Pawndemonium

I have not posted in a while because it’s all been sad and pityful on the customer side. The only things of value at this tme are guns and scrap gold of which the average pawn customer has little or none. I hear many different sad stories everyday of which I can only listen and say I’m sorry. You see and read where pawn shops are making a bundle but at this time all we are making are excuses for not loaning money for junk as collateral. You may think things are tough but most cannot imagine how tough things really are.

I was wrong about dental gold coming out at $900 instead it was costume jewelry and hiphop gold.  People are desparate and at this time will try to sell anything gold in color.  I can look in a shoebox full of gold colored items and tell you in a minute or less if any of it is gold. There is a company that makes fake gold jewelry stamped 14k and it is sold openly in mall kiosk to people that want the look without the cost. Unfortunetly a lot of people really think it is gold and when I tell them otherwise they act like I am a alchemist and have turned their gold into lead. Be careful out there and try to be understanding of those frustrated individuals who have been taken advantage of but don’t let them take advantage of you.

I just checked and gold went back over $900 oz, here come the teeth.  Different price levels bring out different gold and $900 means dental gold,tooth and all. I think some people had vampires for relatives and inherited their fangs. One man came in with a nasty tooth to sell that his dentist had pulled because he had platinum. I explained to him that the reason for the extraction was because of plaque not platinum. Another Monday in paradise.

I am asked every day if I worry about getting in harms way. My answer is that a pawnbroker is a lot like a mailman in a dangerous neighborhood. You never here about any problems with the mailman and dangerous people because the mailman brings the check and the same situation with the pawnbroker who loans you the money until the check comes.

You are sitting in a chair with your feet propped up reading the paper and in walks two males wearing hooded sweatshirts with their hands not showing and both pull out large semi-automatics and say “We need money!” You react by #1 Fainting; #2 Begging for your life; or #3 Asking is this a pawn or a purchase and  if they have a $ amount in mind.  #3 is the way a pawnbroker reacts without flinching or thinking otherwise.

You have a used 20″ TV-less than three years old works perfectly with remote that you would like to sell or pawn.  It has some sticky substance on the top, the screen is coated in nicotine and there are no batteries in the remote. You are likely to receive (A)$100 (B)$30(C)$15(D)$0 The answer is (C)$15 but could have $30 or more if you had taken 5 minutes to clean it up and put batteries in the remote.

As you may have guessed I am a pawnbroker and I am using this blog to help you get the best offer for your items whether you are pawning or selling. Times are tough and we all need a little financial help from time to time. I will share some of my experiences and answer your questions to the best of my knowledge.

Quite a few people think of a pawnshop as a combo warehouse of stolen goods and loansharking operation. In some cases that may be true but usually it is a place where you can borrow $40 in less than two minutes for a $10 fee using some item that you will not miss for 39 days as collateral.  People are becoming desparate and frustrated but with a little common sense and a little help maybe things will get better.

People in need happen upon extra money from time to time, but if you mention saving some for a rainy day they usually look at you like you are crazy and proceed to waste their extra money doing what my wife says is for them “Creating Memories” for they feel hopeless.

I look forward to your questions and ideas and I will share tips and thoughts. Pawndemonium