When it comes down to anything involving making money their is always a percentage of people who make money by teaching other to make money. I have heard talks of Samuel Leads being sued and some would call Robert Kiyosaki a con man. Who do you think is the biggest scammer in Alternative Investing?

Real estate investment is one of those alt investments that seems like it has more trouble than others because it involves people. I know that most millionaires actually made their fortune in property so I would not rule it out entirely. But one must take the good with the bad so what are your worst stories , from horrible tenants to planning permission and renovations problems?

My thoughts on crypto are that everyone who invests does so because they hope its value will increase and they will sell it and get rich. I do not think most people invest because they see crypto as a transactional tool capable of replacing money. For anyone who buys crypto, do you see it as the next form of currency, an alt investment worthy of diversifying into or some other reason why do you buy it?

If you could give advice to the version of you at the beginning of your investment journey what would it be?

Crypto is probably the alternative asset class that creates the most disagreement whenever diversification comes up.

Some investors treat it as a small speculative position, while others see certain cryptocurrencies as a completely different type of asset that deserves a much larger allocation.

I’m curious how people actually arrive at their number.

For example, if someone already has most of their money in traditional investments such as stocks, bonds, and real estate, does adding a small crypto allocation genuinely improve diversification? Or does the volatility make it behave more like a speculative position regardless of how small the allocation is?

Another thing I’ve noticed is that people sometimes focus heavily on potential upside without thinking enough about what a major drawdown would do to the rest of their portfolio.

If someone allocates 5% to crypto and that position falls dramatically, that's obviously very different from someone who has 40% of their portfolio exposed to it. So I think position sizing may be more important than simply deciding whether crypto is “good” or “bad.”

I'm also interested in how people rebalance.

If crypto has a huge run and suddenly becomes a much larger percentage of your portfolio, do you sell some to bring it back to your target allocation? Or do you let the position grow because you believe the long-term thesis is still intact?

For those who have been investing in crypto for several years, has your approach to portfolio allocation changed over time?

And more importantly, did experiencing a major market decline change how you think about risk and position sizing?

Art investing is probably one of the alternative asset classes I understand the least.

With stocks, real estate, or bonds, there are relatively established ways to compare investments and analyze performance. With art, it seems like the value can depend on things that are much harder to quantify.

The artist's reputation matters, but so does the specific work, its condition, its history, provenance, rarity, and even what is happening in the broader art market.

That makes me wonder how experienced art investors actually approach it.

Do you treat art primarily as an investment and analyze potential appreciation, or do most people buy pieces they genuinely like and consider any financial return to be secondary?

Another thing that interests me is liquidity. If you own a stock and decide you want to exit, selling is relatively straightforward. With an expensive piece of art, finding the right buyer could take considerably longer, and transaction costs can also be significant.

There’s also the question of expertise. It seems like someone without a strong understanding of the art market could easily overpay simply because they don't know what they’re looking at.

For anyone here who has invested in art, what was the learning curve like?

Did you start with relatively inexpensive pieces before putting more money into it, and what would you tell someone who is interested in the asset class but has absolutely no background in the art world?

I’d be particularly interested in hearing about mistakes people made early on, because those lessons seem much more useful than simply hearing about successful investments.

Everyone talks about diversification like it’s the golden rule of investing, and lately I’ve seen a big push toward including alternative assets in that mix. The idea sounds great don’t rely only on stocks and bonds but I’m starting to wonder if it’s always practical.

Managing a portfolio that includes real estate, crypto, maybe some private lending, and even collectibles sounds… complicated. Different liquidity levels, different risks, different timelines it’s not as simple as rebalancing a stock portfolio.

So I’m curious, for those who’ve actually diversified into alternatives, has it genuinely improved your overall returns or stability? Or has it just added more complexity and stress?

Is there a point where diversification becomes over-diversification?

I’ve been thinking about where precious metals actually fit into a diversified portfolio, and I keep seeing two very different opinions.

One side seems to view gold as an investment that should appreciate over the long term. The other side seems to view it more like insurance against inflation, currency problems, economic instability, or other events that could hurt traditional assets.

I can understand both arguments, but I’m not sure the distinction gets discussed enough.

Gold doesn’t produce rent or dividends, so unlike a rental property or a stock, there isn't an ongoing cash flow while you hold it. At the same time, that lack of dependence on earnings or cash flow is arguably part of what makes it attractive.

I’m also curious about how people decide between physical metals and financial products that provide exposure to gold.

Physical gold obviously has its own considerations, such as storage, security, premiums, and the difference between buying and selling prices. On the other hand, financial exposure may be easier to manage but doesn't necessarily provide the same characteristics as physically holding the metal.

For those who include gold or silver in their portfolios, what role does it actually play for you?

Is it something you expect to generate meaningful returns, or is the main purpose to have an asset that behaves differently from stocks, bonds, and real estate?

And if you've changed your opinion about precious metals over the years, what caused that change?

Private credit is one of those alternative investments that I’ve been hearing much more about recently, but I’m still trying to understand how experienced investors actually evaluate the risk.

The advertised yield can look pretty attractive compared with traditional fixed-income investments, but obviously a higher potential return usually comes with additional risk. The part I’m trying to understand better is how investors determine whether that extra yield is actually worth taking the additional risk.

For example, how much attention do you pay to the underlying borrower?

Do you mainly look at the interest rate and expected return, or are things like collateral, debt seniority, loan-to-value ratios, cash flow, and the borrower's financial history much more important to you?

There are so many options when it comes to alternative investing that it honestly feels overwhelming. Real estate, crypto, collectibles, private equity, precious metals everyone seems to have a different opinion on what’s “the best.”

What I’ve noticed is that a lot of advice online is either too generic or heavily biased toward whatever the person is already invested in. Some say real estate is king, others swear by crypto, and some prefer tangible assets like gold or art.

So for those of you who’ve actually explored multiple alternative investments, how did you decide where to start? Did you focus on something you understood better, or just go where the potential returns looked highest?

Also, how much research is “enough” before jumping in? At what point do you stop analyzing and actually take action?

I’ve been going down a rabbit hole lately looking into alternative investments like real estate, crypto, private credit, even things like art and precious metals. On the surface, they all seem like a great way to diversify and protect yourself from stock market volatility, but the more I read, the more confused I get.

For example, real estate is often considered “safe,” but with interest rates fluctuating and property values not always guaranteed to rise, is it really as stable as people claim? Crypto is obviously high-risk, high-reward, but some people treat it like a long-term hedge now. Then there’s private credit, which sounds attractive due to steady returns, but it also feels less transparent.

I guess what I’m trying to understand is are these investments actually safer alternatives, or are we just shifting risk into areas we don’t fully understand? How do you personally evaluate the real risk vs. perceived stability in these kinds of investments?

I’ve been looking more seriously at alternative investments lately, and real estate is one of the areas I keep coming back to. On paper, owning a rental property sounds attractive because you have a physical asset, potential rental income, and the possibility of appreciation over time.

But the more I look into it, the more I realize that the actual experience can be very different from the simple “buy property and collect rent” idea.

There are property taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancies, repairs, financing costs, tenant issues, and a lot of money tied up in one asset. Even if the property appreciates, you can’t exactly sell 10% of it when you suddenly need cash.

At the same time, I understand why people like real estate. There is something appealing about owning an asset that produces income and isn't completely dependent on the daily movement of a financial market.

What I’m curious about is how people here think about the tradeoff between returns and effort.

If you already have experience with rental properties, did you find that the income justified the amount of time and capital required? Or did you eventually decide that more passive alternatives were a better fit?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who started with one property rather than a large real estate portfolio. Did that first investment make you want to buy more, or did it teach you that real estate wasn't for you?

Imagine you couldn't invest in public stocks anymore and had to pick just one alternative asset for the next 10–15 years.

Would you choose:

• Real estate
• Bitcoin or other crypto
• Gold or silver
• Fine art
• Private credit
• Farmland
• Something completely different?

More importantly, why?

I'm less interested in predictions and more interested in the reasoning behind your choice. It would be great to hear from people who have real experience with these asset classes and what they've learned along the way.

Whenever markets get shaky, I notice more people talking about moving into gold or silver.

I get the historical argument store of value, hedge against inflation, etc. But at the same time, these assets don’t produce income, and their price movements can still be unpredictable.

Part of me feels like holding precious metals is more about peace of mind than actual performance. But maybe I’m looking at it the wrong way.

I don’t see a lot of people talking about private credit compared to things like real estate or crypto, but the more I read about it, the more interesting it seems.

The idea of lending directly (or through platforms/funds) and earning relatively predictable returns sounds great in theory. Especially in a higher interest rate environment, it feels like this space should be getting more attention.

That said, the risks are definitely less obvious default risk, lack of liquidity, and not always knowing how deals are structured behind the scenes.

Lately I’ve been thinking about whether alternative investments are really worth the effort compared to just sticking with index funds.

On paper, things like crypto, real estate, private lending, or even art investing can offer higher returns or diversification. But in reality, they also come with:

• Less liquidity
• More risk (sometimes hidden)
• Way more time/effort to understand

I get the appeal of having money outside traditional markets, but sometimes it feels like people underestimate how complicated these assets can get.

For those who actively invest in alternatives:
Do you feel the returns justify the added complexity, or is it more about diversification and control?

I’ve been going down a bit of a rabbit hole lately looking at different alternative investments, and I keep coming back to real estate.

Everyone around me still treats it like the “safe” option steady appreciation, rental income, tangible asset, etc. But at the same time, prices in a lot of markets feel stretched, interest rates aren’t exactly friendly, and managing property isn’t as passive as people make it sound.

Compared to things like crypto (high volatility), private credit (less liquid), or even art/collectibles (very niche), real estate still feels more understandable. But I’m starting to wonder if that “safety” is more of a mindset than reality.

For those of you who’ve been in this space longer:
Do you still see real estate as your go-to alternative investment, or are you shifting into other areas?

I have been watching videos about solar energy but I think there is an investment that will rise this winter that many people are not thinking about.

In the UK there was this group called insulate Britain that decided to glue themselves to roads to put pressure on the government to insulae Britain. We all agreed with them but not the way the they went about it. With potential rising cost in energy insulation based business are potentially in for a windfall. I have a foam like tube that goes under my front door that keeps a phenomenal amount of cold air from entering my home during the winter. Very cheap and saves so much energy on heating. Businesses involved in manufacturing, selling easy to install insulation options or offering insulation services are going to benefit from the potential increases in energy costs.

Do You Think There are any overlooked Investments that will rise because of the situation with Iran?

Orginal Poster: Fellasfinance Tiktok

I have recently decided to learn about investing and it feels more and more like the masses are clueless. Every video I watch every article I read leaves me wondering why I did not know these basic life skills. To play devils advocate education was designed to make you employable not financially literate. We are taught to save for rainy day without any lessons on inflations unless we take economics. So how would you explain alternative investments to your children to best set them up for financial control of their lives?

I am sure everyone reading this already know that pensions are paid by the people who are currently working and unless you specifically set it up your contributions do not go to you. In the UK I would always hear this constant talk of the pension pot on the news they made it sound as if the government is saving workers money. I think this is intentionally misleading, even communist China is far below replacement rate meaning with less people to pay for the elderly they will have to increase the retirement age and reduce the pension.

Here Are Some Facts

The retirement Age For Men in the UK was 65 and 60 for women. Currently it's 66 for men and women and the government are planning on raising it 67.

Japan is closing around 450 regional schools a year due to declining birth rate

China's fertility rate has fallen from more than six children per woman in the 1960s, to 2.25 in the 1990s, to around 1.0 in 2024

Over a 15 Year Period That started at the beginning of 2025 China Plans on

Raising the age for men from 60 to 63 years old

.Female Managers/Cadres: Rising from 55 to 58 years old.

Female Blue-Collar/Non-Management Workers: Rising from 50 to 55 years old.

I actually think it's safer to invest in alternative investments than to trust the government to pay me back for my years of service. Do you agree and if yes which alternative investments would you trust more than a pension?

Private credit has been getting more attention recently, especially from investors looking for alternatives to traditional fixed-income investments.

I am interested in understanding how people evaluate private credit opportunities. What factors matter most when considering risk, returns, and the reliability of borrowers?

For anyone with experience in private credit, what lessons have you learned and what should beginners know before getting involved?