Commodities are a different story. Very very few succeed but my brother-in-law made 70 million dollars on the exchange.
Atlas God is my witness he wouldnt buy me a $2 soda if we were in the same deli together :-)
your BIL sounds a bit like a cheapskate to me. i hope he at least put you in his will in repayment for all the dreck you get from him, lol.