You can't guarantee you'll make money on any investment, and the possibility always exists that you may lose money. On the other hand, if you're too cautious in investing, you run the risk that inflation will outpace your earnings and erode your purchasing power. Of course, some investment vehicles are more risky than others, and it's up to you to determine how much risk you can tolerate before you invest.
Risk tolerance is a very individual thing.
A variety of factors, including your age, personality and investment time frame, determine how you handle risk. See if you recognize yourself in one of the following three investment styles. The conservative investor. You can't stand the idea of losing any of your principal , the initial amount of money invested. You'd prefer to put your money in fixed-return investments where you're sure to get your initial money back, plus interest.