Making investments is all about preparing for the future. It's easy to live for the here-and-now, spending every dime you can get your hands on as though you don't have a care in the world. However, going this route isn't necessarily the best thing to do because if an emergency happens you may not be able to get the money you need to keep yourself afloat. If you are looking to make an investment, you might be trying to determine which one is the right pick. Investing in gold is a great option and the information below will help you see why.

If Currency Fails, You May Be Able to Barter With Gold

Although you certainly don't want to think about the worst happening, it is a definite possibility. If the currency that is in circulation happens to fail you need to have some way to protect yourself. Gold is something that is considered to be valuable by many people. If you have it, you just might be able to barter your way back to stability.

Paper money is very fragile. If the stock market crashes or some other disaster occurs, cash could lose its value overnight. You could have a ton of paper bills saved up but it won't matter if the dollar tanks.

If you have a stockpile of gold there are likely to be people out there willing to barter with you for it. They might have a garden that they've been growing that is now loaded with vegetables. You can offer up some of your gold in exchange for fresh vegetables for you and your family to enjoy.

Direct Access Is Important

The money that you invest in the stock market is generally not readily accessible. It has to go through a number of channels before you can actually have it in your possession. Gold is different because if you purchase a residential safe you can access your gold any time that you would like to. There will be no reason to consult with anyone before you spend your gold. No brokers or advisors will be able to keep you from having direct access to the gold that you have purchased.

In order to avoid any potential pitfalls or problems try to buy your gold from a dealer such as American Jewelers. They should be able to provide you with a certificate of authenticity so you will know that what you have is the real deal.