If there ever was a loaded question, it's definitely this one: should you really invest in gold? A lot of people will say no without really thinking about the question, while others will say yes because they have a vested interest in you purchasing gold. We're going to weigh in and explain the highs and lows of buying and selling gold.

A lot of people are turned to precious metals all types when times get rocky. The truth is that precious metals become precious because they are scarcer than other metals. Are we going to run out of steel or copper anytime soon? Doubtful. Could we run out of gold deposits? Definitely -- and many scientists have even pointed this out. Granted, our current gold deposits are plentiful enough to keep things going, but as time passes and the demand for gold gets higher across a wide variety of industries, it makes sense to really ask whether or not gold really fits into the picture.

The truth is that gold is a great investment, but it's sort of like nutrition and dieting. You don't want to load up on gold, just like you don't really want to load up on carbs if you want to lose weight. The best you can do in both worlds is to balance your portfolio. You don't want to cut carbs or gold out of the picture, but it shouldn't be the only thing you have in your life.

Buying gold is a smart choice for uncertain times because the price of gold will go up. Demand is there, and whenever there's a high demand and a low supply, things go up -- that's a classic rule of economics, and there are very few exceptions to the rule -- if there are even exceptions at all!

A lot of people spoke out against gold because they felt that there was no way that they could ever get their hands on any. There was a time where you had to have a local gold dealer in order to even buy gold bullion coins. Today is a new day though, and that means that the rise of the Internet has made this a thing of the past. You can get gold bars and gold coins and even silver coins online. You don't even have to settle for just your country's gold coin currency -- you can go international with ease. There are numerous markets online to buy and sell gold that are safe. Contrary to popular opinion, these places are safe and they use the highest level of encryption to make sure that your financial information stays safe and private.

The truth about gold is that it's a tangible asset -- people can see and touch gold, and it has a very specific value. When it comes to stocks, they rise and fall as well -- a lot of people that are against gold fail to realize that stocks aren't the end all, be all solution to all of your investing problems.

Investing in gold online means that everyone can be an investor, which is exactly the way it should be. Does that mean we are telling you to avoid stocks and bonds? Not at all -- they have a place in your portfolio as well. Yet when things seem rocky in the stock market, you might really want to make sure that you add a little gold to your reserves. It could truly be the smartest decision that you can make!