Beth Tan invests her money in stocks and mutual funds. Would she advise others to do the same? “The stock market is riskier so it depends on your appetite for risk. There are mutual funds that balance stock market investment with fixed income securities,” she counsels.

When deciding whether to invest in mutual funds or stocks, here are four factors to consider:

Time. The decision to invest in mutual funds or go directly in the stock market will depend on how much personal involvement you want in terms of time and effort.

If you like to watch the stock market, do research, get high on technical analysis, and you actually have a lot of time in your hands, then turn your passion into an income-generating activity.

However, if you don’t have enough time to closely watch the stock market because of a day job or whatever reason, you’re better off investing in mutual funds.

Knowledge. If your eyes glaze and you get a headache from reading financial statements and stock charts, better rely on professional advice. In the same way, if you do not have enough knowledge about mutual funds, your best bet is to find an expert.

If you have limited experience in both, mutual fund investing through a reputable institution should be a safer option than stock market trading.

Risk. By investing in mutual funds, you get instant diversification since your money is invested in various securities. Putting your money in a diversified portfolio equates to lower risk.

If you want to try your hand at the stock market, you can look at investing in a wider variety of stocks. This helps minimize risks since the ups and downs in prices across numerous stocks tend to negate losses with gains. The downside, though, is that this – rather than focusing on a few high-value stocks – means lower returns.

There is no such thing as complete security in mutual fund investing because your investment is not guaranteed and the value could wildly fluctuate. Then again, compared to the stock market, mutual funds remain the less risky route.

Potential return. Some investors choose to invest in the stock market because the potential returns are greater, especially if you know how to pick the right stocks.

With online stock trading, you get to see the value of your portfolio in real time including the fees involved and other details. Online stock trading has made investing in the stock market friendlier for the average investor.

Citiseconline.com, for example, conducts free half-day seminars for interested participants who want to learn the concepts of stock market trading. According to Juanis Barredo, Citiseconline.com vice president, one may trade online and use the company’s research tools and resources with just P25,000.

With stock prices at current discounted levels, now is the best time to explore this online investment tool. Just remember that by choosing the stock market, you become your own fund manager, and if you do not know what you are doing, you can lose money big time.

There is a lot of technical data that needs to be considered when deciding to buy or sell a stock, so much so that a new investor may get quite confused. The best precaution in mitigating risk, therefore, would be to educate yourself with the rules of the game (there are many ways to play the game).

It is also a good idea to start small so that you can learn from your mistakes without breaking the bank.

(This article is from MoneySense, the country’s first and only personal finance magazine. Visit www.moneysense.com.ph for more.)