I've been buying Series I Treasury Bonds (I Bonds) for the past few years. They're currently yielding a fixed rate of 0% for up to 30 years from purchase, which above the market rate for TIPS for periods from 5 to 30 years. Both TIPS and Series I bonds track CPI-U. They never lose nominal value, but can't be sold on the open market.
The main downsides of these Bonds are that they are limited to purchases of $10,000 per calendar year, they can typically only be purchased electronically from Treasury Direct, they can't be redeemed for the first year, and have a three month interest penalty if redeemed in the first five years.
I'm mainly purchasing them for a portion of my emergency fund, but they're an interesting long term investment, since they currently offer a guaranteed return significantly more than TIPS held to maturity.
The main downsides of these Bonds are that they are limited to purchases of $10,000 per calendar year, they can typically only be purchased electronically from Treasury Direct, they can't be redeemed for the first year, and have a three month interest penalty if redeemed in the first five years.
I'm mainly purchasing them for a portion of my emergency fund, but they're an interesting long term investment, since they currently offer a guaranteed return significantly more than TIPS held to maturity.