I know it's risky, but I wouldn't count out the stock market.<p>With the whole financial meltdown, the stock market tanked, and there was no doubt they'd go back up. A year ago, even though I was 15, only had a grand or so, and needed the money a year and a half from then for college, I considered the stock market because I knew they were going to shoot back up (and they did).<p>So if it were a year ago, I would be <i>screaming</i> stock market at you. But now the Dow is back over 10k, so I see it as a much more risky move. That seems pretty high considering the current state of the economy.<p>But if you see it fall back down toward 8k, I would buy, as one can be pretty certain that it will be back around 10k sometime in the next 2 years. Also, right now, interest rates are in the toilet, but stock dividends from most companies are actually paying decent rates.