Reading a few threads this am I always find it interesting to hear about the fight for dismal yield in either cash instruments (i.e. money markets, high yield savings) or bonds/CDs. Personally, I have conceded my thinking that my fixed allocation will be generating any real yield to being for the most part a pure ballast for equities. I have stayed with short and intermediate bond funds which have surprisingly performed relatively well from a total return perspective. That said, I do cheat a little with a small allocation of preferreds . I realize that some folks here structure their portfolios to ideally live only off dividends and interest, but that pursuit (at least today) seems like allot of brain damage to fight for a .5% yield over a .45% yield. Not judging anyone's approach, but just curious as to how many of you look at your fixed allocation as a ballast or as a yield provider?