Because we live in a day and age when it is easy to instantly connect to other parts of the globe, our economy and financial world has become much more global in scope and significance. When investment abroad looks attractive, there are also numerous ways to participate in foreign investments, without having to leave the comfort of home.

Here are four examples of international investment tools, for those who are looking to diversify by putting their homegrown money to work overseas.

1) Stock Mutual Funds

Many mutual fundswhich are bundles of stocks managed by professionals and available in share form to mutual fund shareholdersinvest specifically in foreign companies. You can invest in a particular regions, such as Latin America or Asia, or you can invest in several regions at the same time.

2) Foreign currency

Because most nations have their own currency, and because it is valued according to the assets of that particular country, you can invest through buying and selling foreign money. You might, for example, buy the Japanese Yen if you think that the Japanese economy and its currency are going to outperform your own USA dollars. Some people buy and sell currency several times each day, in fact, to take advantage of the rapid fluctuations in this rather volatile kind of investment.

Others do it in a way that is much more time, when planning their vacations. If you are going to Europe next summer, for instance, you might want to buy Euros (European dollars) now, in anticipation that they will be cheaper than they are going to be next year.

3) Overseas property

If you like to invest in real estate but want to diversify to foreign holdings, you can buy property in other places. And you can even combine business with pleasure, by buying property in another country and then using it as your own vacation destination. Or you can buy overseas and let a professional manage your property for you, without ever leaving your own home.