How to Get the Most Out of 10 Common Investments

Annuities are considered a useful strategy to help you fund your retirement, especially if you are concerned you might outlive your savings. Annuities come in two categories: fixed and variable.

A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency secured by cryptography, which makes it nearly impossible to counterfeit. Many cryptocurrencies are decentralized networks based on blockchain technology – a database shared and synchronized, enforced by a computer network. Cryptocurrencies are not issued by any central authority, making them immune to government interference or manipulation, at least in theory.

The advantages of cryptocurrencies include cheaper and faster money transfers and decentralized systems that won’t succumb to one failure event. Some investors have used them as alternative investments to diversify their portfolios outside of stocks and bonds. As we’ve seen this past year, cryptocurrencies can have wild fluctuations and investing in them is not for the faint of heart.

A commodity is a basic good used in commerce. A commodity usually refers to a raw material used to make finished goods. Hard commodities (oil, gold, and silver) are those used in energy and metals products, and soft commodities (wheat and corn) are used in agricultural goods.

Investors and traders can buy and sell commodities directly in the spot, or cash, market or through derivatives such as futures and options. Having commodities in your portfolio can be a hedge against inflation.