Making the right investments is no easy feat. It’s not something to be taken lightly or done at whim. The first rule of successful investing is this: avoid losing. The second rule: do not lose. The third rule: go back to rule number one. But how do you make sure you end up a winner--or at least break even?

All investments have the potential to make or lose money. You just need to carefully study how to increase your chances of making money and decrease those of incurring losses. After all, you work hard to earn your money--work harder to keep it. Here are some tips to remember when investing money in the market.

(First published in the March 2010 issue of Good Housekeeping Philippines, Good Money section as "Smart Investing;" adapted for use in Female Network; photo by Sanja Gjenero via sxc.hu)