It doesn't have to be safe. It just has to be safer.
You wouldn't tell this guy to learn to day trade or go into real estate. He's not going to buy savings bonds or open a money market account. He's not going to put it all down on gold.
The only thing that could be "safer" about it would be to invest in the stock market as part of diversification.
Seems to me for any kind of investment, there are risks that could destroy it - houses can burn, companies go broke, money can be devalued, and so on. So some diversification is essential.
You wouldn't tell this guy to learn to day trade or go into real estate. He's not going to buy savings bonds or open a money market account. He's not going to put it all down on gold.
So what is he going to do with his money?