Ever dreamed of becoming rich? Who would not want to be financially independent, not have to worry about job security, enjoy a couple of millions in the bank, and simply live a life free of any financial constraints? It is ever more surprising, however, that only very few make decisions that would accelerate their journey to financial independence. 

Coronavirus, Covid-19, SARS-Cov-2, the virus that has caused a pandemic, measures that were previously unthinkable and that has sent world markets into free-fall. The panic that the coronavirus has brought in global markets is as vivid in daily life. Shopping is no longer the same. We wear face masks, gloves, keep a meter or more of distance from others. Life is no longer the way it was just a few weeks ago.

What to do with 100,000 dollars, pounds, or euros? You could invest in a property, paintings, cars, wine, gold, silver, or shares. You're obviously seeking the best return on your investment, some level of stability, and want to see your money work hard, grow your wealth and increase your financial independence.

I have a confession to make. I am an addict. I have been an addict all my life. It started at a very young age and I never managed to really control it. I know I am not alone. There are many who have that urge. If I have a bar in front of me, I will indulge. Most of it will be gone. Sometimes I can limit myself to just a few pieces or a spoon. If you are anything like me, you know the importance of sports, just to balance out its negatives. My addition: You put a jar of Nutella in front of me and, behold, I hold a spoon and munch away. I confess, I am addicted to chocolate.

Alright, you are ready to put your money to work and invest in shares. The only questions: How do I know which share to invest in? How do I know the difference between a good stock and a bad stock? Are there any indicators that can help me determine what stock to invest in?

Are you thinking about buying shares? What differentiates good from bad shares? What aspects should you consider before putting your hard-earned money to work? Investing in shares is great fun and can reap fantastic rewards, but there are a couple of things to consider before buying shares. Here are ten of the things you should do before buying shares in any company. If you make sure that you can tick all these boxes will help you avoid any catastrophes and put you on a successful investment path. Just as the saying goes: It is always better to be safe than sorry.

You are the proud owner of shares. An investor in some fabulous company that regularly pays its dividends. You see your portfolio grow until suddendly the world panics, news outlets predict the end of the world, doom sayers find their stage, news anchors overuse the terms correction and bear market, and while you were just a confident investor, an owner of some awesome company, you suddendly find yourself in doubt about what to do in a bear market - this also applies to what to do in a bull market.

You may have wondered: how do I store my bitcoin or litecoin? What is the best wallet for bitcoins, IOTAs, or dogecoins? Maybe you've read about online wallets occasionally getting hacked and all coins stolen. A risk no one wants to take.

10 years on and we are still facing low interest rates on savings and mediocre bond returns that pay peanuts on your invested money. The only bonds still paying around 9, 10, 11 percent or higher are either high risk, bordering on junk status, or carry some sort of currency risk as they are issued in much more volatile currencies. Of course you can always put some money to work following a high risk strategy, but you have to ask yourself whether you want to gamble a large portion of your money. 

Volatility has once again struck stock markets across the globe. The doom sayers are again predicting the end of the world, the hopefuls believe the economy and the bull market is intact. We are only facing a correction, a brief, yet prolonged downperiod, they might argue. Amidst all the fog of opinions, you might be asking yourself: “Shall I sell my shares? Are we heading into a bull market? Will it be another 2008? A collapse of financial markets?”