Good advice all around. Having a small allocation in on-hand metals isn't a bad idea for us average joes, as a stop-gap against runaway inflation. That plus real estate [housing] and well-thought-out card collections
will be enough hard assets for most people.
Barry, totally agree that if there was a 6% ROI w/o risks out there most people would be in it. That's why there won't be. Me, I'm devoting what I would have stuck into 'investments' to paying down my existing debts. I know the guaranteed ROI on that investment.