The best places to invest money outside of your bank

If you are looking for other ways to invest besides just in your savings account or your employer's retirement account, this is the article for you. You will find helpful tips and advice on what type of accounts you should be investing in along with tips on how you can save money. Here are some great places to invest besides just into your savings account.

Bonds
For safe investment, turn to bonds. Bonds are great as many of them are used to fuel the economy in one way or another like building a new school or even a new road. Then there are bonds that help to support whatever war we may be fighting in at the time. Look to bonds for a consistent return rate that will be able to really help you earn money all the time. To invest in bonds you will need anywhere from $1,000 - $10,000. It all depends on how much you can and want to invest. You also need to take a look at the interest rate of return you can expect so you know where you will in 5, 10, or 30 years or more. In most cases you will get your interest payments every 6 months or so. Then of course when your bond matures you will be paid the face value of it.

Precious Metals
Precious metals need to be a part of everyone's investment portfolio. Gold is very expensive right now so it's not a good idea to get them until they start to decrease in value. Usually real estate is skyrocketing when gold prices are down. The precious metals are something you will turn to when things are in financial distress. Typically they are solid investments to your portfolio because they are good in every country, which makes them valuable. They are often considered insurance for your investment portfolio as they will provide you with a return and you will have some type of income.

Mutual Funds
One of the best ways to diversify your portfolio is to invest your money into mutual funds. They are wonderful options as they are able to provide you with a pretty decent return and they usually come with things such as investment in high risk stock and also lower risk stocks. By using mutual funds you are able to truly diversify your portfolio, making it much easier for you to have steady and consistent returns. Talk to your employer about investing into their retirement account. Many employers will offer the retirement accounts in order to retain their staff. It is a good decision to participate as you will get a matching 3% contribution for your employer.

Real Estate
To make a nice return, use real estate investments. Real estate during a weak economy can provide you with an opportunity to find a great buy. Then in a couple of years you can sell it for a great profit. The same goes for investing in land. Just make sure the land is able to develop and will come with a demand for it. Buying a second home and renting it out will provide you with a great opportunity to earn some money. When it comes time to sell, motivated sellers are usually the best option as they will desire the property in a short amount of time. Rent to own properties are pretty popular because it is a way for people to purchase a home when lenders don't always deem them worthy of a mortgage loan.

Always have a savings account with your bank so you can set aside money for emergencies and other needs. This is a great way to be able to prevent yourself from getting into debt.