If you are looking for the best way to invest money, there are certain things that you need to take care of before you invest. First of all, pay off any credit card or high interest debt you may have. Paying off a 20% credit card is equal to a 20% return on your money.
Then, if you have no debts except maybe a mortgage, you could consider investing in a 401K up to company match. If you put in 3% and the company matches it, that is essentially a 100% return on your money.
Thirdly, if you want to cash in on the credit crunch, look into lending to others via peer to peer lending sites. You get a higher interest rate on your money, and the site acts as debt collector and administrator.