Dark times have fallen on the economy, and it seems that messages of gloom and doom are everywhere. Stocks are falling, taking the value of 401K plans with them. And we won’t even get into the mortgage mess, rock-bottom home values, and constrictive credit squeeze. Millions of Americans have had to sit by and watch their resources dwindle over the past year. Even traditionally safe bets, like money-market mutual funds, have begun to net losses.

Well, how about some good news? Your money doesn’t have to be in jeopardy. In fact, there are still some investments you can make to ensure that your savings stay intact and retain their value. Here are some of the safest investments you can make in these troubled times.

Your 401K

It might seem counterintuitive, but if you have a 401K plan, you should hang onto it even if you’re seeing negative returns right now. Instead of pulling out of the fund, find out if your 401K offers stable-value funds. These funds are very diversified portfolios, meaning that your money isn’t concentrated in one single area, but spread over many. That slashes some of the risk of investing. Also, these funds invest in guaranteed bonds and insurance contracts from many different companies. If you don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket, try a stable-value fund for your 401K.

Money Market Funds

But didn’t we just learn that some money market funds are losing money? Yes. However, most of them are still profitable and safe. In fact, with the new Temporary Guarantee Program that went into effect on September 19th, investors are guaranteed that, for every dollar they invest, they’ll see a dollar in return. It’s worth noting, however, that this rule applies only to money that was invested in a money market fund when the program commenced. Also, some money funds might not elect to sign up for this insurance. Get the facts before you assume your money is safe in a money market fund.

Bank CDs

All bank CDs and money market accounts (which aren’t the same thing as money market funds) are insured by the FDIC. If you put your money into a money market account, it will be insured up to $250,000 for a single account holder. Joint accounts have protection for up to $500,000. These recently raised limits will stay in effect until December 30th, 2009. Get your money in a money market account to enjoy returns almost four times greater than those seen in typical money funds.

It can be hard to plan your financial future when your stocks and even your bank are in danger of failing. But all isn’t lost; play it safe with your money now, and you’ll have funds to rely on when it’s time to retire.