable position in the world market, just like European currencies.

But this opinion is erroneous, since the level of low inflation has only been observed over the past year. For stability, it must be preserved for another 3-5 years. Therefore, experienced economists and global financiers advise Russians to diversify their savings: capital is divided into 3 equal parts, 3 deposits are opened. The optimal dollar-euro-ruble model: 40%:30%:40%.

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Famous financier Sergey Naumov told how to invest in dollars and euros to get a good income.

Russian websites often advise buying foreign currency with free money, sometimes even suggesting keeping it in a safe deposit box. However, saving rubles from inflation in this way is a bad idea.

Buying currency is not a panacea

To understand why buying a currency does not give the desired effect, you need to compare the growth dynamics of the dollar and euro with inflation over the past few years. From 1999 to October 31, 2015, the dollar against the domestic currency grew by an average of 7% per year. For the euro, this figure is slightly lower – 6.5% per year. At first glance, this is not bad, but if you take into account the level of inflation, then such investments cannot be called effective.

During this time, inflation in our country averaged 12.7% per annum. It turns out that if you buy currency and simply store it under the mattress or in a safe deposit box, each year will be negative by about 6%. As a result of such an investment, the investor becomes poorer, not richer.

During the modern history of Russia, there have been more than once a sharp rise in the dollar against the ruble. Therefore, in order to reduce the impact of unexpected jumps on the state of finances, it is necessary to distribute savings across different currencies. However, this is only one of the tools for saving money against inflation.

If you plan long-term investments, then investing in dollars will not bring profit. There is only one road to real growth in savings - instead of buying currency and storing it, you need to invest.

Investment options

In Russia, the most popular methods of investing currency are bank deposits. However, the simplest path is rarely highly profitable. At the beginning of November, the average interest rate on bank deposits in the United States was approximately 2.9% (statistics calculated based on information received from the 30 largest banks). Investing in foreign ones can bring much greater profitability.

• Deposit in dollars – 2.9%.
• American bonds – 8.2%.
• Shares of foreign companies (except US) – 10.1%
• Shares of US companies – 10.5%
• American real estate funds – 11.9%.

The above rates, starting from the second point, reflect the average annual return on investments. The statistics are taken from the Morningstar agency and show average data from 1972 to 2013.

You can invest in these assets not only on foreign exchanges. There are corresponding tools on the Russian market. Their choice is still quite modest, but the situation is gradually improving.

Among the available instruments for investing in foreign assets are: They are equally popular both in Russia and abroad. In total, they now have assets under management amounting to close to $3 trillion. For comparison: all Russian mutual funds together manage approximately $8.7 billion, which is 345 times less.

Exchange-traded funds are essentially a mixture of mutual funds (mutual investment funds) and stocks. As in a mutual fund, in an ETF, investors' money is consolidated and then invested in promising assets (for example, stocks, foreign real estate, etc.). At the same time, investors become owners of shares of the exchange fund, they receive a share of the assets in which their money was invested.

It is worth noting that many ETFs are index funds: their holdings correspond to some stock index. At the same time, the fund's management company pursues its policy within the framework of this index. She tries to repeat it as accurately as possible when working with the assets of her ETF.

That is, the management company cannot, at its own peril and risk, make any non-standard decisions or select investment objects. Investors, in turn, can control how their funds are managed: in which shares or other assets the money is invested. For this purpose, information on the composition of exchange-traded funds is regularly published. Investors like this kind of reporting; transparency of investments is one of them.

The second positive side of exchange-traded funds is their accessibility to a wide range of investors. Firstly, the price of a share is usually $10-150. Secondly, management companies charge small commissions. This looks especially clear when comparing ETFs with mutual funds.

For example, if we take the amounts that 23 index mutual funds take annually, we get an average of 4.22%. And the average ETF commission is almost an order of magnitude lower - 0.55%. And that's not the limit: one of the world's largest management companies, Vanguard, charges only 0.13% per year.

Shares of exchange-traded funds, like shares of ordinary companies, are traded on an exchange, so do not forget about brokerage commissions. You usually have to spend money on them both when buying and selling shares. However, these expenses do not particularly affect the overall profitability, and they also relate to one-time payments, in contrast to the annual commissions of the management company.

Like other investment instruments, exchange-traded funds have not only advantages, but also disadvantages. For example, there are now almost 6 thousand ETFs and similar instruments around the world, and such diversity can easily confuse a novice investor. Some exchange-traded funds won't make a profit, so it's best to stay away from them. Before investing, you need to carefully, and pay special attention to its assets.

Diversified portfolio

Although exchange-traded funds are a convenient investment tool, investing in them does not guarantee good returns. You need to understand that the market can value any asset differently, be it stocks, bonds or gold. Under certain circumstances, their price may decline, which will inevitably lead to a decrease in the value of those ETFs that decide to invest in these assets.

Exchange-traded funds are nothing more than an investment vehicle. For any investor, the main thing is to correctly compile your portfolio. With the right approach, you can earn good money and achieve impressive results.

First of all, you need to take care of: it should include various assets, shares of companies operating in different areas of business. You should not limit yourself to any one region, for example Russia, the USA or EU countries. will react differently to the current market situation.

The ideal option is when, as the value of one asset decreases, the value of another increases. High portfolio stability allows you to avoid significant losses in unforeseen circumstances. This strategy gives good results regardless of any changes in market conditions.

The second important point is the periodic restoration of the original ratio of assets in the portfolio. For example, if some shares have risen in price over the past year, you need to sell some of them and buy additional assets that have fallen in price. The bottom line is that all asset classes should have an initial allocation to an investor's portfolio.

This approach will help avoid increasing risks that could lead to a decrease in the value of the portfolio. On the other hand, the well-known rule of investors will be observed: “sell high, buy low.”

Let's give an example of the return on a notional portfolio divided equally between four asset classes.

• 25% - blocks of shares consisting on a parity basis of shares of Russian companies (12.5%) and shares of American companies (12.5%);
• 25% - bonds. Foreign Bond Fund;
• 25% - real estate. American Real Estate Fund, which is engaged in the purchase/sale/rent of real estate in the USA;
• 25% - precious metals. Gold Fund.

So, let’s give an assessment of the profitability of such a portfolio, without taking into account commissions for buying and selling instruments, as well as taxes. The actual investment result will be slightly lower than the interest rates received.

It should be noted that at the end of each year the initial ratio of assets was restored. If an asset increased in price over the year, it was partially sold, and the funds received were used to purchase an asset that had fallen in price. Such actions made it possible to achieve the initial balance: at the beginning of each year, the share of each asset in the portfolio was 25%. As a result, for the period from 1998 to 2014, an average annual ruble return of 25.57% was obtained.

Here are some other indicators for comparison:

• Deposit in US dollars – 17.43% (calculated at an annual rate of 2.9%).
• Inflation in the Russian Federation – 16.06%
• Investments in the US dollar – 14.12%.

The yield obtained clearly shows that the most profitable investment option is a portfolio compiled using the asset allocation method (abroad it is called Asset Allocation). It was significantly ahead of the inflation rate and foreign currency deposit. As for simply investing in US dollars, this option, as expected, turned out to be the worst.

It is important that the compilation method in question can be adopted by anyone. To do this, you don’t have to be a financial market guru, although certain knowledge will certainly come in handy. The effect of this method is achieved with long-term investment (10 years or more). But portfolio management itself takes very little time. It is necessary to periodically, at least once a year, carry out financial transactions to restore the original ratio of assets in the portfolio, and this is where the mandatory program of action ends.

It is worth once again focusing on portfolio diversification. It should include shares of companies from different countries, bonds, etc. And exchange-traded funds will be happy to help the investor with this.

The presented example of an investment portfolio is not a standard investment. If you compose asset classes according to a different proportion, then the profitability will change, perhaps even for the better. The actual portfolio must be compiled individually in each specific case. At the same time, a well-thought-out investment strategy will be much more effective than simply storing funds in dollars or placing a foreign currency deposit.

The easiest: buy dollars, wait until the rate rises, sell dollars. Agree, this is accessible to most. The only question is to guess: when to buy, when to sell.

Among the advantages of investing in foreign currencies are high liquidity, as well as the reliability of freely convertible currencies. However, there are also disadvantages.

• The first is that when purchasing currency you need to pay a bank commission, additional taxes and fees.
• The second is that currency lying at home in a secluded place does not bring profit to its owner. In this case, you should think about long-term investment prospects. However, there are dangers here too - for example, a constant increase in inflation (). More details about that.

The trader is asked: “What is the US dollar backed by?”
Trader: - Nothing.
— Then what is the ruble backed by?
Trader: — US dollar

Investments in Forex

For those who want to take matters into their own hands, the Forex market will be a convenient solution for making money: and.


You will need it for work.

Trust management

If you don’t have time for trading, or don’t have the knowledge, then you should pay attention to trust management.

How do experts feel about attempts to invest in household appliances, electronics, etc. The round of ruble devaluation has devalued the savings of Russians, but many fellow citizens do not know how to save their remaining savings. Listen to the advice of experts.

Contrary to popular belief, buying household appliances and electronics will not help save savings; rather, on the contrary, it will lead to their loss, experts say. In conditions when real incomes of the population are falling and prices are rising at double-digit rates, the issue of preserving savings becomes especially relevant. The next round of devaluation of the Russian currency has further devalued the ruble savings of compatriots. And those fellow citizens who still had savings left flocked to stores, mainly for household appliances and electronics.

What is it not too late to invest in? What about rubles? Is it worth buying dollars for 70 rubles? We asked these questions to financial analysts.

Anton Soroko, analyst at the investment holding ""

Contrary to popular belief, purchasing durable goods usually results in loss of savings rather than preservation. Firstly, due to a fall in prices for such goods over time due to their obsolescence, and secondly, due to a decrease in consumer demand, which leads to a drop in liquidity in the secondary market and, again, a drop in average prices, according to with which you can get rid of this asset. In general, the main advice is not to try to earn as much as possible, because you risk losing most of your savings. First you need to save, and only then look for investment opportunities with a low or moderate level of risk.

In times of turbulence in financial markets, it is best to adhere to conservative investment strategies and avoid purchasing assets that may be subject to default by the other party.

In particular, you should avoid buying shares or bonds of pre-default companies, and do not try to earn an extra few percent at the expense (especially if we are talking about amounts of more than 1.4 million rubles). It is best to have diversification across several currencies - for example, have part of your savings in some assets denominated in US dollars. You can also reduce overall portfolio risks by purchasing a protective currency such as the Swiss franc (unfortunately, Russian investors have a hard time with assets denominated in this currency).

Anton Krasko, expert analyst at MFX Broker/leading analyst at MFX Capital

I highly recommend not playing on exchange rates, since it is unclear what will happen to oil and the macroeconomic situation in Russia in the coming quarters. In the current situation, the best way out is diversification - that is, distributing savings across several assets.

Of course, it is necessary to have a certain amount of funds in hard currencies - it is best today in dollars, since these currencies are least susceptible to inflation, and accordingly, the risks of losing savings are very low. In addition, if we are talking about large sums (over 1 million rubles), then it is best to store them in real estate and traditional assets, however, you need to approach the choice of an investment object very carefully - one of the key criteria should be the high liquidity of the object so that you can It was then sold quickly and with minimal discounts. A universal recommendation is to remain calm - in a crisis, you shouldn’t jump on the bandwagon, you need to maintain strategic thinking for the years ahead, since the crisis will end sooner or later, the same trends cannot continue all the time.

Irina Rogova, analyst at Forex Club Group

If we talk about the current situation with real incomes of the population, which decreased by 3.5% in the first half of the year alone, then we can assume that the volume of savings of the population is extremely low. Of course, I want to preserve them too. But. For example, at this stage, when the ruble is once again demonstrating weakening against the dollar and euro, it is quite risky to purchase currency at peak values. Moreover, the difference between the buying and selling rates in such conditions can be extremely high. Therefore, if the amount of savings does not exceed 6 average monthly salaries, it is perhaps better not to convert assets into currency, but to place the money on deposit (since in this case it is better to keep funds in the currency in which most of the expenses are made).

If the funds had already been transferred into foreign currency before the new wave of the ruble’s fall, they should not be touched. An attempt to “speculate”: sell now and then buy cheaper can end up costing you more.