Just got $120,000...how do I invest it safely for 1 year?

[BottleNose]

My newly acquired wife and I recently came into a little over $120,000. It was a surprise because it came from my wife's uncle who recently passed and assumed would leave the estate to his children. He did leave the house to them, but they are money-grubbing losers who always had their hand out. He was always closer to his niece (my wife, sweet as she is) than he was his own kids. I guess good does go around.

So now I have myself a problem which is good to have. My wife and I plan to move out of state in a year after she finishes her master's degree. We currently rent as we live in SoCal, but want to buy a house when we move. I checked into CDs and money markets, and 3% is the best you can do these days! Doesn't even cover inflation!

What no-risk or very low-risk investments are out there which will let me cash out in a year so I can buy a house? Municipal bonds? Treasuries? Who brokers these things? We are in our late 20s, debt free, cars paid for, and already have plenty invested in our 401Ks and index funds. We will spend $20,000 on a newer car for my wife and some upgrades for my 911 , so that will leave about 100K to invest.

I don't really trust most of the financial planner types I've met...mostly want to sell me on managed funds and whole-life insurance.

Seems weird to ask this on a Porsche board, but I've gotten great ideas about unrelated things before!

[nostatic]

Give it to me. I'll go to Vegas and double it.

[m21sniper]

Beer and hookers!

[jeffgrant]

Lottery Tickets.

[einreb]

Two chicks at the same time.

Safe? CD's

Really depends on your risk aversion.

[Jim Richards]

nostatic can't be trusted. Just give it to me.

[bell]

i could use about 3k to move to florida next week.......i'll give you 4 back, that's a 125% return

[Mo_Gearhead]

If you will need it (money) in a year, buy the CD.
No fees, no worries.

Rates are low, can't change that. Inflation is moot point for 12 months.

___________________

Option 2:

Look up the 'lotus land' poster, take McCain in November! Better than Vegas!

[MikeSid]

I don't have any advice on where to put your money, but I can tell you that you don't need a broker to buy treasuries.

http://www.savingsbonds.gov/indiv/myaccount/myaccount_treasurydirect.htm

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Must be nice! Congrats!

I'd say 1/3 domestic stocks, 1/3 foreign currency markets and 1/3 foreign securities. That's just me.

[BottleNose]

Originally Posted by einreb

Two chicks at the same time.

LOL...gotta love Office Space! You guys crack me up.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

nostatic can't be trusted. Just give it to me.

butt dart futures are so last year

[on2wheels52]

Good question, I usually have a longer time frame in mind. I would investigate carefully anything promising much over 8% return.
Jim

[Porsche-O-Phile]

You could always put it in SJC real estate. I hear that always goes up no matter what.

[Shadetree930]

You don't have the time horizon for equities.

If you need the money in one year, you only have a couple of choices.

CD or Money Market Fund

Rule of thumb here is that short term money only has down-side risk.

[carnutzzz]

Vanguard Money Market Fund

[red-beard]

Seriously, gold.

[HardDrive]

I have heard that once Laphroaig whiskey passes through my liver, it is actually worth twice as much. So it would seem to me that a prudent investment would be the supply me with......

[Arizona_928]

+1 on the gold.
the stuff seems to rise as the dollar falls....

[Mule]

Gold