Get started with savings

You can have a savings scheme in as many funds as you want. By having savings schemes in different funds, you also spread the risk.

A mutual fund is a collection of securities that are put together as one package. You can buy shares in the mutual fund. The portfolio manager uses the money you and other mutual fund savers put into the fund to buy securities for the fund.

• A mutual fund can own from 16 to several hundred different securities.
• A mutual fund can buy shares, bonds and other fixed-income securities.
• The larger the proportion of shares in a fund, the higher the risk and return you can expect.
• The risk and the possible returns are lower the more fixed-income securities there are in a mutual fund.

You can have a savings scheme in as many funds as you want. By having savings schemes in different funds, you also spread the risk.

In most mutual funds you only need NOK 100 to start saving. You’ll go far with a fixed monthly savings scheme.

The simple answer is: because over time it’s more profitable than saving in an account. At the same time, there is also more risk involved. You should therefore save over a longer period of time in the fund, because time reduces risk. In equity funds, we recommend that you save for at least six years.

Money you need again soon should be put in a Sparekonto.

The best way to save in mutual funds is with monthly purchases. With a savings scheme, you don’t have to think about timing the market. Regular monthly purchases usually give you a good average price.

You can easily buy mutual funds in the Spare app or by logging into the online bank. Then select the fund you’ve decided on in the list. Choose a lump sum or a fixed savings scheme.

When choosing a fund, you should use your own and your goals as a starting point. Think about the following:

• How long are you going to save for?
• How high risk do you want to take?

Equity fund is suitable for those who want to save over the long term for a minimum of six years and offer the possibility of higher returns.

Fixed-income fund is better if you have a short horizon or dislike valuation fluctuations along the way.

In a balanced fund you combine both investments in mutual funds and interest rate funds.

An equity fund is a mutual fund where a minimum of 80 per cent of the unit holder’s money is invested in the stock market.

Read more about equity funds

An index fund is an equity fund that tracks the movements of a stock market index, rather than trying to beat it.

Read more about index funds

A fixed-income fund is a fund that invests the money in fixed-income securities such as bonds and commercial papers.

Read more about fixed-income funds

A balanced fund is a combination of a mutual fund and a fixed-income fund. The recommended savings period depends on how large a proportion of equities you have chosen in your balanced fund.

Read more about balanced funds

Not necessarily – if you choose a global index fund, you’ll have a good spread across most industries and across the world. If, on the other hand, you choose to buy industry funds (for example: health) multiple funds may the right choice, so you are not as exposed to developments within a single industry.

Fixed-income funds are a collective term for liquidity funds and bond funds. Fixed-income funds are not as secure as a bank account, but more secure than balanced funds and equity funds. In a fixed-income fund, you spread your investments across different fixed-income securities. This will lead to less fluctuation, but in times like these, fixed-income funds could also fluctuate in value. The size of the fluctuations can depend on the type of fixed-income fund you have chosen.