What do you do when equities, bonds and property are all tumbling?

At a time when the mainstream financial markets are in turmoil, thoughts inevitably turn to alternative asset classes that might offer a safe haven or, even better, a play on the current economic realities of tight credit, fuel inflation and food inflation.

Investing in commodities, once described as an alternative asset class, will have served that purpose, but prices are sensitive to economic cycles. True alternatives are exactly that - a bit 'alternative'. While they can be a lot more fun than owning a piece of paper or an account number, they are often unregulated, high-risk and suffer from a lack of reliable valuation data.

Nevertheless, in these straitened times, they are certainly worthy of consideration for at least part of your portfolio. This exclusive download from Money Observer examines 10 alternative ideas that are worth a closer look. Including:

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