As you all are probably painfully aware, the economy is currently far from stable, and because of that, every single penny counts. Unfortunately, due to inflation and politics, it seems as if the cost of living is constantly increasing, whilst wages and incomes sadly are not. Besides, it never hurts to have a little extra disposable income, and the good news is that if you know what you’re doing, there are a number of effective things you can do to help boost your finances. People throw garage sales, they do odd jobs, they sell old or unwanted items online, and more and more people also now look to sell jewelry to pawn shop businesses. Contrary to what some people may tell you, not all pawn shop owners will offer you painfully low amounts of money that are well, well below what your valuable items are worth. In some instances you can get very good offers. Buying jewelry in Brooklyn, for example, is now easier than ever because so many people are choosing to sell their old and/or unwanted jewelry items to pawnbrokers up and down the city, and indeed the country. If you’re looking to earn some extra cash and have some old jewelry that you no longer want nor need, why not sell it to a pawn shop? Here are 4 useful tips for getting the best price when you sell jewelry to pawn shop businesses.
Get an idea of what your items are worth – Before you take your jewelry to a pawn shop, it is important that you understand roughly how much your jewelry items are worth. First up you should identify what the jewelry is made of. For example is it gold, silver, or platinum? You can try to find this out yourself, or you can take it into any reputable jewelry store and ask them to figure it out for you. Many businesses also offer appraisal services where they will look at the jewelry and figure out roughly how much it is worth. If you know the brand and exact type of jewelry you wish to sell, look at online auction sites and see how much identical/similar pieces are going for. It is vital that you figure out how much your items are worth as that way you will be sure that you won’t let them go for well, well below what they are worth. You should also carefully weigh your jewelry, including any stones they may have, as jewelry is often valued by weight.
Decide on the absolute lowest figure you’re willing to take – When you take jewelry to a pawn shop, firstly it is important that you understand that you probably will not get the amount of money that the jewelry is worth. Unfortunately that is just the nature of the business and it is one of the main reasons why buying jewelry in Brooklyn is so popular. With that being said, have an absolute lowest figure in mind that you would be willing to take for the jewelry, as that way you will be less likely to be ripped off. Obviously you should not tell the pawnbroker this as this could prevent them from making you a higher offer. See what they offer you, and try to haggle them up, rather than having them haggle you down.
Clean and polish your items – When you take jewelry items to a pawn shop, obviously you want them to look their best as this will make them appear more attractive, and it will help ensure you get a better offer. Rather than taking dull and faded rings and necklaces in, use special polishes and cleaning solutions that are suitable for the materials used to make the jewelry, and polish them until they sparkle.
Visit different pawn shops – Providing you have a few pawn shops in your area, take the time to visit several of them and see what kind of offers you receive. Doing this means you have some sort of leverage if you’ve had a better off from somebody else, plus it helps ensure you give yourself the best chance of getting the best price for your items.