TIPS can be considered the closest thing to a truly risk-free asset, as they combine the security of Treasuries with inflation protection in the form of Consumer Price Index-adjusted principal. Many investors buy a laddered portfolio of individual TIPS to immunize future cash flow, which is a straightforward and generally successful way to preserve purchasing power between two points in time. The other option is iShares Barclays 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ( STIP ), which is far smaller and much less liquid (as measured by average trading volume) than STPZ.