What is the prudent individual to do in a zero interest rate environment?
The Government is forcing you into making bad decisions. Keep your money in a bank so the people who created the crisis can earn record spreads to earn their way out of multi trillion dollar losses. Maybe try to chase returns and "invest" in stocks or bonds of companies whose profit margins and revenues are shrinking while the consumer retrenches. Should you invest in municipalities because State and Local Governments are not as irresponsible as our Federal Government. Maybe go international because everyone knows that China is the next USA.
The risks of all the above investments are just to high for ANY potential return.
Instead of hoping and guessing, wouldn't it be great to know what your return would be; having the safety and security of a CD but with a 200 basis point greater return than standard CD's. I know it sounds too good to be true, but just maybe you can!