How dollar's slide impacts your investment choices

The uncertainty about the value of the dollar during its current tumble raises lots of questions about where to put your cash. You're probably wondering, is there any true safe haven today? You may be thinking the only true safe haven is placing your money under your mattress, but that won't work out very well for you. Your money won't be lost to a stock or bond market slide, but you'd be giving up any chance of increasing your portfolio's value. If the dollar truly does fall or inflation kicks in, it could be worth a lot less.

So where do you turn in this unsettled market? Many think asset allocation is dead, but I'm still a big believer in that old style of investing, even with the current ups and downs of the marketplace. Allocating your portfolio with the proper mix of assets will give you a hedge against just about any situation. The four main choices -- stocks, commodities, bonds and cash -- give you many options for managing your portfolio.