My dad's entire life, he never caught a break in wealth or official career. When he was young, he did invest in stocks, but he paid a real price for it. Unexpectedly, the most successful financial decision in his life was during retirement, when out of vanity and ignoring his family's objections, he bought a large gold chain similar to those worn by social elites, weighing around one or two hundred grams. That year, gold prices were over two hundred.