Would you rather have a $1,000 now or in a year from now? Now is better because of the time value of money, it is worth more now than later especially when you consider inflation. Whenever the government prints new money and puts it out in the market, at a small cost to them, it realizes great gain. No wonder this practice keeps going. Unfortunately for us this printing also causes inflation due to more dollars chasing the same volume of services and goods. Inflation results in reduced return on investment for investors. The government redefined the Consumer Price Index (CPI) so that it no longer reflects the true inflation rate, but rather understates it. So currently inflation is two or three times the CPI. Low interest rates combined with high inflation rates cuts into investment performance leading to a loss in buying power at the end of the investment period rather than an increase. This is frustrating and one might ask at this point: Where should I put my investment money?

What is the definition of money? Money should be thought of as a tool to accomplish tasks and as a method of exchange. Money can't exist unless there are people to produce, and goods and services are produced. Most people don't think about what money is, they more likely are concerned with how much they currently have, and how to get more of it. Money can be stuffed in a mattress and in this state does nothing for the economy. Preferably it will be put to work to accomplish something and thereby earn a return for the investor.

Maybe you have your money earning interest in the bank. But handing your money over to the bank (where they lock it away from you in a CD) making profits for them is likely not the best way of putting your money to work. Many savers are missing better interest payments because they aren't comparing their account results with other options. CD's and savings accounts are not effective ways to employ money and results are probably a loss due to inflation. A little research can find better ways to maximize the power of your money resulting in a higher return. Maybe Bonds are a better place for your money.

Should you put your money in bonds? Currently bond rates are only around 5%. After inflation a 5% bond return is actually losing money in terms of buying power. So, if you tie your money up in bonds for a time and then get it and the interest payment back the total amount has less buying power than before you invested. You need to have your money where it earns more than the real inflation rate in order for you to be ahead. Can the Stock Market do it?

Money In The Stock Market? Is this stock market volatility driving you to drink? One day it is up 300, the next day down 350. Do you really want to risk your capital in the stock market these days? Stock Market volatility can control you, keep you glued to the screen, and give you stress. There are other less volatile places to have your money and places where you do not have to watch it every day and worry about what your returns will be. There must be some good place to put your money to work!

How do you effectively put money to work? Wealthy people learn to put their money to work for them so they don't have to continue working. You can earn money every month -- profit, without you having to personally do extra work -- by putting your money to work for you. The truth is that when you invest, you are putting your money to workliterally. If you put your money to work you expect it to earn a good wage, a return. Prioritizing your money means putting your money to work in the most effective way, directing it into high-interest accounts. Well, just where do you find these accounts?

Factors are lining up which present opportunities for putting money to work at higher yields. Most people have heard of the current turmoil in the mortgage lending business. Turmoil breads opportunity, all you need is to know where to look. The problems in the mortgage industry have resulted in lending institutions tightening up their lending practices. Consequently, developers are willing to pay higher rates for less red tape; that is private money. For example, when a developer uses an investor's money he uses it to create valuable new real estate or increase the value of existing real estate. In the process he makes a good profit and wants to share some of that profit in the form of interest payments with his investors that provide the funds.

So, to conclude: You need to partner with a company that treats your money and your return with importance. The developer, as a responsible user of his investor/partner's money, will be constructive with it while improving his community. The developer administers the funds and allows investors to participate in community development for a defined period of time. In our company, for example, we do community development in Baltimore city and we make sure our investors get an extremely good monthly return. Our investors know that we need them to make our business better and they know we are going to treat them right. Our investors may place their money in our projects fund for extended periods if they wish so that they can plan on a high return for that entire period. Our projects usually take from one to three months but our investors typically ask us to roll their money over from one project to another thereby yielding a continuous return by re-using their funds for as long as they wish. We usually have ten to fifteen re-habilitation projects going at once resulting in great new places for people to live, improving the neighborhood, and yielding a high return for our partner investors. We offer a free prospectus so you can see what we do.