Moderate risk speculation?

[Nika]

What are your ideas for some moderate risk short term (a year or less) speculation with just few thousand dollars or less?
Something where you may go up/down about 5-20% but would likely to loose more than 20% of the capital if things don't go well?

We are trying an Apple stock option currently, but hmm... what else?

[mcfroggin]

Apple may drop big without their leader.

I would stick with something safer like PG, KO, WMT, etc.

Can't get safer than a savings account though.

[jpg7n16]

Stock options are some of the riskiest investments out there. The rewards can be huge if things work out right, but it is very easy for an option to expire worthless = loss of 100%.

What concerns do you have about losing money?

Any investment for a year (other than cash or a 1 year CD type) would be pure speculation.

[Bond Investor]

Agreed. Paraphrasing Warren Buffett: if you don't feel comfortable owning a stock for 10 years, you shouldn't own it for 10 minutes.

[Nightfly]

That short a time horizon limits your choices. However, peer-to-peer lending is an option: low amount of money needed to invest, great returns (if you pick the right loans to invest in), and a little more liquid than other investments (though not as liquid as cash). Check out Prosper.com or Lendingclub.com.