An Alternative to Gold Investing

Written By Jeff Siegel

Updated March 25, 2024

The first time I bought gold was in 2001. I paid about $270 an ounce.

In 2011, I sold nearly all of it for about $1,400 an ounce. Gold was soaring, and I was more than ready to cash out.

You see, when I bought my gold, I did so with the understanding that I would eventually sell it for dollars.

Most gold bugs think this is, for lack of a better word, stupid. After all, gold is a hedge against inflation. It’s security. It’s the one thing that’ll allow you to continue to buy and sell goods and services after the dollar collapses and the global economy implodes.

Food, fuel, pharmaceuticals… all of this stuff will be in short supply, and only those with gold — a historically safe form of currency — will be able to “get by.”

Or at least that’s the argument. But let’s be honest: If the world goes to hell and our dollars are worth more as kindling than currency, is gold really going to save you?

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not suggesting gold is a bad investment. Certainly my first investment in gold paid off handsomely. And recent plays on gold have done the same.

As an investment, you can definitely do well with gold and other precious metals. But rest assured, dear reader. If the streets are filled with rioters, the stores are filled with looters, and our very comfortable way of life is turned upside down, there are six investments you can make today that’ll protect you, your family, and your wealth a lot better than gold.

Overzealous Prepper

For the sake of clarification, I’m not an overzealous prepper.

I don’t believe the government is going to send paratroopers into my backyard, and I don’t spend my days worrying about the Red Menace brainwashing our children into becoming loyal communist robots.

That being said, the world is an uncertain place. And preparing for “worst-case scenarios” is not a new idea owned by survivalists and fear-mongers.

Truth is, I’m actually quite surprised more folks these days aren’t actively investing in the things that can protect them if things go south.

Sure, we all want to make money. That’s why we invest in whatever can deliver the biggest bang for our buck. Whether it’s technology stocks, energy, or legal cannabis, if there’s money to be made, rest assured that I’m making it.

But like any good wealth creation and protection strategy, diversification is the key.

So yes, I have exposure to everything from renewable energy to legal cannabis. But I’ve also invested quite a bit into the things that’ll both protect me from world-crushing events and provide me with a comfortable life when it’s time to retire.

The only role gold plays in this scenario is that when gold soars again, I’ll be looking to sell at the top — again.

In the meantime, here are the six most important investments you should make in an effort to prepare for either a comfortable retirement or the decline of Western civilization.

A Fine Line Between Crazy and Genius

Here are my top six investments for either a post-work world or a post-civilized world.

  1. Land — If the world goes to hell, you still need to eat. And without enough land, you can’t grow and produce food. After all, it’s not like Whole Foods will be an option after the financial apocalypse. Make sure your soil is healthy, too. You don’t want to eat tomatoes that were grown in a yard that was once bathed in Chemlawn.

  2. Seeds — You can’t grow food if you don’t have seeds. Make sure you have a well-stocked and well-diversified seed bank. We’re not talking about creating a hobby garden; we’re talking about creating enough food to feed you and your family every single year. Fruits, vegetables, wheat — you’ll need it all.

  3. Water — It’s the foundation of life. Without it, we die. It’s that simple. If things really go south and indoor plumbing is disrupted by a crumbling infrastructure, you still need to drink water. Whether it’s a water treatment system that can disinfect and filtrate water or water purification tablets, having a solid backup in place to collect and purify water is paramount.

  4. Firearms — Although a thriving garden is necessary if you want to stay healthy, you also need a steady source of protein. There are a number of ways to do this. You can raise chickens and rabbits, which is a bit time consuming, or you can hunt. Deer, rabbits, squirrels — if you need protein and the supermarket has been turned into a homeless shelter, nature does provide. But with a firearm and plenty of ammunition, it’s a lot easier to collect nature’s bounty. And of course, the tool you use to hunt can also be used to protect.

  5. Solar panels — The things so many people used to identify as toys for wealthy eccentrics and overzealous tree-huggers are now tools of survival. A solid solar energy system in place with backup battery storage will keep the lights on when the power goes down. In a world that’s turned to mush, centralized power systems will be useless. And those who can generate and store their own electricity will be far better off than those trying to buy firewood with a handful of gold coins.

  6. Yourself — That’s right. Invest in yourself. Eat right, exercise, and get plenty of rest. Educate yourself. Read, and learn to use those tools that have been collecting dust in your garage. If the zombies are walking the streets, calling a handyman or a doctor may not be as easy as it is right now.

Now understand, these are investments you should make to ensure you and your family stay safe if things do get really bad. And while I don’t think we’ll ever get to a place where modern conveniences disappear overnight, preparing for such a scenario is not an outlandish idea.

Sure, some folks may think you’re crazy, but you know what they say — there’s fine line between crazy and genius. To quote the founder of Oracle, Larry Ellison (net worth: $49.3 billion), “When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts.”

I’m OK with that. Are you?

To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth…

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Jeff Siegel

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Jeff is the founder and managing editor of Green Chip Stocks. For more on Jeff, go to his editor’s page.

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