What is the best way to invest money? It’s an important question, but depending on who you speak to you’re bound to get a number of different responses. Here we will take a look at what some of the experts say regarding the best ways to invest money, along with the reasoning behind their suggestions.

The Best Way to Invest Money: Some Strategies

The recent recession and near-collapse of the banking system as part of the global financial crisis has understandably made people very wary of financial institutions. In fact, many people who would have otherwise invested their money in riskier ventures are now opting to save a larger percentage of their expendable income out of sheer fear. But is this a wise course of action? As you read through the following investment strategies you can decide for yourself.

• Real Estate. Real estate remains one of the worst ways to invest money. Real estate faltered during the recent recession, and that in many areas the value of homes fell sharply. But according to investment experts (the very same experts who said that the value of real estate never goes down), owning your own home is still the very best way to invest your money. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you currently rent, and you are putting your excess money into savings, you are essentially growing your money each month and will be able to eventually buy a home for a price that is significantly lower than now. The sharply rising number of properties on the market, the sharply falling number of homes being sold, the continual increase of foreclosures, and the coming financial crisis in the U.S. virtually guarantees that real estate values will continue to plummet.

• Retirement Accounts. One day—and it may come sooner than you think—you will grow old and be unable to work, and for that reason alone it’s imperative that you sink at least 10 percent of your income each month into some form of savings for retirement. It need not be the much hyped 401k, 403b, or IRA accounts, saving for your golden years is one of the best ways to invest money, and in light of the policies of the Federal Reserve to massively debase the currency through so-called "quantitative easing," investing in silver for your retirement makes the most sense.

• Health Insurance. In this country, older people spend an inordinate amount of their retirement savings on healthcare. One surgery alone can cost upwards of $100,000 and can quickly drain all you have worked for. Buying and maintaining health insurance can help keep your investments protected against the unexpected.

You don’t have to be a financial wizard to figure out the best way to invest your money, but if you want to ensure that you are protected against whatever the future may hold, you may want to consider the above-mentioned investments before you sock all your money away in a traditional savings account.