What is a good alternative investment for someone with $10k?

Dollar-cost averaging is based on investing small amounts in a longer period of time. Diversify your investments - you don't want to put it all in the stock market, in bonds, in a money market, in a CD or in real estate. What are your long term goals?

How soon will you need the money? How old are you? Do you have a Roth IRA?

I would open one up with a major brokerage (try Vanguard, Charles Schwab, or T. Rowe Price). Depending on your age and amount of time you have to invest the money, I would diversify my investments and buy some stocks, index funds and bonds.

Keep some in a money market account as well. If you are quite young, you can just get a lifecycle fund. Additionally if you are looking to buy a house, you can potentially use the $10k as 10% on a $100k investment.

I'm not sure where you live but in my area in CA, $100k can get you a condo. You can rent it out and make more money monthly, in addition to hopefully selling the house in the long-term future for making profit. That's risky though, and you mentioned small time investments.

You may also want to check out lendingclub.com and become an investor. It's based off of peer to peer lending, where you directly lend out money to people and earn returns of 9%.

At your age I keep my mind on my work and kept savings in closed-end companies. It worked out well. Long term the funds multiplied but were always available and liquid for special situations.

I was in the same position a few months ago and I decided to invest in myself by learning a new set of skills that would give me the ability to multiply this money many times. I put $5k into a currency trading program run by a guy trading on the CME who is regularly on Bloomberg TV and $5k into an internet marketing program. Do your due diligence by searching for complaints on any program/guru.

Just ask if you want more info.

Invest in 'real estate business' effectively and wisely. Don't lay all eggs in single basket. Diversify your investments.

Visit earnstayinghome.blogspot.com.

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