9 Fun and Unique Investment Ideas [2025]

A conservative approach to managing your finances is, of course, always wise. But once you’ve paid down your debt, maxed out your retirement account contributions, and got a handle on all your monthly expenses, what do you do with the money left over? Why not have a little fun with it and pursue unique investment opportunities outside dusty ol’ stocks and bonds?

A diversified portfolio never hurts, and alternative assets could help stretch your retirement savings further and hedge against stock market fluctuations. Experts generally recommend allocating up to 10% to 15% of your invested cash toward alternative assets, but you’ve got plenty of options for that portion, so you could choose something fun to invest in that aligns with your interests.

Crowdfunded real estate

While real estate might not always outperform the stock market, it is certainly less volatile and is generally considered a sound source of investment growth. Until recently, though, you needed a substantial amount of wealth — or needed to be willing to go into a substantial amount of debt — to get a foot in the door.

If you’re wondering how to invest in real estate without putting down millions on property, crowdfunded real estate investment platforms give you the opportunity to invest in multifamily housing properties without having the cash to buy an entire apartment building. The top real estate crowdfunding platforms cater to investors at a range of experience and investment levels.

Fractional ownership of fine art

Although past performance isn’t a predictor of future success, contemporary art realized 11.5% annual returns from 1995 to 2023 compared to the S&P 500’s 9.6% over the same period. But works by famous artists like Andy Warhol typically sell for millions, putting them out of range for those looking to dabble in art as an investment.

However, there’s an opportunity for everyday investors to buy shares of blue-chip paintings through crowdfunding with fractional ownership platforms like Masterworks. Using these services, you can buy shares in a work of art and either hold onto your investment until the painting is resold or sell your shares on the secondary market.

Masterworks, for example, uses proprietary data to determine the best potential investments and purchase artwork that the company’s acquisitions team feels is likely to increase in value. After three to 10 years, paintings are sold, and any profits are divided among shareholders, minus management fees.

Visit Masterworks | For more details, read our Masterworks review.

Wine and whiskey

If you’re knowledgeable about luxury consumables like wine or whiskey, you can buy bottles of both and store them until they appreciate in value. Then you can sell those bottles to another collector, at auctions, or on wine stock exchanges.

If you don’t have a storage facility, thousands of dollars to invest, or the expertise to determine which wines will perform well, you can also invest in wine through an online platform like Vinovest. With a $1,000 minimum investment, Vinovest buys and stores wines and whiskey for you, so you can relax and track your portfolio over time. You can access your wine or whiskey at any time for your enjoyment or potentially sell your investments for a return.

Read our Vinovest review

Gold coins

Gold coins typically don’t appreciate in value immediately, so you’ll likely have to hold onto them for years to see potential returns. Even then — as with all investments — there’s a chance it won’t gain value at all.

That said, buying gold is another good choice for investors who want something tangible, especially those who are nervous about the market. Although gold coins won’t necessarily increase in price, gold has still seen about 522% growth in the past 20 years, according to GoldPrice.org.

If you’re going to buy gold bars or coins, make sure to use a reputable dealer, such as APMEX or JM Bullion. Alternatively, you could invest in a gold individual retirement account through a platform like Gold Alliance.

Cannabis

As more states begin to legalize marijuana and CBD products, the cannabis industry is growing. In fact, the worldwide hemp-derived CBD market alone is expected to reach $6.93 billion in revenue by 2029, according to Statista.

If you’re interested in capitalizing on this growing industry, you might choose to invest in cannabis stocks or exchange-traded funds through an online platform such as Stash, which lets you buy fractional shares for as little as $5. Just remember that growth isn’t guaranteed, and you could lose money too.

Comic books

If you’re knowledgeable about comic books and tend to buy them anyway, you might get lucky with comic series that are later made into movies or otherwise experience a surge in popularity. If you visit conventions, you may also be able to find rare comics at a low price and trade or sell them as they increase in value. Some comics can fetch high prices at auction. For example, a 1939 comic featuring Superman for the first time sold for $5.3 million in 2022.

If you think this is the route for you, check out our guide on how to invest in comic books.

Vintage cars

Typically, cars depreciate in value the second you drive away from the dealership, which doesn’t make them the best investment. But some classic cars can still sell for a pretty penny. If you’re a mechanic or have the skills, you might consider fixing cars and selling them for a profit.

For those just looking to invest, companies like Rally Rd. offer fractional shares in classic and exotic cars.

Music royalties

Have an ear for which songs will become hits, or just love music? You might decide to invest in shares of a song through sites like SongVest, ANote Music, and Royalty Exchange and potentially earn royalties each year from your investment. Royalty Exchange boasts a return on investment greater than 10% based on a six-month annualized return in 2020, though returns aren’t guaranteed.

Parking spots

A parking spot in a high-traffic area of a big city has the potential to be an incredibly lucrative investment. You might be able to buy them for much less than a residential property and potentially rent them for hundreds of dollars per month.

Note that the actual cost to buy and the amount of rent you can charge will depend upon where your parking space is located, but I was once told by a friend who lived in Manhattan that the spots under her condo building’s marquee could be purchased for $90,000.

As the owner of an in-demand parking spot, there’s not as much active management required as being a landlord, which could make this a good choice if you prefer a less labor-intensive investment.

Bottom line

When investing money, whether in the traditional stock markets or alternative assets, you don’t need to be extremely wealthy or especially savvy. The abundance of apps and platforms for general and niche investing makes it more accessible than ever. However, keep in mind that most investment opportunities require patience, and all carry some risk.

And although some investment platforms let you start investing without much money, you’ll likely need to build and diversify your portfolio over time if you’re saving for a future goal.