Every New Year usher new hopes, aims, and aspirations which are unique for everyone. When it comes to achieving financial goals, it is never too late to start though it is advised to start as early as possible to get better returns. In the pursuit of achieving your financial goals, you need to first understand the potential investment options in order to make the right decision that will not only ensure financial stability and freedom for yourself but for your loved ones as well in the years to come.The idea is to start small; you do not need pots of money to invest. Here is a list of possible areas where you can venture into to understand smart investing. These financial investments should be at your New Year’s resolution list as they are a combination of risk-taking, investment amount and return of investment (ROI). These investment ideas will allow you can to balance your short-term and long term financial interests.Real Estate: This investment option carries medium risk and investors need to select the right property to get the highest return.Unit Trust: This is a collective investment plan that permits small and medium investors with similar investment ideas to pool in their funds and invest in a portfolio of securities. The pooled funds include cash, bonds, shares, properties etc. These are long-term, safe, and adopt a steady approach towards investing. By investing in unit trusts, investors with limited time can gain higher returns from capital markets. This investment option carries low to medium risk and suits the common man who is interested in equities but does not have the funds to expand independently.Fixed Deposits: Fixed Deposits (also known as Time Deposits) offer a guaranteed rate of return on your investment. Almost all Malaysian banks offer fixed deposit accounts as they ensure hassle-free management and has government insurance. Moreover, fixed deposits offer a higher rate of interest than savings accounts and can be open with a relatively low minimum investment amount.Invest in gold: Investing in gold is always considered good as it is an indispensable asset across cultures and geographical boundaries. Gold investment can either be made in physical form (like buying gold jewellery, gold coins, or bars) or by means of ‘paper gold’ (via Gold Investment Accounts of banks).Insurance: Investment linked insurance policies or ILPs provide extensive coverage and a good return upon maturity. These investments do not require large investment capital.Amanah Saham Bumiputera: This is a low-risk investment option that you can consider if you are planning for long-term investment. This is tailored specifically for Malaysian Bumiputera and is managed by Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad which is a fully-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad.Now that you have a list of financial investment ideas, it is better to start now without further procrastination to get great returns.