Gold prices vary daily; however, it is always slowly rising. With a precious metal like gold, there is always a market that is ripe for buying, trading or selling. When the economy hits hard times, gold often starts going even higher. Keep reading to discover how gold can fit into a smart financial plan.
Gold’s price is always changing, which makes it important to know your piece’s value before selling it. If you decide to sell your gold, samples with different karat values should be weigh and value separately. Don’t sell jewelry that’s worth more due to maker or designer.
You might have avoided gold:
Because of the price and chose to buy gold-filled or gold-plated pieces instead. It is possible to buy real without spending much money at a jewelry store. You can usually find more affordable jewelry online or if you visit pawnshops.
If you’re sending your to some company via the mail, check them out before doing business with them. Know exactly how much money you can expect to receive, and make sure that the package you send them is insure. Take pictures of anything you send so that you can settle any disputes that may occur later.
If you buy gold for your retirement fund, be sure it’s the proper kind. The gold has to be IRS-approve. You want to make sure you buy 24 karat coins or bullion bars. Since bars are worth more than coins, it is best to buy them instead.
About jewelry or scrap:

If you take jewelry or scrap to local companies that will pay for it, shop around. Many stores will charge a higher rate than the posted spot rate for gold. The overhead of the store involved may determine how much or little they are able to offer.
Plan to buy gold:
You make sure you look at the spot price. You can see it on various sites and it usually changes every day. Don’t pay over 8% markup over the price when you buy. Some dealers attempt to charge a higher amount, but they are unethical and simply overcharging.
Make sure you’re only selling to someone who has a license to purchase gold. Though you still may be taken, license buyers tend to be more trustworthy. There are plenty of buyers for gold, so do not think that you must make a sale to the first buyer that you meet.
Know what you are working with. Not all pieces that appear to be are worth their weight in gold. It’s not uncommon to find that has been mix in with other, lesser metals. This results in a price reduction. This also applies to pieces that are plated with gold. If you don’t know how much your is worth, then it would be wise for someone to appraise its worth if you intend on selling it.
You should appraise your jewelry before selling it for scrap gold:

Appraisal can be especially important with potentially-valuable pieces that may have more worth as jewelry than simply as bullion. Even though there is an appraisal fee, you could see a lot of extra money in your pocket. An appraiser may know someone who will give you a good price for your jewelry items.
Gold has the potential to be a profitable investment, yet the market can be volatile. It is important to understand that prices can vary daily on values. If you have the fortitude, still limit your downside risk. Only a very small overall percentage of your portfolio should be invested in . Many experts say that no more than 5 percent of your assets should be devoted.
Don’t unload your gold to an Internet buyer without looking carefully at current prices. Many times you will be able to find a better local deal than you can receive on the Internet. Yes, mailing it in may be more convenient, but is it worth potentially hundreds of dollars more in your pocket?
Ask about the buyback policies of the dealer you are considering:
Some buyers will charge you a fee to sell your gold. Think about how much it would cost to send things like bars that are bulky to dealers far from where you live. It is best to take the as soon as you purchase it from your local dealer.
Buying gold from a private seller can save you a ton of money. However, you need to know that there is risk in buying that way. Because of this, requesting an appraisal for the coin in question is key. If someone’s offering cheap coins, you could buy them and then hope they’re real.
Novice gold investors should stick to simple purchases at first. Avoid more common investments, such as futures. Futures are riskier and more complex. If you don’t have a good grasp of them, you might lose a great deal of money right away. This type of gold investment is best left to the more experienced gold investors.
When selling a piece of gold with embedded stones or non-gold pieces, ask the buyer to return them once the has been melted and extracted. The really small pieces are rather hard to remove, however. In general, the buyer doesn’t want the stone.
Be certain that the value of what you are purchasing is real. Some coins out there that you may think are or gold-plated. If you want the real deal, have the coin appraised before buying.
Gold isn’t a short-term investment:

Consider purchasing a certain amount of over a short period of time as a way to insure your wealth. If you insist on timing it, do when things are calm. When the economy seems rough, people have had shortages.
You are probably aware that many currencies used to be backed by gold. What that means is that you need to understand how the price of changes and how to leverage the gold market to meet your particular needs. Use the information gained here to secure your hold on the gold market.