An investment is an asset or an item that is acquired by an investor with the goal of generating income or appreciation. An investment is the purchase of goods that are mainly used for creating wealth in the future. An investment is an asset purchased with the idea that the asset will generate income in the future or will be sold later at a higher price for profit. Investments are tools used for generating future income. Investments include bonds, stocks or real estate. Purchasing anything with the hopes of raising future revenue is also considered as investment.

Individuals looking for their first-time investments can go for certain investment options to generate income in a safe and risk-free manner. They can buy stocks that have a good long-term growth potential. They can buy into a mutual fund, which is a collection of stocks that is managed by a fund manager. They could also invest in exchange trade funds. Individuals who want to start investing can invest in short term debt funds and large cap mutual funds as well for quick and smart returns within a short period of time.