We’re all familiar with the concept of the American Dream, the idea of having a small family, a house, a car, and leading an idyllic lifestyle. But for more and more Americans that dream is becoming further and further away from reality. With a rising cost of living, more expensive housing, food, and education, it seems that each generation is less and less well off than generations before. More Americans than ever believe that the American Dream is unattainable, and the reason for that is ever-growing levels of debt.
For decades the US government, American companies, and American households have been addicted to debt. Borrowing from the future to pay for the present, they have lived the good life. The problem with debt, however, is that eventually it has to be paid. And when that time comes, more and more Americans are unable to pay. We saw that during the last financial crisis, when both homeowners and businesses found themselves unable to pay off their debts.
That’s why more and more Americans are giving up on the idea of ever owning a home. Their dream now is financial independence and security, rather than going into hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt to purchase a house that may end up being an albatross around their necks.
While it’s discouraging that so many people think the American Dream is out of reach, it’s an encouraging sign that people are starting to wake up to the problems with debt and the necessity to achieve financial independence. Becoming financially independent means having enough savings to afford to live comfortably and weather any emergencies that may pop up.
One of the best ways of doing that is to save and invest in trusted assets with a proven track record. One of those assets is gold, which has outperformed stock markets since 1971 and nearly doubled the growth of stocks since 2000. Critics may like to deride gold as something that just “sits in a vault,” but you can guarantee that in the event of a stock market crash that gold will continue to sit in a vault, retaining its value while stocks plummet. That makes it an ideal asset for those looking to build and preserve their wealth so that they can achieve their dream of financial independence.
This article was originally posted on Goldco.
