Don't thank me, I just presented a couple of facts. Thank yourselves for acting on the information in a manner which is of service to yourselves as well as others.
Again, I'm not a financial advisor, I'm just a dude taking his first crack at investments. It seems logical to me to invest money in things that have tangible value, at least as a start. If I've got some play money sitting around later, I can throw it at the next Google for fun.
One thing I've done differently is to peg my monthly allowance to gold and silver, and manage the rest of my money from there. Therefore, whenever the price of precious metals rises I get a raise, and vice-versa. Kind of an extra safety mechanism. I've also paid off all my debts except for student loans.
It is not for us to understand love, but simply to make space for it.