I just recently got married and recieved a SRB bonus. We paid off all our debt and we still have around 7 grand left and we want to invest it so we can maybe put a decent down payment on a home in 5 to 10 years. Any suggestions?

A longterm CD?

Well that depends on what mindset you prescribe to. Some think the market is too unstable and bearish to invest in anything but a savings, cd or money market account. I however feel it is a perfect time to pick up cheap shares of quality mutual funds. I have several low risk average return funds with USAA. I also have hsome high risk high return funds with TROWE Price. You can go on both websites and do some research as to what would be best for you. What ever you do don't piss that seven grand away. Even in a bear market you can turn that 7 grand into a sizeable down payment on a house.

Brandon, I see you are in Florida.... check this site out:

www.advanta.com/notes

I have been with them for over 30 years.. just got a note in the mail they are paying 7% apy for a 5 year note and 8% for a 10 year note....of course this percentage can change weekly...

The last note I cashed in I got 8.5%

Good luck....

Wray...

Buy land..i did..and i would do it again.

land here in florida..is over 28,000 a ac unbelievable i paid less than 5k in live oak for 1ac in the 80s and my house sits on 5ac's (just west of gainesville) was paid for in the 70s by my father in law for less than 10k ..

this way ..you won't lose sleep worrying about rather your invested with Do we cheat,em and how.. think EnRon .

Plus no matter the market or the vaule of a dollar..you will have a nice piece of dirt/sand(colladeral bargeting chip) to plant or cut trees and dream about Building your home.

Don't Worry Be Happy sc

This message has been edited. Last edited by: spacecowboy1,

Buy something you can piss on, not something you piss in or piss away! We bought 440 acres of land in North Dakota back in 2000. Make sure it is land that you can grow something on.

440 acres of land in N.Dakota? For 7g's?

quote:

We bought 440 acres of land in North Dakota back in 2000.

Property is something that must be wanted by someone else... just like a Corvette.. or a house with a POOL,.... Not everyone wants one....

Personally, I wouldn't pay $500 for 440 acres in ND.... even if it had a house on it! Not desirable in my book.. Cheap is not always a good deal. If there is a market for it, GREAT, if not, you are the fool.

Disclamer: I know NOTHING about property in ND

Wray...

P.S. My 1964 Corvette that I paid 10K years ago, for I could sell for 30-40K now... For some reason it just keeps going up & up & up...

quote:

Originally posted by Wray:
Property is something that must be wanted by someone else...

True..in order to be a investment..personally i would,nt care if my house was worth a million or just 50 dollars..cuz it ain't for sell..the wife was dreaming of this place over 20yrs.

I do hope if the value went down so would the taxes..yeah riiiiiiight..hey i can dream too.

Wray ..i saw a shaft driven harley at silversprings..last saturday..it was with the military display..the owner said he had originally traded a 22 rifle for it many many years ago..all decked out in olive drab..with a ammo box and rifle holder on the front forks..no chrom..really interesting..and the Charlie Daniels concert was good too.

sc

I agree with Wray,heck I don't even know where North dakota is on the map

I would invest your money in canned goods and TP. You always need those necessities And depending on who is elected this Nov. ...you might need them:0

forget a vette!! two words "Vegas Baby"!!

ND land is not for housing...it's for farming. The thing with land in ND is that it's an income-generating asset. Notice how uncle-sugar said to make sure that you can grow something on it. You can rent that land to farmers. The typical rate when I grew up in ND was about $35/acre for a years rental. The price to buy the land was about $400/acre. That equates to about a 11.4 P/E ratio. Not bad at all.

With the recent run-up in commodity prices, those numbers have both gone up. Wheat is the primary crop in much of North Dakota. It was at all-time highs recently at about $12/bushel. It's at about $9 right now.

You may not find land in ND desirable to live on...but what if you're a farmer who can grow 50 bushel/acre wheat on that land (50 bushel x$9/bushel=$450/acre in wheat)? Would you want to rent it? I'm sure you would...

It's not really an "investment" if what you are buying into generates no income. Otherwise, it's just speculation. If you invest in a company...you're investing in the underlying income (profit) that the company generates. Most people buy land as an "investment", when in reality, it's really just a speculative play. Buy it in a "desirable" area...sit on it for a few years...and then try to sell it at a profit. In the meantime, it often generates no income.

Land in ND (or any other farming area), on the other hand, generates income...and will pay for itself over time. That's not even taking capital appreciation into account.

Dakotah

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DakotahWD,