Gold, FD, or Mutual Fund: Where Should Common People Invest for Best Returns?

• Fixed Deposits (FDs) offer assured, low-risk returns, making them popular for security, but returns often fall below inflation.
• Gold acts as a crisis hedge and long-term investment, with prices generally rising over time, but jewelry incurs making charges and purity concerns.
• Mutual Funds are ideal for long-term wealth creation goals like education or retirement, offering inflation-beating returns (12-15%+) via SIPs.
• Mutual Funds are subject to market risks and short-term fluctuations, unlike the stability of FDs.
• Consider 'Inflation Adjusted Return' when investing; mutual funds or gold often prove more beneficial than FDs against high inflation.

Why It Matters: Choose between Gold, FD, or Mutual Fund based on risk tolerance, investment horizon, and inflation-adjusted returns.