Put Your 'Play Money' in the Next Apple
If you lived in Massachusetts on December 12, 1980, you nearly missed out on a life-changing investment…
That day, Apple (AAPL) was going public, and investors were in a frenzy. The company was selling 4.6 million shares for just $22 per share. It was expected to be one of the largest IPOs of all time.
The Wall Street Journal summed up the hype best when it reported, "Not since Eve has an Apple posed such temptation."
But Massachusetts regulators deemed the stock "too risky" for its residents. The concern was that the share price far exceeded the company's earnings. At the time, a Massachusetts securities law stated an offering price couldn't exceed 20 times earnings... And Apple was set to go public at 90 times earnings.
We know how the story ends. But there were real risks. Apple was a young company in a new technological field. Unhindered enthusiasm is often a sign that an investment bubble is about to pop.
A few days later, Massachusetts reversed this order – when shares were trading at $27.25. Dozens of Apple employees became millionaires overnight. And if you were lucky enough to invest in 1980 and keep holding, you'd be a multimillionaire today with just a $1,000 investment.
(Even if you lived in Massachusetts.)
If you've been a reader for a long time, you know I don't like the government telling us what we can do with our own money.
But the truth is that getting in on the ground floor of a company is a risk. For every Apple success, hundreds of startup companies end up failing.
That's why I believe in smart diversification. The bulk of your retirement nest egg should be in blue-chip stocks that will be around for decades. But they're not likely to double your money in the next couple of years.
That's why you should have some of your portfolio set aside for riskier investments that offer the chance at big rewards.
I call it "play money."
If you can find the Apples of the world before they become industry dominators, your play money becomes your nest egg. And if your picks fall flat, you'll still have your safer investments to fall back on.
If you're looking for a good place to put your play money, listen to my friend Whitney Tilson.
If you don't know him, Whitney made history with his calls in 2000, 2008, and 2020. He identified (and bought) Apple, Amazon, and Netflix long before they soared. CNBC even dubbed him "The Prophet."
Now, he's stepping forward with a message he waited years to share.
Put simply, Whitney says you need to back the exact same approach that made him millions of dollars in 1999. It also tripled his investors' money through two crashes and crushed the market for a decade.
Now he's predicting as much as 1,000% upside as the window of opportunity reopens once again – if you move fast.
It's the perfect place to put some play money.
If you missed it, catch up on everything here.
Now, let's get to this week's Q&A... And as always, keep sending your comments, questions, and topic suggestions to feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com. My team and I read every e-mail.
The Easy Way to Save Money on Gas
Q: Is there any difference between the types of gas you get? Is premium better for your car? Wondering if it's worth the expense. Thanks, Doc. – R.Y.
A: Thanks for your question, R.Y. I'll turn this question over to the auto expert on my team, Brady Holt...
When you choose what to buy, "premium" usually means "better." But if you make that assumption at the gas station, you're throwing away your money.
As we write, regular gasoline costs an average of $4.28 per gallon, according to AAA. Mid-grade gas averages $4.78. And premium is $5.17.
But don't think of grades of gasoline as "OK," "better," and "best." They're determined by octane levels – typically 87 (regular), 89 (mid-grade), and 91 to 94 (premium).
Higher-octane fuel can withstand higher fuel compression. A high-compression engine can squeeze out more power, so you'll often find one in a luxury car or sports car.
In a high-compression engine, lower-octane fuel can ignite prematurely. This creates a "knocking" effect that can damage the engine.
But most cars aren't engineered for extreme fuel compression. If you feed them "premium" gas, they won't burn it any differently from "regular."
Say you drive 15,000 miles a year in a car that averages 30 miles per gallon. You'd buy 500 gallons of gasoline per year. With regular fuel, you'd pay $2,140 per year... With premium, you'd spend $2,585. If your car doesn't need premium, you'd be wasting $445 every year.
Your owner's manual will tell you what fuel type your car needs.
Now, some cars fall into a middle ground... in which premium fuel is "recommended" but not "required." This means the cars are engineered to run fine on regular, just at reduced power.
If your car "recommends" premium fuel, go ahead and experiment with regular. If you feel any difference at all, you can decide if what you've experienced is worth the extra cost to you. Maybe even throw mid-grade into the experiment.
Now, whatever car you drive, I do recommend buying "Top Tier" gas.
Top Tier has nothing to do with octane levels. It has additives that clean carbon deposits out of your engines.
This may sound like a gimmick. But a group of major automakers helped develop Top Tier gas to protect their cars' engines.
In a 2016 study, AAA tested the same engine with two types of gasoline. It found that over 4,000 miles of driving, Top Tier gasoline averaged 19 times fewer deposits on the engine's intake valves.
This carbon buildup can reduce your fuel economy and even damage the engine over time.
Dozens of gas-station chains sell Top Tier fuel. These include most of the big names like BP, Chevron, Exxon, Shell, and Texaco... plus some other stores that also sell gas, like Costco and Meijer. You can find a full list on the Top Tier program's website.
When you gas up at a Top Tier station, you don't have to hunt for a special "Top Tier" pump. It's included in all the station's gas, and at all the octane levels.
But some popular brands don't sell Top Tier gas. You can't get Top Tier at 7-Eleven, Safeway, Sam's Club, Sheetz, Walmart, or Wawa. Their gas still meets minimum federal standards... But it's not certified to give your engine extra protection.
Top Tier gas is usually a much cheaper upgrade than premium fuel. And for most cars, it makes a much bigger difference.
Catch My Vegas Presentation From Your Couch
In a few weeks, I'm flying out to Las Vegas for one of my favorite events of the year – the annual Stansberry Conference & Alliance Meeting.
Our annual conference always includes presentations by some of the best folks in financial research. Attendees hear from Stansberry Research editors like me, financial heavy hitters, and inspirational speakers... mingle with like-minded folks... and get investment ideas they can act on in real time.
It's too late to get tickets to attend in person, but you can watch the event from the comfort of your couch. Get your livestream tickets here.
What We're Reading...
- Did you miss it? How Airbnb turned the hospitality industry on its head.
- Something different: According to a new study, your personality is linked to your genes.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
September 11, 2026