So if this is the case, what would you recommend as far as ASIC vs. GPU vs. buy/hold vs. trading?
ASICs - special purpose so old equipment can't be re-purposed - almost no resale value.
GPU - cards and MB can be resold without taking too much of a hit.
buy/hold - simple, but one is hoping the currency goes up.
trading - 90% of traders lose money. Exchanges have a history of being hacked.
With a 100% ROI of 2-3 months on average, ATM GPU mining is a no lose proposition as long as you don't mind dealing with the noise and heat. Trading is a good option for those with limited funds or space to setup a mining operation. The risk of trading/holding is large price fluctuations and the coins you buy could go down and you may be stuck holding the bag. With mining you always have the hardware that can be resold.
Bad exchanges are also a risk, but it can be minimized by sticking with reputable exhanges that have been around a while and only keeping what you can afford to lose in your account at one time. Overall I have made more profit by trading and holding than mining by far. The hard part is knowing what to buy.