That is the common mistake for us newcomers in Bitcoin in which we all think that this is the only way on how to earn money via HYIP (Which I really don't consider as a kind of investment). Also the good thing is you have been introduced by your friend early on about Bitcoin but you have missed the opportunity of the lifetime on making your capital more than triple the amount. Well we can all learn from out mistakes.
For every new Bitcoin user, it's the usual thing to see HYIPs or even cloud mining as a serious investment. By that time, we've made many mistakes in our investments, by the lack of guidance of someone experienced in the field, but as time went by, we've discovered reality by exploring the forums, or by any other means.
While HYIPs offer great returns for your investment, it would never serve as a stable and reliable investment, as usually they turn out to close up shop and run away with your hard-earned money. Cloud mining in return, is also a scam, since many cloud mining providers tend to steal your money, not to mention that it would be very hard to reach ROI in less time. There are a few reputable cloud mining companies like Genesis Mining and Hashnest from Bitmain, but again, your chances of reaching ROI would be very minimal.
Nevertheless, it is always best to seek out advice from those in the Bitcoin community which have years of experience, to help you move forward in this field, and increase your knowledge. Just sharing my thoughts.
