100 best money moves you can make

Once an investment has gotten trendy, chances are it's no longer a great buy. Here are better alternatives to three current hotties.

Don't Buy: Treasuries
Buy these: Ginnie Maes
Why: A three-year T-note yields 1.7%. Ginnie Maes -- mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by the feds -- have returned about half a percentage point more over the long term, points out Colorado financial plannerAllan Roth. Buy them through Vanguard GNMA.

Don't Buy: Chinese stocks
Buy these: Stocks of exporters to China
Why: Sure, the Chinese economy is on a tear, but Chinese stocks have gotten pricey. Invest in companies that export to the country via a fund such as Oakmark International. You'll still have a stake in the China boom but get better value.

Don't Buy: Energy stocks
Buy these: Canadian stocks
Why: Popular energy-sector ETFs are full of large U.S. companies you probably already own. A back-door play: iShares MSCI Canada Index, which tracks the Canadian stock market. Nearly half of that market is composed of energy and materials stocks.

NEXT: 11. Best new way to invest in munis