Need advice for pawn shop/financial emergency

[vektor]

I'll spare the details but basically some things beyond my control have required me to be in a financial emergency. I have a guitar/an amp/some golf clubs/various electronics and a snowboard that I can sell. Overall they are worth about $3000 and I need the money right now, is there anywhere where I can sell these things to get decent value atleast on them? Please don't feel sorry or preach or anything to me, I just need advice where I can sell them quickly for cash.

/mod please move this, sorry

[Boshi]

I've been there vektor. Pawnshops are 9 times outta 10 a waste of time. If you have friends, co-workers, or family that can buy the stuff from you at a fair price then I'd suggest that.

Good luck.

[vektor]

No I can't go to my family or friends, my parents would never help me financially and my friends don't want my stuff. It's sell it somehow or I'm screwed really badly. I didn't do anything shady or illegal, there was an accident and I'm screwed.

[Boshi]

Well if it's good quality stuff the pawnshops will of course accept them.. but they're a business trying to make as much money as they can (duh, I know) -- I've found they try and screw you outta every penny. If they can't turn a sizeable profit they aren't interested.

[CMPunk]

Quick is the pawn shops or Cash Converters, sadly, you'll have to take what you can get for them. The only ways to get full value, would be return them to the store, or sell them privately

[vektor]

You think I could get even get 1/3rd of what it's worth?

[evman150]

Certainly don't let the pawnshops know how desperate you are. I would find a series of pawn shops and sell a big ticket item or two to each. Bringing in a pile of stuff screams desperation and pretty much guarantees you'll get screwed.

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by vektor

You think I could get even get 1/3rd of what it's worth?

Never Pawned anything, but 1/3 is probably reasonable, but you won't know til you go

[Boshi]

You may get a third of total value, vektor, depending on quality and if the items are in demand (quick sellers) within that store.

[Clarkey]

Whatever you are going through will pass.

First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst.

[SHOGUN]

Kjiji or Ebay?

[saskflames69]

Try Kijiji, you wouldn't believe how many suckers are out there.

[zunie75]

Definatly try Kijiji. And make sure to delete and repost your items for sale every couple days so that they remain on the first couple pages of what ever category your selling them in.

Since your in need of money right away, you might be inclined to accept low ball offers from some one when you go to meet them, so your better off negotiating on the phone or through email...you'll spare your self gas and wasted time trust me.

And theres always the buy/sell on these forums. I have sold alot here and 98% of the time its gone very well and easy.

[Alberta_Beef]

I would definitely look at Kijiji as well, my brother listed his car and had a couple dozen offers within a few hours. Pawn Shops should be an absolute last resort as they won't give you much at all, I would even say hoping for a 1/3 is quite a bit more than they would pay.

I was in some financial trouble when I was younger and I pawned off a brand new subwoofer for my home stereo and I got less than 1/4 value.

With Kijiji you might get a lowball offer, but you should be able to get more than a pawnshop will pay fairly easily.

[Psytic]

The flip side to all the anti pawnshop people is that if you can get the money together within a months time you can just go and get your items back. It is a short term loan after all. My fiancee used to pawn off jewelery for beer money and go get it back on payday before she finished college lol.

You could also bring your pay check into money mart and get a payday loan or ask for increase on your over draft or get a credit card etc. Depends on how much money you need I guess.

[mykalberta]

Yah kijiji or craigslist (although I have never had any good dealings on craigslist).

If you need them sold quickly, price them to sell, not the most you think you could get for them and they will sell quickly.

[ken0042]

What about one of those ~35% interest loans places? I think Trans Canada Credit became Wells Fargo- and they were always willing to lend me more many at 30% whenever I needed it. (Even when my credit sucked big time.)

I'm just thinking instead of losing 67% on the stuff you own (which may be conservative); it would be better to get a loan even with the higher interest rate.

[ThisYear]

Put it up for auction, there are several places in Calgary you could do that at.

[Rhettzky]

Pawning stuff really sucks. I pawned a Bass Guitar and amp worth around $1500 when I was in college and they gave me $150 for it. Obviously I bought it back when I got paid, but don't think you'll get value for it.

If it's an emergency then you have to have a friend out there who can help you out. Or a few freinds who could pool together to help get you by.

[Jimmy Stang]

If you've got the time (and you probably don't), why not put it up in the Buy/Sell forum here on CP? A lot of people read that area, and although I have only bought or sold a couple of things over the years, our fellow forum members didn't seem as flaky and unreliable as the average Kijiji buyer.

Good luck with everything - hopefully it all works out.