What is an investment? An investment is something you commit money or capital to with the general aim of generating a financial return, i.e., getting back more money than you put in. Making money on an investment isn't guaranteed, however, as every investment carries risk; generally, the riskier the investment, the higher the expected return. In this post, we explore the concept of investment planning, how to create a long-term financial plan, and some of the ways to make money in Australia. What is investment planning? Investment planning is the process of deciding where and how you're going to invest..