Christmas shopping has started in earnest and Mum says she knows exactly what she should get for me - a real silver dog tag instead of the cheap metal one that I wear now. This seems a bit extravagant, just in case it gets lost, but she says it is a good investment. Over the past year the price of gold and silver has shot up, as opposed to lots of the other things that we have money invested in. Apparently there is an agency in the States that does all the hard work for you if you want to be an investor, they even find somewhere to store your precious gold or silver bars. Or if you want to take them home and use them, like we do, that is fine as well. I do think I would look smart with a nice silver tag - maybe I can have a silver dog bowl as well?