[BILL_THA_PHARMACIZT]

if you had an extra 15 thousand dollars to "invest" - what would you do with it???

[threadbear]

I'd get a safe deposit box, then I'd buy gold and store it.

[dissimulo]

Assuming my home was in order, that I had a reasonable degree of preps to make it through hard times, and a sufficient emergency fund, I'd continue to invest in energy mutual funds that focus in oil and natural gas and/or gold (either physical or shares). I'd make it about a 70/30 split between energy and gold respectively. That is what I have been doing with my 401(k) for the last 22 months and I am up 67% as of today.

Eventually, recession will set in and I imagine all values (including energy and gold) will go down, but I can't think of anything much safer to invest in at this time.

[lateStarter]

Glad to see the 'extra' that you added in the message thread, meaning $15k that I don't need for more pressing things, right now.

If I had an extra $15k to invest I'd open an account at VGPMX ($10K min) and probably drop the rest on GAGEX. I know they are funds, but I like the sectors. Both have done very well for the last year and should continue to do so for the next few years.

[Peepers]

I couldn't invest it, not when I have $13,000 in credit card debt and a car loan that still has about one year left on it. I hope to halve that credit card debt in about a year. I am setting aside a few hundred dollars every few months and investing that in stocks of alternative energy companies, so perhaps I may be in a position to make more inroads into my debt (and that doesn't include my mortgage). And, yes, I'm very nervous about my financial situation!

[Tyler_JC]

Half would be invested in silver and paying off the car.

The other half would pay for a trip to Europe. Might as well see the world while you still can, no?

[linlithgowoil]

an 'extra' $15,000? what, like some people just have a few different lots of $15k sitting around?

i'd use it to pay off the debts i have. at present, and with my current overpayments of my debts, i am scheduled to be debt free by mid 2010. $15,000 would probably reduce this to around mid 2008.

[RonMN]

Diversify! Gold/silver. Camp-cookware (cast iron dutch oven, etc). Wood burning stove. A good stock of supplies. Water collection & purification system. I was going to say some bare land, but you can't get much with 15 grand these days.

[JoeW]

I would take it all out of the bank in cash--small bills, mind you--and then I would put it in a safe place, like on my mattress. AND THEN I WOULD ROLL IN IT!!!

[strider3700]

Assuming by extra you mean that the car loan mortgage and student loans are all paid off.

3 years of emergency food supplies for 2 people. Anything that is left over goes into a shotgun, and 2 rifles with some ammo for all 3. remainder goes into durable goods like pots/pans...

assuming you mean extra as in everything above is already handled then gold and silver bullion. 50/50 split.

[falser]

5oz gold, 500oz silver, all the rest into a single oilsand stock (SU, CNQ, COS.UN etc).

[midnight-gamer]

linlithgowoil wrote .. an 'extra' $15,000? what, like some people just have a few different lots of $15k sitting around?

I have a extra $55,000 sitting around. My wife and I only make a combined$42k per year. We saved that up in only a few years through careful savings.
Currently, I have no inventments beyond a cd with no penalty for early withdrawl. I would like to invest some but I have not been able to bring myself to risk any. Seems like inaction could be a bigger risk. What is the safest investment I can make?

[JustinFrankl]

To get ready for the future, I would buy one "Big Brother's Unstoppable Buttpounding Machine (tm)", along with the "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye (tm)" attachment.

[whereagles]

With an extra 15k, I would buy farming land or real-estate at the center of a town (if I can find the latter).

[some_guy282]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('midnight-gamer', '
')Currently, I have no inventments beyond a cd with no penalty for early withdrawl. I would like to invest some but I have not been able to bring myself to risk any. Seems like inaction could be a bigger risk. What is the safest investment I can make?

[Princess]

I would pay off my credit card debts and sock the rest into small gold coins.

[merecat]

I'm glad everyones saying "BUY GOLD", that's what I would do too, I would buy 25 x 1Oz krugerrands, the best bullion coin available. Usually available for 5% above the current gold spot price.

The few dollars of change I would put in my wallet and use for whatever tickled my fancy, probably just groceries from the local sprawlmart.

[Starvid]

I'd save the money, invest in Westinghouse, Areva, Eurodif, Cameco etc. Or maybe buy a 78 mpg (US) Audi A2 TDI 3L. A used one will cost about $15.000

[Heineken]

I would donate all of it to our splendid Republican Party. The greatest investment in the future one could possibly make, right?

[thuja]

Since we're on the investment track- in what ways do people invest in the stock market...personal broker, online trader, IRAs, etc? I'm interested in buying a few stocks but only will have limited capital to start- 4,000 dollars.

The rest of my money has gone into buying silver (almost 10.00 today woo-hoo) and Post-peak money savers (wood stove/solar water heater). I like some agricultural commodities and energy stocks. Suggestions?