While gold can be a great recession-proof investment, you really need to know what you are doing. You have many choices, and you want the right gold investments in your portfolio. Therefore, pay attention to and consider the following helpful advice so that you can make good investment decisions.
Before attending a gold party, separate your jewelry by karat weight. Some buyers will try to weigh all of your pieces together, and then pay you based on the lowest karat weight among them. This amounts to less money in your pocket, meaning you have made an unfair sale.
Never feel too rushed when dealing with gold. These are highly involved purchases and sales. There’s lots of money on the table, so it’s important to be confident about your choices. If that means taking a few extra days to look into other options or to wait out a price fluctuation, then so be it.
Be aware of any fees that are attached to the transaction of buying gold. Online purchases come with several types of fees. You may suffer from a markup of as much as ten percent from the dealer. Read all of the fine print to learn about any and all fees that are related to the purchase
Though it is much more cheaper, try to avoid gold plated jewelry. When worn frequently, these pieces of jewelry tend to rub against the skin, causing it to wear down and turn colors. If you do insist on wearing this kind of jewelry, do not do so on an everyday basis.
The day that you plan on buying gold, check its spot price. Many websites update this information daily. When you buy, don’t pay over 8% markup over the price. Some dealers will try to charge more, but they are overcharging and oftentimes, not ethical.
You don’t have to physically own gold to invest in gold. Check out mutual funds that invest specifically in gold. Also look at mutual funds that invest heavily in commodities in general with a concentration in gold. This makes investing in this sector a lot easier to handle for many.
Watch out for the gold buying bait and switch. There are buyers out there that promote the price they’ll pay for bulk gold, but don’t tell you that the price is much more for smaller quantities. This can leave you making a very bad deal. Ask before you make any sort of commitment.
Prior to going to a gold party, take your jewelry to a store and get an estimate as to how much the gold is worth. If the gold party representative quotes you a lower amount, see if they are willing to negotiate. If not, determine whether you truly want to sell at the party or would just prefer to hang on to the items.
Have your gold weighed out in the open, in front of you. If a dealer wants to take your piece to the back of the store, beware. Some less than ethical dealers will use a bait and switch, or they will tell you the pieces weigh less than they actually do. This means less money in your pocket, and it amounts to an unfair deal.
If you are interested in selling your gold, you may come across an advertisement stating that a buyer will be at a local hotel near you. In many cases, these people are interested in more than just gold, so if you have other items of value, you should be able to unload them as well. However, you won’t command a very high price for your gold from these individuals, and they will often try to pressure you into the sale.
When planning to purchase American Eagle gold coins, do not settle on the first price or seller you find. Instead, take advantage of a dealer location finding tool available on the website of the U.S. Mint. By identifying a variety of dealers and then researching their current prices, you can rest assured that you have gotten the very best deal possible.
You must understand what is meant by a karat when you are buying or selling gold. Gold is a relatively soft metal so it is normally mixed with other metals to improve durability. A karat is the measure of how much of your metal is gold. Twenty-four karat is almost pure gold while ten karat is about half gold.
When you buy gold as an investment, you should consider how easy it will be to sell when you are ready. Common gold coins are relatively simple to sell. Rare gold coins and coins mostly traded outside the US can be more difficult to sell. Gold bars can be expensive and difficult to resell if you need to send them to a dealer.
If you have paid attention to these tips, then you are ready to go ahead and plan out your gold investment strategies. The basic information that has been described is enough to get you going, and now you just need to keep learning. Gold really can help drive your financial future.
