dealing with debt and a financially irresponsible spouse

Sure—you can gain a profit off the interest your money makes when it sits in your savings account, but if your earning rates are anything like the national average you're only getting about a .17 percent return. Why not invest some of that money in alternative options to increase your return on investment overall? Here are a few great options to consider:

Invest in Some Gold

While the value of gold can fluctuate based on factors like peer pressured buying and price manipulation, the average value of gold continues to rise in general. The fluctuation makes gold an attractive investment because it can be purchased during low points with the promise that the value will inevitably increase at some point before it would decrease again.

The key to successful gold investment is working with a professional to determine when the best times to invest are, and then making an investment based on your long term financial needs. Check out sites like http://www.rmcoin.com to buy and sell gold.

Buy a Certificate of Deposit

The average interest rates for five year certificates of deposit (CDs) are .82-percent which is quite a rise above the average rates available for savings accounts. They're easy to buy and you can count on them to pay off without having to worry about risk. There are a few different types of CDs to invest in such as:

• Traditional—These CDs offer compounding interest rates and mature within anywhere from a few months to a few years.

• Jumbo- These CDs are designed for those who want to invest a significant amount of money at once, and tend to offer the highest interest rates.

• No Penalty- These CDs allow investors to withdraw money early without penalties.

It's important to think about your future needs before investing in a certificate of deposit—if you'll need some of your investment money back within the next few years, don't invest it all in a jumbo CD. Instead, invest some of the money in a traditional or no penalty CD and invest the rest in a shorter term option elsewhere.

Consider Flipping a House

Flipping a house can be a great way to gain a significant return on your investment. Start by shopping for fixer upper homes or those that are on a bankruptcy or short sale list, as this will allow you to make the least amount of investment to get started. Whether or not you purchase a fixer upper, it's important to keep in mind that you'll also have to spend money on:

• Paint and flooring supplies.
• Appliances.
• Landscaping.
• Marketing.

If you're interested in flipping houses but don't think you have all the capital it will take to get started, it's still a possibility. This is the kind of investment that you can get a loan for (as long as you've got a decent down payment to offer up) and still end up making a nice profit to pocket when all is said and done.

Make a Business Investment

If you're impressed with the practices or profits of a business within your community, why not consider making an investment in it? Many small businesses are open to investment offers as long as no takeovers are part of the plan.

If you aren't interested in becoming a silent partner in another company, maybe you're better suited to invest in a small home or online business of your own that you can do in your spare time.

It's always a good idea to make a few different investments so that they pay off at different times in your life, and so that you have investments to fall back on if for some reason one of them falls through.