Frequently, an investor will have cash and they would like to earn additional income without the risk of investing in equities.  An effective investing strategy is to implement a bond ladder.  As an example, if you have $120,000 in cash you might invest $10,000 in a one year treasury in the first month.  The second month you would invest another $10,000 in another one year treasury and proceed in subsequent months to invest $10,000 per month for a year.  After one year, the first treasury comes due and you can receive the interest and rollover the amount into a second year or use the proceeds for your goals.  Most investment companies can set this up or you can go directly to the United States Treasury.