Hello and welcome to Money Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for a Richer Life.

I'm your host Laura Adams. Today's episode is about how to keep your money safe in

uncertain financial times. When times are tough in the financial markets, investors need to adopt a survival mindset.

Sometimes the best we can hope for is not a return on our investments, but simply the return of our investments.

You should always question how safe your money really is.

Never assume your money is protected just because it's in a bank CD or money market fund that

has traditionally been safe.

The rules of the investment game are changing, and every investor needs to become more aware of this.

The credit crunch we're experiencing from the distressed housing market is taking its toll on financial

institutions that were once considered too big and powerful to fail.

As of the date of this podcast, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, lists eight banks that have

failed since the beginning of 2008.

My guess is that there will probably be many more to come.

I'll put a link to the FDIC failed bank list in the show notes.

To help keep your money safe in today's financial environment, consider the following three guidelines.

Number one, don't chase unrealistically high return investments.

Extraordinary returns may be assigned that an institution is desperate for your deposits and could actually be in trouble.

If you do find an irresistible offer, make sure you're okay with higher levels of risk or that the full amount of your money will be FDIC insured.

Number two, know which investments are insured by the FDIC.

Make sure your deposits are held at banks with FDIC insurance.

The FDIC only covers deposits in checking and savings accounts,

money market deposit accounts,

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