Given the key roles of monetary contraction and the gold standard in causing the Great Depression, it is not surprising that currency devaluations and monetary expansion were the leading sources of recovery throughout the world.

Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSXX) This fund has a minimum investment of $3,000 and charges a 0.09% expense ratio. It had an average one-year return of 0.22%. This treasury money market fund is also safer than the previous two, DeMaso says.

Liquidity. Investments in money market funds are typically liquid, meaning you can usually get your money out within a few business days. It generally takes one trading day for a mutual fund sale to settle. After that, you may have to transfer the funds to an account that allows spending.

Money Market Deposit Accounts These are bank accounts that invest in very short-term corporate loans and CDs. Pros: These accounts pay higher interest than traditional savings accounts. Your money is FDIC-insured. Cons: You’re limited to writing no more than three checks a month.

Money market accounts often have higher minimum investments and balances than regular savings accounts but offer higher returns. Interest rates, fees, and balance requirements can vary widely. Spending time to find an account with good returns and minimal fees can save you money in the long run.

If you insist on holding all your money in money market accounts, no one account should hold more than the FDIC-insured amount of $250,000. It is not uncommon to see families or estates with multiple bank accounts to insure their money as much as possible.

A money market account is essentially a hybrid between a checking and savings account. It lets you write a limited number of checks each month and sometimes make debit purchases. And your money will earn a higher interest rate in a money market than it will in a checking or savings account.