Whoson1st, you can learn much about companies and do your own trading. You don't have to use brokers. However, there are many GREAT brokers out there too and you find those by referral just as you would many specialists we use in our lives. Gold is fine but it doensn't produce anything, though it can be a useful part of a portfolio. You may not agree with me, but carefully investing in the stock market with LONG TERM goals is one of the very best ways to grow your wealth.
Let me share with you something that I tell a lot of people who are leery about investing. If you own any US dollars and trade in US dollars then you are participating in the market. You see, our dollar is largely based on our economy and our economy is based on business. So, if business goes bankrupt in the US as a whole, do you think your FDIC insured dollars in the bank or under your pillow are worth any more than my shares of GE or Apple? No. If you don't have a lot of money (less than 20k) to invest in the market, then begin investing in mutual funds that you learn about from Morningstar. Take the time to educate yourself. It's worth it.
Some people say, 'LOOK AT ENRON!' Well, no one, including those people saving for retirement while working at ENRON should ever have had all of their money in one company! Wow. That just befuddles me. They had choices of where to put their money, but they placed it all in their own company (and that is especially a bad idea to do with the company you work for because it is a double jeopardy situation. They not only lost their jobs, they lost years of savings) But, ENRON is the exception. It really is.
If the US business environment over the next 20 years is such that you were correct to buy gold and stay out of the market then I will say that we ALL will be growing squash in our backyards and using dollar bills to do nifty paper folding tricks. tulsa
