One of the main things high-net-worth individuals are doing to offset the effects of a potential recession is building up their savings and emergency funds.
Companies that provide basic necessities like consumer staples and food will always have demand, even during an economic downturn. People still need to prepare meals, wash, and clean. Discount stores often do relatively better during recessions because their staple products are cheaper.
That's how average investors become millionaires during recessions and far beyond. They save up, wait for a moment when they can get a discounted price on an investment, and then use their money as a tool to purchase more of an investment. “That requires you to have a financial education,” Singh said.
Toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, toilet paper, and other grooming and personal care items are always in demand. Offering these types of items can position your business as a vital resource for consumers during tough times.
“The demand for travel and hospitality services typically declines as consumers cut back on discretionary spending,” Sarib Rehman, CEO of Flipcost, said. “To attract customers, airlines, hotels and travel agencies often lower their prices and offer more promotions.”
Consumer staples, including toothpaste, soap, and shampoo, enjoy a steady demand for their products during recessions and other emergencies, such as pandemics. Discount stores often do incredibly well during recessions because their staple products are cheaper.
Ninety percent of all millionaires become so through owning real estate.
Gold. Real estate. Cash and cash equivalents. Defensive sector stocks hail from industries that tend to remain stable or perform well during economic downturns.
(NYSE:WMT) are often considered to be money-makers in times of recession. According to McKinsey report published in 2009, recession-resistant industries include consumer staples, healthcare, telecommunication services, and utilities, among more.
If you want to insulate yourself during a recession partly with stocks, consider investing in the healthcare, utilities and consumer goods sectors. People are still going to spend money on medical care, household items, electricity and food, regardless of the state of the economy.
During an economic downturn, it's crucial to control your spending. Try to avoid taking on new debt you don't need, like a house or car. Look critically at smaller expenses, too — there's no reason to keep paying for things you don't use.
“Holding cash during times of economic uncertainty, like a potential recession, can feel reassuring because it offers liquidity and a sense of control,” said Adam Paoli, the lead financial planner at Coltiva Wealth.
What types of businesses do well in a recession? Businesses selling essential goods and services—like food, IT services, or plumbing and electrical work—often maintain steady demand during recessions.
Avoiding highly indebted companies, high-yield bonds and speculative investments will be important during a recession to ensure your portfolio is not exposed to unnecessary risk. Instead, it's better to focus on high-quality government securities, investment-grade bonds and companies with sound balance sheets.
Stocks and bonds have relatively low transaction costs, allow you to diversify more easily and leave your cash more liquid than real estate (although the stock market is typically more volatile than the housing market). Meanwhile, real estate is a hedge against inflation and has tax advantages.
Recession-proof products are consumer staples like food, hygiene, household, and personal care products. Pet necessities like pet food and cat litter are also considered recession-proof. These are things that people quite literally can't live without.
As of the second quarter 2024, the average American household had wealth of $1.17 million. The average wealth of households in the top 1 percent was about $35.5 million. In the top 0.1 percent, the average household had wealth of more than $158.6 million.
Only 31% averaged $100,000 a year over the course of their career, and one-third never made six figures in any single working year of their career.
Food. Food is required for life and this means demand will always be high. For this reason, the food industry is one of the safest industries for investment. The food industry covers a variety of activities such as agriculture, ranching, processing, preservation, preparation, and packaging.
In a recession, it's smart to preserve your capital by investing in safer assets, such as bonds, particularly government bonds, which can perform well during economic downturns.
Financial advisors and accountants are recession proof businesses because they offer essential services that individuals and businesses need, regardless of the economic conditions. For example, during a recession, people and businesses may face financial challenges such as budgeting, debt management, and tax planning.