Never Too Posh To Pawn

[tuggybear]

Smartly dressed and obviously professional, the woman slipped discreetly into Liverpool's foremost pawnbroking establishment, Miltons. Once inside, she wasted no time - taking a beautiful pear- shaped diamond engagement ring off her manicured finger and laying it on the counter.

Brushing her lush dark hair aside, she confided that she needed £3,000 to pay the school fees. The pawnbroker nodded sagely as he peered at the flawless diamond through his jeweller's loupe. The well-spoken woman, who is in her early 40s, lives in an affluent area of Liverpool - but times are hard, and cash is in short supply.

She was embarrassed, but needs must, 'so in the back for a quicky' . Indeed, this is an increasingly typical tale. 'The lady came in six weeks ago, requesting a small amount to pay the school fees,' says Haywood Milton, director of Miltons. 'She wanted a discreet, personal service.

She has not yet redeemed the jewellery, but we do expect her to come back for the ring, which was worth in the region of £9,000.

He adds: 'She knew that our service is beautifully simple - it gets people out of a hole when they need a quick bit of cash.'

And, indeed, it is Britain's hard-up middle classes who are increasingly beating a path to the pawnbroker's door. Now, clients are more likely to have a Land Rover and profitrelated bonus than a red gas bill or empty fridge.

More Hardships : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-...h.html?ITO=1490

Edit to add an in keeping line

Edited July 23, 2008 by tuggybear

[Britney's Piers]

Another day, another stupid snooty bitch crying to the media. It's gonna be her offering the "discreet personal service" soon unless she wakes up and smells the coffee and comes back down to earth to live with the rest of us normals.

[sbn]

Never too posh to porn?

[Rave]

My mum teaches at a private school- which I went to, thanks to the 2/3rds reduction on the fees she was entitled to. I'm still pretty fond of the place so I hope this sort of thing isn't too widespread.

I doubt I'd be able to send any kids I might have there though, unless I get a degree and a PGCE....

[Nicholas Cage]

This is a recycled article from 2 months ago, nevertheless

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access...mp;pqatl=google

Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext) - Los Angeles, Calif.

Author: PATRICE APODACA

Date: Dec 22, 1991

Start Page: 3

Section: Business; PART-D; Financial Desk

Text Word Count: 564

Abstract (Document Summary)

While their customers are hurting, [Pat Murtagh] and his partner of 38 years, Paul Trietsch, do a brisk business. Their loan volume is up more than 20% over last year. "Throughout the country, pawn shops are doing well," Trietsch says.

When the economy is weak, pawn shops typically thrive as people look for quick ways to raise cash. Murtagh and Trietsch loan customers up to half the amount they believe they can sell an item for.

On a recent Friday morning, he and Murtagh prepare for the expected onslaught of debtors coming in to renew their loans. It's a "roller skate Friday;" every other Friday, Trietsch says, is when loans come due. The Traders staff must scramble to handle the traffic.

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archiv...ackval=GooglePM

THE PAWNBROKERS//NEED A FEW EXTRA BUCKS TO GET BY TILL NEXT MONTH? DON'T BE ASHAMED. YOUR LOCAL PAWNBROKER WILL WELCOME YOU - AND YOUR VALUABLES - WITH OPEN ARMS.

Source: Don Boxmeyer, Staff Writer

Say the house payment's due - and the family car and your checking account have petered out at the same time. The refrigerator's empty, the kids need winter boots, and payday's still eight or nine or 14 cold mornings away. But you're not broke. Look around the house - at the TV, the stereo, the silverware, the vacuum cleaner. Look at what you're wearing on your fingers, around your wrists. Feel your ears, your throat.

Published on September 22, 1991, Page 1F, St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN)

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access...mp;pqatl=google

Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext) - Los Angeles, Calif.

Author: DIANA S. KIM

Date: Jun 10, 1993

Start Page: 1

Section: Glendale; PART-J; Zones Desk

Text Word Count: 1223

Driving a Hard Bargain Business Is Booming for Pawnbrokers Who Take In Autos

Last employed as, of all things, the manager of a collection agency, [Gerry Richardson] said finding a job during the recession has been tough. So the pink slip to his Honda goes in and out of [Phil O'Dening]'s shop.

The vast majority of cars are redeemed, O'Dening and other pawnbrokers said. But those that are sold go cheap. O'Dening said he has sold six cars in the past two years; the last one, a 1968 Ford Ranchero went for $300.

PHOTO: Gerry Richardson has pawned his car five times at the same shop. "I don't like living like this," he says.; PHOTO: Although Gerry Richardson, above, doesn't like pawning his 11-year-old Honda, he says he trusts Glendale pawnbroker Phil O'Dening. / ANTHONY PARDINES / For The Times

or err

PAWNBROKERS KEPT BUSY.; Many Redeem Possessions for New Year's -- To Repawn Them To-day.

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Save

January 2, 1912, Tuesday

Page 8, 420 words

[scuuzeme]

I can see the appeal in not dealing with the banks, and 3% over 6 months at the posh place is not so bad in cash loan terms.

Unfortunately, my stuff is more like a few quids worth down at cash converters.

I don't view that as a hardship though, funnily enough!

[FLASH_2007]

I find it difficult to understand the length that people will go to to keep up a standard of living that is obviously way above them. It is obvious that she cant afford to send the kids to their posh school and will have to send tem to the local state school like the rest of us. Her standard of living is unsustainable and she needs to act now and make adjustments to her lifestyle in order to live within her means. It amazes me how much people actually care about what others think about them but in reality it is all in their heads and no-one really cares to the extent that they think they do. Im fairly well off thanks to STR and few good investments so I am able to drive a nice car and have a good standard of living within my means. but if I didn't have the money I would have no problem accepting the fact and driving around in an old banger. I would never look down on someone for having less money or a less expensive car than myself. In my opinion it only seems to be the people who are up to their eyeballs in debt are the ones who care so much about keeping up appearances when in reality nobody else is that bothered.

[Britney's Piers]

the problem is that they thought they could pull off this con forever, and never have to live like all the normals. They were living the dream etc. In the meanwhile they started looking down on people they saw as below them (in reality those who are content to lead average lives without private schools and country clubs). Now the jig is up they not only lose their status but have to go back to live amongst the people they have been looking down their noses at all this time. Can you imagine, it must be a horrifying idea for these deluded cows.

It reminds me of that program where the family won the lottery, only to find out later the daughter who bought the ticket was underage and they had all their winnings taken away.

Edited July 23, 2008 by Britney's Piers