  We discuss a {\em family} of planar (two-dimensional) systems with the
following phase strucure: a Fermi liquid, which goes by a second order
transition (with non classical exponent even in mean-field) to an intermediate,
inhomogeneous state (with nonstandard ordering momentum) , which in turn goes
by a first order transition to a state with canonical order parameter. We
analyze two examples: (i) a superconductor in a parallel magnetic field (which
was discussed independently by Bulaevskii)for which the inhomogeneous state is
obtained for $1.86 T_c \stackrel{\sim}{<} B \stackrel{\sim}{<} 1.86 \sqrt{2}
T_c$ where $T_c$ is the critical temperature (in Kelvin) of the superconductor
without a field and $B$ is measured in Tesla, and (ii) spinless (or, as is
explained, spin polarized) fermions near half-filling where a similar, sizeable
window (which grows in size with anisotropy) exists for the intermediate CDW
phase at an ordering momentum different from $(\pi , \pi )$. We discuss the
experimental conditions for realizing and observing these phases and the
Renormalization Group approach to the transitions.
