How would you invest $25k for 1 year?

I wouldn't do that.

Roulette, put it all on black.

I would check out Ally Bank and their 1-year CD's, or even savings account. You can get right around 1% interest with no risk. Bonds, stocks, etc are a bad bet because you might lose money.

Buy LVS, or a growing capital company (small to mid size) you have researched intensely that is on a strong dip, then Sell when it has grown 10% in stock price from initial purchase price. Don't be too greedy, but if it's a quick spike, it may go up for a few days as the emotions of the greedy buy more and more as prices go up.
This may happen in a few weeks to a few month, just be patient and use your knowledge of what makes up the strong fundamentals of a growing company.

Bam 10% of $25k in sometimes less than a month for $14 in transaction costs. (minus time spent researching said fundamentals of various companies and watching them, waiting for dips, or collecting dividends with your stache as you wait for dips.)

Focus on saving and working hard to earn more income actively and passively, before you start investing, but go ahead and begin researching everything and reading passionate blogs about savings and investing.

$2500 every other month is a pretty possible and very nice return.

Warning: you may lose money if you sell in a panic, cough* everyone in 2008 who sold/or didn't buy extremely low. Most of the Media is lies and Hype and Fear, just like Governments to hold and control their citizens.

Of course there are many other investments and all sorts of strategies out there.

Another note to make:

I would only do above after you are out of all debts, have a decent emergency fund to cover very frugal needed emergency living expenses of about 6 months (example living on $1k a month/person and saving $6k-$12k dollars based on current stability of your/their employment).

That way this investment money is purely for reward, and is not dependent on you, plus you are rid of all the attached fears that would come with you needing this money.(like panic investors who need to drink everyday and are close to defaulting on their overpriced mortgages)

A lot of people place investment money into 401ks for tax savings purposes, especially as taxes are rising, but who is the government to say that you will live to be the age the restrict upon you for retirement?

They want you to keep working at jobs, because they depend on you to survive. 401k fees take out 1-3% a year, and only offer you returns of 0.01% to 6% year. It doesn't even cover inflation.

Another path, is to invest extra money in the things you have researched and believe are great investments worth the risk. This way you are in control and not paying "experts" tremondous fees or commissions for giving you their commercials, plus not locked up in some fund that the Politicians get to decide on it's fates, or the 401k Hedge Fund managers get to decide to increase fees upon your locked away money, as they pass all the risks onto you as they play with your money, take all the rewards, and fee you at the same time.

Life is greener where you water the grass.

I bonds.

Edit: In case it isn't obvious, after hitting the $10K yearly limit, the rest would go in a savings account with the best interest I can get.

stock options, but I know what I'm doing so I could do pretty well with 25k for 1 year.

Quote from ViciousTide : This may happen in a few weeks to a few month, just be patient and use your knowledge of what makes up the strong fundamentals of a growing company.

What makes up the strong fundamentals of a growing company? This is the secret sauce that everyone wants to know. You make it sound too easy.

you should find a way to invest in other countries through mutual funds ,etc or convert to other currency. For example : now US vs Indian rupee is 1:55 , get more rupees and when rupees goes very low say 45 vs 1 US dollar, convert to US dollars.that will fetch you around 5k profit.

Investing with borrowed money is probably the worst plan I've heard yet on this forum.

Investing it in foreign currency might just top that.

Can't wait to hear the update in a year!

Quote from slicksder : What makes up the strong fundamentals of a growing company? This is the secret sauce that everyone wants to know. You make it sound too easy.

Actually, much like the movie Kung Fu Panda 2, the secret sauce is........YOU. Your personalty, your behavior patterns, your good and bad habbits, your knowledge about all sorts of topics, your interests and pursuits, your curiosity to grow and become a better you ties into your own strategy for investments, and even if you have crossed over form consumer worker debtor to frugal, wealthy creditor yet.

I recommend of course, finding some passionate not for money investing blogs to get started, and read some books on retiring extremely early without winning the lottery.

Then go forth with research, watch, observe, learn, try, experiment, grow your freedom fund, then blast off!

Quote from B9FYwspP8J85 : stock options, but I know what I'm doing so I could do pretty well with 25k for 1 year.

The hard part is saving that 25k for a lot of people.

Quote from B9FYwspP8J85 : stock options, but I know what I'm doing so I could do pretty well with 25k for 1 year.

Ditto, you could write very safe puts, or put spreads, and net 5-10% a year.

Never a good idea to gamble with borrowed money, just put it in a 1% savings account or a 3% high yield checking if you can meet the criteria to qualify, and make either $250 or $750. Better to get a guaranteed return then risk paying back money you don't have.