In the last year, low interest rates have become the norm as the Fed has used them to combat the economic effects of the Coronavirus. This can make it challenging for investments like CDs, your savings accounts – even high yield accounts – to make enough to outpace inflation. That means that your money is essentially becoming less valuable over time, which gives you less buying power. Let’s talk about some strategies you can use in a low interest rate environment. Bonds are really the classic vehicle for generating income. On the downside, they will fluctuate with interest rate moves and have default risk. But they can generate income and serve as a ballast in a portfolio when equity values are volatile. Individual bonds may be difficult to buy, but bond mutual funds and ETFs can offer diversity and make the process easier and more cost efficient. One of the things that you can do is to create a bond ladder – so you’re investing in bonds that mature at different times or over a certain period. And, as these mature, you reinvest them in a new bond. That way you are constantly earning a return higher than what you may find at most banks and as interest rates change, you are taking advantage of the latest and hopefully highest rates available. Another option is Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, often known as