you are better off keeping your money in a checking account at 0.25% interest.
With 'real' inflation somewhere between 5% - 7% in the US, you would only be losing more than a nickel on every dollar each and every year. At that rate in twelve years or less the first years' dollars no longer exist!
If you have a sincere interest in buying metals or any other security, then you must do something called "dollar cost average". Figure how many dollars/rupees/yen or whatever, you can afford to put aside
a consistent amount each and every month on the same day each month over the remainder of your productive life. You will miss some highs in the market this way, but more importantly, you will miss some lows as well. Thus the the name "Dollar Cost Averaging". Over the long-haul
you should best inflation as it is built into the process.
That is, unless you already have
excess amounts of cash at your disposal, allowing you to speculate in the futures markets or the craps table.
[ January 22, 2006: Message edited by: Donald R. Cossitt ]