FIFA World Cup. The Holy Grail of international football. A quadrennial extravaganza that makes both professional footballers and fans go weak-kneed. Who would blame them? For players, it is a rodeo that can catapult them into history or strengthen their gilded legacy. For fans, it is a spectacle of the best players on the planet locking horns with each other; watch them having a go at breakneck speed, be it a knee-crunching tackle, a slalom past a bunch of defenders or a thunderous volley that crashes into the top corner.

Football fans in India have been midnight’s children, gorging on all matches on the telly till late night, and in some cases, waking up before the break of dawn to embrace the divinity of the beautiful game.

But, watching the event in flesh is a different ballgame altogether — to watch the best ply their trade, notice the ebb and flow of a match, see blades of grass explode out of the turf, and experience the stadium heave with joy and agony.

For football maniacs growing up in India, watching the world cup in person has always been at the top of the bucket list. But, travel and living costs have usually spooked them.

Make your dream come true with investment

The next World Cup in Russia is still eight months away (the event is scheduled between June 14 and July 15, 2018). While it is nigh impossible to plan such a trip at the last-minute, there is a good chance if invest your money in the right plan.

• Expense

A quick check on the FIFA website suggests that watching a match costs between $105 and $1,100[1]. This translates to a price band of Rs 6,900 to 72,286. Further, the trip to Russia-and-back would be around Rs 40,000. After including other expenses such as lodging and food for a week, you would be knocked back by roughly Rs 1.5 lakh in total.

• Invest your money to explore the world

Fixed deposits (FDs) and savings account are popular. They are considered safe. But, the chance of seeing your money grow in such a short period is limited. Saving Rs 1.5 lakh for an event that is eight months away is a tall task. It is better to explore other options that offer higher returns in the short-term.

The stock market can help out, but they are risky. You can lose all your money. There are government treasuries. But, it is not a great short-term option.

Mutual funds are an option that sits in the middle of the risk ladder, and can help your money grow. There are risks involved because they deal in stocks. But, the risks are low because a mutual fund spreads its money across different sectors of the economy. Therefore, the funds don’t react so wildly to market volatility. The reason is that different sectors react differently to market swings.

However, not all mutual fund types are suitable for such a short time span.

Mutual funds: Gateway to your dreams

Ultra-short term funds and liquid funds are ideal for immediate future goals. These are debt funds that invest in a combination of corporate bonds, treasury bills and certificate of deposits. Short term funds have a maturity period of six months to 1 year.

For a one-year period, these funds offer returns of 7.5-9.5%[2]. In some cases, the returns can be even higher. Compared to UST funds, savings deposits (3-3.5%) or fixed deposits (6.5%) offer lower returns. So, instead of parking your money in your savings bank account, it is better to invest in a systematic investment plan (SIP) for immediate goals.

There are other types of short term investment plans too, such as equity funds and balanced funds, that can help your money grow. But, they are not a viable short-term option because they have an exit load. An exit load is an amount charged for taking your money out within 12 months.

To sum up

With about eight months to go, it is still not too late to achieve your goal of watching the FIFA World Cup. Invest in mutual funds and enjoy the experience of a lifetime in Russia next summer.

Sponsored post by Franklin Templeton