As the earnings gap between women and men shrinks, the way that women invest may well evolve, too. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) can help women address their investment needs, whether it’s through an advisor or going it alone.
As women continue to close the gap between the amount of income they bring in compared to men, the needs for their investment changes, too. A struggle that women also stumble upon is that they tend to earn a bit less then their male counterparts, says CNN Money.
For the most part, a woman’s long-term financial future is affected by the fact that women generally live longer than men and often earns less money, although this is slowly starting to shift. Miranda for Financial Highway reports that there are a few other ways to help generate a nest egg for those women who are working (or anyone else, for that matter):
- Save More: Instead of limiting yourself to saving 10% of your income, by saving more you are making up the difference and ensuring financial well-being.
- Keep skills up-to-date: You will be much better off if you keep with industry trends. You can also ask your employer about telecommuting a couple days a week, or freelancing. On top of that, if you are still working, you can ask for more. If you aren’t being paid what you are worth with your experience and contributions, negotiate a raise. One of the most depressing stats in the CNN Money article was that women typically ask for 30% less than men ask for, says Miranda.
- Use ETFs: As more women take their financial well-being into their own hands, ETFs can help with individual investing. These funds are relatively easy to use and are readily available for all individual investors to use. Try reading The ETF Trend Following Playbook for an in-depth look at how ETFs can help you navigate the markets and mitigate your risk. Be sure to sign up for our premium service to have access to powerful portfolios and research tools.
Tisha Guerrero contributed to this article.
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.