 TITLE: Is My Money Safe During a Recession? CONTENT: Should You Invest D    uring a Recession?\n-------------------------------------\nWhile it comes with risks, investing during a recession might be a viable option if you have a healthy emergency fund, aren't carrying big balances on high-interest credit cards, and are comfortable with the possibility of losing money. If you are looking for the safest place for your money during a recession, this isn't it. But if you have extra money and are looking at getting into an investment when it's less expensive, you could reap benefits.\nEvery investor should keep in mind that stocks and other investments could experience extreme ups and downs during a recession. But at the same time, a recession could push down prices for stocks and other investments, providing an opportunity to buy at a low cost and then see your investments gain value when the economy rebounds. Just know that there are no guarantees that this strategy will pay off in the short term or long term.\nIf you decide to take the investment plunge, there are a number of ways to do it. You could buy stocks and other investments through a traditional brokerage firm or online brokerage firm, for instance. Aside from individual stocks, which give you a direct ownership stake in a company, other investments include:\n*   **Mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs)**: These funds buy an array of stocks, bonds and other securities.\n*   **Bonds**: With a bond, you're essentially lending money to a corporation or government in exchange for the promise of being paid back with interest.\nRather than buying stocks and other investments on your own, you might want to invest through a 401(k) or IRA (individual retirement account). Both of these accounts are geared toward saving for retirement.\nIf you're nervous about doing DIY investing, you also might want to enlist help from a traditional financial advisor or a (non-human) robo-advisor, which makes automatic investment decisions based on your preferences. END