How to invest/maintain value of house deposit (funds, pay, account)

[Protosome]

Greetings,

I am currently in graduate school (started this year), and fully intend on being here for about 5 or so years. Before I started, I saved about $8,500 towards a future house down payment. After graduating, I foresee moving. So buying here is likely a bad idea. Though it is not a grand sum of money, I was looking for tips as to where one might invest (with relative security) over a 5-7 year time frame. Leaving it in my ING account just seems a bad idea. Who knows, maybe it isn't.

I have a Roth IRA, but I don't really want to put all of my eggs in one basket, so to speak. I don't actually have any eggs. Or a basket for that matter. Maybe I could buy 8k worth of eggs and baskets?

Thanks for any advice!

[joe moving]

Open an account with Fidelity (or Vanguard or whomever) and tell them your goal is 5 years, and they will recommend a fund.

this couuld work

http://personal.fidelity.com/product...ion.shtml.cvsr

the issue of course is if you need/want that money available, you are not going to make much in 5 years.

[broadbill]

More importantly: What debt do you have? Do you have an emergency fund? Depending on your needs, it nice to have a few grand at your fingertips to pay for unforeseen expenses.

Also...do you contribute fully to your Roth (max contribution limit is $5000/year)? If not, then start. Since you are in graduate school, you may not always be able to contribute to a roth because of the income limits. Contribute to it when you still can, the more you have in the account and the longer it is in there means more appreciation 20-30years from now (if you don't understand why it is, google compound interest).

Good luck!