In this time of troubled economic structures, of uncertain financial futures, it can be hard to know where to put your money. Even the once safe bet of saving it up in a bank is no longer a certainty, with banks collapsing and money being lost.

So what can the average person on the street do? We know that the stock exchange is all over the place, keeping it under your bed is never a good idea and betting it on the horses is never going to pay off long term.

Which is why so many people are looking at alternative investments. And one of the biggest areas of such investment are in precious metals such as silver and gold, items that have consistently done well in recessions and are proving to do so again.

Of course buying in bars of gold or silver is not really feasible - and having something so impractical at home is not really that good an investment if you want your money to actually be doing something.

Putting the metals to use

Rather than simply allowing the precious metals bought to sit around doing nothing many people have decided to go back to something more old school, something that has stood the test of time. The family gold and silver.

Traditionally this has been more in the way of gold candle stick holders and silver plated trays than it has been in just bars of the precious metals. This means that far form sitting around not being of use you can actually use the likes of silver plated trays as part of your everyday life – whether it is in decoration or a more practical use.

Silver plated trays, for instance, can make beautiful decoration in the kitchen - propped up on a shelf or placed on their own stand. They add a certain elegance and class to a room, on top of being a great investment.

As well as that they can also be used - there is nothing better than impressing guests with some of your finest pieces, including serving them coffee or tea from a silver plated tray. They can't fail to impress.

It is this ability to put your money to work, almost literally, that s changing how people are seeing investments. Whilst it had become less popular to have the family silver anywhere other than a bank people are now seeing how having literal family silver can be.

A silver plated tray is safer (providing you insure it) than the banks, it is more attractive than a bank card and it can be put to more use than bank statements can. This sort of investment is one that you get use and profit out of, whilst keeping your money secure.

Obviously you need to be discerning about what you invest in, and how much you want to spend on the likes of a silver plated tray. You need to ensure that they will have a good resale value and ideally go up in price. But as long as you research what you are doing then you can be looking at a safe and wise investment.