Picture this: you’re a contestant on a slightly unhinged televised game show. The host (someone who looks suspiciously like Steve Harvey of The Family Feud) leans in, flashes a grin, and says:

“You’ve made it to the final round. You can choose one prize: $100,000 in cash, $100,000 in gold bars, or $100,000 in crypto. What’s it gonna be?”

The audience gasps. Somewhere, your financial planner quietly whispers, “Please don’t say gold bars or crypto.” Before you lock in your final answer, let’s take a closer look at what you’re actually choosing.

Option 1: $100,000 in Cash

Cash is the equivalent of showing up to a party in a well-fitted jacket—nothing flashy, but everything works. Nobody is excited—but nobody questions your judgment either.  You can:

• Pay your mortgage
• Buy groceries
• Tip your hairdresser

No passwords. No safes. No wondering if you’ve accidentally run afoul of IRS reporting rules—or if there’s a crypto task force keeping tabs on you.

Downside? Inflation quietly eats away at it. But at least it does so politely and predictably—unlike your other two options.

Option 2: $100,000 in Gold Bars

Cash is the equivalent of showing up to a party in a well-fitted jacket—nothing flashy, but everything works. Nobody is excited—but nobody questions your judgment either.  You can:

Gold has been around forever. Kings loved it. Pirates buried it. Someone in your life has probably suggested you own some “just in case.”

And yes—gold has intrinsic value. It’s used in jewelry, electronics, and dentistry. It’s shiny. It feels important. You can hold it and dramatically whisper, “how cool is this,” without raising too many eyebrows. But let’s talk reality.

If you take $100,000 in gold bars:

• Where are you putting them? A safe? A sock drawer? Under your mattress like it’s 1932?
• Are you installing a home security system? Hiring a guard dog? Naming him “Bullion”? Because $100,000 in gold suddenly feels a lot less like a novelty—and a lot more like a responsibility.
• And most importantly… how are you spending it?

Because here’s the truth: You are not paying for an anniversary dinner with a gold bar. “Just shave off a little piece for the check, please.”

That’s… not how this works. Even though gold markets are standardized (purity tests, weights, global pricing), it’s still not practical for daily life. It’s also more volatile than many people realize.

In fact, over the past 40 years, $100,000 invested in the S&P 500 would have grown to well over $7,000,000 with dividends reinvested—while the same $100,000 in gold would be closer to roughly $1,000,000–$1,500,000 depending on timing.

That’s not a small difference. That’s the difference between a “nice hedge against inflation” and life-changing wealth. Yes, you can own gold through ETFs like SPDR Gold Shares, which solves the “safe in the closet” problem. But it doesn’t solve the core issue: Gold doesn’t produce income. It just… sits there. And you never quite know when it is time to cash it in.

Option 3: $100,000 in Crypto

Ah yes, the wildcard. The mysterious briefcase. Let’s use Bitcoin as the example—not because it’s perfect, but because it’s the most widely recognized.

Crypto enthusiasts will tell you:

• It’s decentralized
• It’s the future of money
• It’s going to replace traditional finance

Maybe parts of that are true. But here’s what tends to get glossed over:

1. No intrinsic value
Unlike gold, crypto doesn’t have physical use. Its value is entirely based on what someone else is willing to pay for it.

2. You are your own security system

• Lose your password? Gone.
• Click the wrong link? Gone.
• Trust the wrong platform? Also… gone.

There’s no “call customer service and fix it” moment.

3. Taxes are… complicated
If you are an honest person (and I know you are), every trade, conversion, or transaction can trigger a taxable event. Many investors don’t realize this until tax season. Then you need to think about the discussion you will have with your tax preparer. 

4. Try buying groceries with it
Adoption is growing, but for most people, crypto is still more “conversation piece” than “currency.”

“Would you like to pay with Visa, Mastercard, or… a fraction of a Bitcoin?”
Again—not how this works.

The Real Problem (that nobody likes to admit)

Both gold and crypto tap into emotion:

• Gold feeds fear (“What if everything collapses?”)
• Crypto feeds excitement (“What if this skyrockets?”)

Neither is inherently bad. But both become problems when they take up too much space on your net worth statement.

The Quiet Power of a Boring Portfolio

Here’s the part that won’t trend on social media—but works:

A thoughtfully allocated mix of:

• Broad-based stocks
• Income-producing bonds
• A small dose of specialized sectors

This approach has historically built wealth far more reliably than hoarding metals or chasing digital rockets. It’s not exciting. It doesn’t make for great cocktail conversation. But it compounds. And compounding wins.

Final Answer (back to the game show)

The host leans in again.

“What’s your choice?”

You pause… then answer:

“I’ll take the $100,000 in cash—and invest it for future long-term growth.”

The audience applauds. Your future self breathes a sigh of relief.

And your anniversary dinner?
Easily paid for—in dollars.

Kristina Bolhouse, CPA/PFS, CFP®

President

© 2026 Kristina Bolhouse and The Arkansas Financial Group, Inc., All rights reserved.

The Arkansas Financial Group, Inc. is a Fee-Only Financial Planning Firm located in Little Rock, AR serving clients in Arkansas and throughout the country.

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