I’m sure you’ve heard a million times, diversify your portfolio; make it a million and one. The main reason I began to diversify my investments was to “hide” money from myself. Keeping money in places other than my checking, savings, and money market accounts kept me from quickly spending it.

The real benefit to having money in different places was to “hide” it from low or sinking interest rates. When I first started to diversify I had some money in mutual funds and an IRA, at the time, years ago they were moving rather sluggishly even downward in a few of my funds.

I decided to invest in some bonds, savings bonds I’m not a high roller. At the time my bonds were gaining interest faster than my mutual funds.

I learned that while most people overlook bonds and a number of other types of investment types like CDs and high interest savings accounts; over time they, like mutual funds can grow much more steadily then fast moving stocks. Growing money you would have left sitting in your checking account but can’t afford to risk in the stock market can be easy if you look at these other investment types.

Today’s guest writer is Mike from Buffalo NY. He has recently graduated from SUNY Buffalo with a degree in History. While working on his degree he has earned a real estate license and has began to make his mark in the world.