Despite owning a DVR, I still watch a lot of commercials. Certainly not as many as I’d watch otherwise, but it’s unavoidable - sometimes you just want to enjoy some live T.V., because there’s nothing on your playlist except some movies from HBO that you plan to watch “someday” and some travel show that you don’t remember recording. (Also, if you’re really lucky, several copies of the same episode of Family Guy because DirecTV’s system simply cannot understand that you DON’T NEED TO SEE EVERY AIRING OF THE SAME EPISODE.)

Now, if you watch a lot of T.V. during times when your judgment is impaired - and we all do - it’s best to keep your wits about you, because these ads can sound great until you really think them through. Take, for example, the approximately ten different services who offer to buy your gold “scraps” from you.

Their logic tends to be something like this: “the price of gold is skyrocketing, therefore you should NOT DELAY in selling us your gold jewelry RIGHT THE HELL NOW rather than waiting for its value to increase, because THAT’S JUST SMART MONEY MANAGEMENT.”

Cash4Gold is a personal favorite of mine (keep an eye out for Tootsie at :17).

All of these commercials emphasize that it’s a “safe, secure” transaction, though they don’t make an effort to explain exactly what will happen if you don’t like the amount they offer to pay you. So I referred to the website:

If for any reason you feel that any of your items have not been fairly evaluated by Cash4Gold, simply return our check or call within ten (10) days of the date on the check. Cash4Gold will promptly return your items. That I guarantee!

Well, you know he’s telling the truth because of that official-looking seal that says “100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!”

The problem with selling gold to refineries like Cash4Gold, while they are legitimate, is outlined in this MSN article.

If you sell gold jewelry for its scrap value, you’ll lose much of its retail value, perhaps 75% or more. The scrap price is based on the value of the metal alone and doesn’t reflect the craftsmanship or any aesthetic or antique value, let alone emotional attachment you or family members may have to the piece.

So unless your gold is literally scraps, sell it to a proper jewelry store for its actual value. Even if they won’t send an envelope to your house, at least they’ll give you your money’s worth.

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