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When regular Americans play the investment game with the markets on Wall Street, we know we’re at some level of risk. The stock market is a zero sum game, meaning someone has to lose for others to win.

Even when we make what seem to be relatively safe investments, the crashes of 2001 and 2008 taught us that we’re not bulletproof. You can also say that 2008 taught Wall Street’s banks and brokers a lesson — they’re “too big to fail,” so they’ll get immediate government assistance. Now they’re even bigger.

By that logic, the little guy is “too small to care about,” which, if you believe in right and wrong, or justice, is a travesty. Rather than have your retirement money vulnerable to the whims of the market, I highly recommend Americans educate themselves on alternatives for growing money. Here’s an option independent of the Wall Street rollercoaster.

Consider building retirement with real assets and real people. Seven years ago, the market meltdown took with it 30 to 50 percent of Americans’ wealth. The markets returned after five years and are now yo-yoing, but if it were to go bust yet again, we know the average investor will suffer, whereas banks and stockbrokers will be just fine. Wall Street is not the only answer. There are viable alternatives that include tangible assets — such as commercial properties — and real people with whom you can develop a trustworthy relationship. Education and taking responsibility for your money is key.

I call it the Bridge Plan. Alternative strategies not espoused by Wall Street that can easily be understood and implemented by the average person.”

For people in the know, alternative investments remain strong. The most recent meltdown had folks searching for investment alternatives. While market fears continue, people who’ve actually gotten involved in options like Bridge Plans remain highly satisfied. Bridge Plans allow clients to participate in the wealth building power of real estate without all of the risk or hands-on time required to be successful.

With a Bridge Plan, investors collectively pool their money together with other lenders to help fund a short-term bridge loan on an income producing property. This is a reliable way to earn five to seven percent within a year.

Your money should provide greater peace of mind, not stress. Loans like Bridge Plans give peace of mind because there is a physical building acting as collateral. This isn’t a paper asset or a floating idea. This is a real asset.

One of the main reasons for the dot-com bubble bursting was that it wasn’t real. It was the Internet and websites. It was digital ones and zeroes hubbed on a server. The same can be said of Wall Street today. It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. The stock market is rigged and is now being run by super computers. This isn’t conspiracy theory. Very little trading happens with humans anymore. Now, there are high-frequency trading computers that can trade stocks in mere nano-seconds.