FOX Business Network Deirdre Bolton has a show called Risk&Reward at 1PM/ET, which is all about alternative investments. Today’s the 1 year anniversary of the show.

Most people think of investing as in stocks and bonds. However, investing in the housing market, art, wine, etc are all alternative assets and could be great investments. Below are 5 reasons to consider alternatives investments.

1. Savers are being punished in this low rate environment; make your money work for you!

These days, with bonds yielding almost nothing and stocks looking fully valued or close to fully valued, investors need more choices… and they’re out there.

2. Ability to get a steady stream of income with relatively low risk.

There are numerous tools such as MLPs (master limited partnerships) which are used to invest in energy infrastructure, you can “loan” money and get a substantially higher income than investment grade bonds. Almost every point along the timeline needs investment capital. As one successful investor reminds me: MLPs are exposed to interest rate risk like every other yielding product, so when The Fed raises rates, some investors may want a rate hedge, treasuries, swap payers, etc.

3. Diversification!

After the credit crisis of 2008, most investors were reminded that it is good to have a variety of assets, in numerous industries in lots of different countries, so all eggs are not in 1 basket. Translation: if one part of the market gets wiped out, you will still hold on to the value of parts of your portfolio.

4. More Access to Professional Strategies.

Big institutional investors have used “Alternatives” for decades and the products are finally available to mainstream, smaller investors. Hedge fund strategies run by pros are now “wrapped” in mutual funds are widely available. Any brokerage that sells mutual funds has these hedge fund-like strategies available. They are often referred to as “40 Acts” (an SEC classification). Average investors get access to top managers, in the strategies they want for their portfolio, without needing to put millions of dollars away for years. The investor can also retrieve the money on any given day, if need be, just as in any other mutual fund.

5. Take advantage of an area of your personal expertise.

Most collectible asset classes — memorabilia, jewelry, cars — can be looked at as hobbies with an upside. Fine Art Collecting stands out even more. If you look at Sotheby’s and Christie’s, you will see three record sales years in a row. Art collecting has been recognized as a store of value for centuries in almost every civilization. There are even several high quality funds that specialize in the space (and one that lends out art to its investors at the same time). If you are interested but lack true expertise, invest with someone who is an experienced, trusted fiduciary.