Looking for a safe place to stash my money recently, I debated whether I should choose the one-year CD that currently yields 4.2%, or the free airline ticket for opening up a new bank account. Or should I open an account at the bank that will make a $100 donation to charity in my name, or the one that gives me $250 for referring friends who also open up accounts?

My choices are numerous these days, as banks battle it out to get my money. USA Today reports on the trend of banks offering airline tickets, charitable donations and even cash to drum up business as they search for low-cost funding.

Finally, one area where we can get more for our money. Now that more non-traditional lenders are turning into bank-holding companies (American Express being the latest), there's more competition for the deposits they need to stay funded, so plan on seeing more banks offering you more perks if you just hand your money over to them. It also means they'll bid up the rates offered on CDs, jumbo CDs and other deposits. I'm hoping they bid it up to a 5% yield; a federal credit union did just that recently for a nine-month CD. And if a positive return sounds better to you than an airplane ticket, check out Bankrate for the highest CD yields, updated daily.

CDs. Certificates of Deposit. They may offer low interest rates than you've grown accustomed to, but at least they offer some return on your money and are a lot less risky than the stock market right now.

Yes, that's right. Putting money into CDs is probably one of the safest things you can do with your cash amid protracted economic uncertainty and volatility in both the stock market and the banking sector. If you shop around a bit, you can find rates as high as 8% depending on the length of deposit. A good source for comparison shopping on CD interest rates is bankrate.com.

CDs usually carry a fixed interest rate and can be opened at your bank or online for as little as $500. There are three, six and one-year CDs that pay interest at the end of their term. If you open a CD online, banks often offer a higher rate of interest. Another plus is that CDs, as bank deposits, are secured by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.).

Don't miss the rest of our series on Underrated In America!

Be sure to check the FDIC coverage of the issuing bank. Given, the recent wave of bank mergers, it's a good idea to double-check to ensure that your deposits are protected. CD accounts are insured up to $250,000.

Opening a CD account or two is certainly a better idea than tucking your greenbacks under the mattress!

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Dear Ken and Daria,

I am 71-years-old and have some CDs that are about to mature. With interest rates so low, are they still a good investment?

-Joe

Ken and Daria Dolan can help you find solid investments for your money, even in a not-so-solid economy! Get started now at the Invest Wisely section of Dolans.com.

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I know: no one buys CDs anymore.

But at $4.99 a pop, Best Buy's collection of budget CDs might be a good way to fill some holes in your library for less than it would cost on iTunes. And remember, you can always upload the tracks to your computer. And let's face it: you need a copy of Abba Live, which would set you back $7.97 on Amazon. This offer is only good online, but my hunch is you wouldn't want to stroll up to the counter and buy an Abba album anyway.

Some other gems include James Brown Live at the Apollo 1962 and a bunch of Rush CDs.