People have been investing in gold for thousands of years. Some view it as an asset for protecting wealth. Others just like how it looks — using gold for jewelry, watches and other accessories.
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If you’re like Suze Orman, you may have extra gold items lying around your house. On a recent podcast, Orman shared what she did with her old necklaces, rings and bracelets. Here’s why you may want to follow her lead.
Orman’s Extra Gold Made Her Thousands
Orman went through her home and gathered every gold item that she hadn’t used or worn in years. She took them all to a reputable gold dealer. The dealer weighed the items and made an offer to buy them in bulk.
Orman said she made at least enough to fund a Roth IRA — so upwards of $6,500, if it were funded for one year. That’s a ton of extra cash for items that she had largely forgotten about.
You may have less gold in your house than Orman had in hers. After all, she has a net worth of about $75 million. But even a few hundred extra dollars could make a big difference in your budget.
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Putting Your Extra Money to Work
If you decide to follow Orman’s advice, the next question is how to put the unexpected money to work. She said you should put that money toward a financial goal instead of spending it on things you don’t really need. That could mean:
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Paying off credit card debt or a personal loan
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Adding to your retirement savings
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Making necessary purchases you’ve been putting off for financial reasons.
You could also invest the money in the stock market, which could help the funds grow over time, so you can eventually do even more with that cash. Orman typically recommends buying low-cost index funds. She also likes to invest in dividend-paying stocks.
Other Household Items To Get Appraised
Gold is just one example of the kind of unexpected value you may have lying around your house. You can do the same thing with silver items — though they’ll be worth a bit less.
If you’re looking for more ways to turn your old items into cash, consider whether you own any collectibles. You might have old toys in the attic from when you were a kid — maybe comic books, coins or sports memorabilia. Anything that people collect can potentially be valuable to the right buyer.
There are even everyday items that could be worth something. For example, you could sell an old sofa, a table set or electronics you no longer use. Buyers are always searching for items like these on Facebook Marketplace and similar platforms.
Whatever you sell, follow Orman’s advice when deciding how you’ll use the money. You don’t want to clear out your house only to find yourself in the same financial position a month or two later.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Do This If You Have Gold Items in Your House Right Now, According to Suze Orman