Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Gas Prices Drive Motorists to Pawn Shops (Dozens of similar stories across the US)

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU
 
onehandle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-23-08 10:20 PM
Original message
Gas Prices Drive Motorists to Pawn Shops (Dozens of similar stories across the US)
Edited on Wed Apr-23-08 10:24 PM by onehandle
Source: CBS and many more

They're pawning their possessions for gas money. Jamie Clagett says he's never pawned anything before but today he has no choice.

“Gas is outrageous. I need money,” says Clagett. Clagett says he's down to a quarter of a tank so he brought in his car stereo and a stack of DVD's.

He's hoping to get at least $50. “It's $42. Interest is $10.50 for 30 days,” the clerk said.

He plans to put every penny in his gas tank even though $42 won't come close to filling his truck up.
____________________________

High gas prices forcing some to pawn their favorite things

Pumped up gas prices are forcing some Mid-Southerners to pawn their favorite things.
At least one Arkansas Pawn shop manager said she has never seen such an increase in business as she has within the past year.
She said when gas goes up, business goes up.
"You have to have gas to go to work and that's the only way to get there is with gas and so there's really nothing you can do," Christy Dubar of Express Pawn said.
http://www.wmctv.com/global/story.asp?s=8216736
_______________________________

Pump patrons turn to pawn shops for pre-payday loans

HAMPTON -- The pain at the pump is forcing some people to pawn anything of value to fill their tank until they get paid.
Pawn shop owners are seeing a whole new clientele come through the door as gas prices inch up. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular rose to $3.53 Wednesday, another record.
Eve Epstein and her husband run Epstein Pawn in Phoebus. They say now more than ever people are coming through their doors desperate for a loan just to get by.
“They are having a hard time buying food, buying gas just to get to work,” said Epstein. “We’ve been here 25 years, almost, and this is the worst we’ve seen.”

http://www.wvec.com/news/topstories/stories/wvec_local_042308_pump_pawn_gas.920687aa.html
_____________________________________

People Turn To Pawn Shops In Faltering Economy

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-- Mike’s Pawn Shop owner, Mike Cohen, has been in the pawn shop business for about 40 years. As a business owner, he's survived more than a few downturns in the economy.
 
In fact, people often turn to him first for quick cash when things get tight. Speaking about the economy Tuesday, Cohen said, “I think this one might be a little worse than most of them.”
 
Business at Mike's is likely up slightly, but what's really different is how clear people are when asking for a loan on one of their valuables.
 
“Where they used to not say what it was for, they do now. ‘I gotta buy gas for my car to go to work’,” Cohen said.

http://www.nbc13.com/gulfcoastwest/vtm/news.apx.-content-articles-VTM-2008-04-22-0013.html
_____________________________________


BUSY PAWN SHOPS

ILLINGS - Steve Brown from First National Pawn says April is usually a slower month in the pawning business, but this April has been unexpectedly busy. He attributes the rise in customers to recent price increases in everyday necessities.
"A lot of people are having to maybe do an extra loan that they hadn't planned on because of the price of gas," says General Manager Steve Brown. Brown also says that the shop is seeing more and more gold and silver coming through the doors.

http://www.kulr8.com/news/local/18029374.html
_________________________________


Hard Times Mean Good Times for Pawn Shops

While many stores are struggling in these slow economic times pawn shops across the nation are doing well. It's a trend that's true here, too.

As people struggle to pay for rising gas and food prices, pawn shops become an answer for cheaper shopping, and some fast cash.

We explain why hard times mean good times for pawn shops. Sales are up for stores like Holmen Pawn.

"We have more inventories coming in and we're also selling more. If you have a tighter economy people are looking to spend less on items," says Nels Holley, the owner of Holmen Pawn.

http://www.wxow.com/News/index.php?ID=18896
____________________________________


Sagging economy means booming business at pawn shops

SEATTLE - At Aurora Loans, owner Dean Berg says he's doing slightly more business than normal. More people are buying, selling and pawning guns, guitars and gold.
It seems more people are taking a second look at the second-hand bits and pieces of their lives..
That broken gold chain has probably been cluttering up somebody's jewelry box or sitting on a dresser top, so why not convert it to cash?
Tested for gold content and weighed, the chain might get you $50.
It's the same story on the Eastside at Yuppie Pawn, where more pawning means better shopping.

http://www.king5.com/business/stories/NW_042208WAB_pawn_shops_economy_SW.8d712f13.html
_______________________________________________


High gas prices mean big business for pawn shops

EL PASO, Texas - In El Paso, there's no question high gas prices combined with a struggling economy are making everyday living costs more difficult. For some, selling their valuable is the only option to survive.
"Jewelry...coins. Anything they can exchange for money so that they can get by," said Hector Garcia, manager of Quality Coin, Jewelry and Loans.
At Hector Garcia's pawnshop in Central El Paso, business is booming. People come in to sell or trade old jewelry, watches and coins, just to get a little extra cash. It's a full spectrum of customers.

"From people who are on a fixed income to people who have money," Garcia said.

http://www.kvia.com/global/story.asp?s=8218078

Read more: http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0408/513531.html



Mods: What's interesting is that there are DOZENS of stories from across the country about people pawning their things to pay for GAS. Collectively, this is a big, big story.

I included a BUNCH but there are many, many more here: http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=pawn&c=
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
texastoast Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-23-08 10:26 PM
Response to Original message
1. Gas prices have certainly inspired some Pukes to take the bus
Edited on Wed Apr-23-08 10:44 PM by texastoast
The bus I take is normally about 2/3 full. I live in a neighborhood of oil company employees. Not a seat today. Good.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LynneSin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-23-08 11:21 PM
Response to Original message
2. I am so glad my company moved us back downtown
Today is the first time since March I've had to fill-up my gastank and I started the month with half a tank.

I hate the bus but I love the money I save!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Miss Authoritiva Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-23-08 11:24 PM
Response to Original message
3. It isn't as though we weren't warned, and it isn't as though this isn't a democracy.
Not only are Americans so frickin' passive, we're also energy retarded. Iceland started building hydrogen fuel cell "gas stations" for cars years ago; Japan, Germany, France, Switzerland, and other European countries have comprehensive commuter train systems; Spain is building incredible solar farms; and France and Holland, among others, have long had industrial wind farms.

And all Americans can think to do is go to the pawn shop to raise some cash to fill their gas tanks.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
notesdev Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 12:05 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. France does it with nuclear power
And if people here started realizing that nuclear power is the "greenest" source of energy that we have, that can make any significant impact on our overall energy use, we'd do what they have done since the 1970s and immediately get to building about 400 more of the things.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
brentspeak Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 12:47 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. Then you should consider advocating for one to be built in your own neighborhood
When I see nuclear power fans asking for reactors built in their own backyards, I might take the idea seriously.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
notesdev Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 01:00 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. Why not?
There are plenty of decent sites for a nuclear power plant in this part of the country, I wouldn't object to one - especially if it means not having a coal plant with all the attendant pollution.

A nuclear power plant isn't a problem for people whose understanding of physics isn't stuck in Cold War popular myth.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Lorentz Donating Member (302 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 01:30 AM
Response to Reply #5
7. Fine by me.
I have a house that's a few miles from the Limerick generating station in PA. Wouldn't think of living anywhere else.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
sbyte Donating Member (205 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 02:32 AM
Response to Reply #7
9. Great to hear someone talking about nuclear power .
Glad to hear some positive opinions. And I though it was taboo to even speak the word. Ya sure don't see many politicians vocabulary.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LanternWaste Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 09:06 AM
Response to Reply #5
19. I'll take one... n/t
I'll take one...

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pokercat999 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Apr-25-08 07:05 AM
Response to Reply #5
25. I'm not exactly a fan of nuclear power but I do live about
six miles or so from a nuclear power plant on Lake Anna, VA. They are/have applied for a permit to build another reactor on that site. Workers in the area are excited about the prospect.

I always figured if there is a really serious problem we might as well live this close and get it over with fast as opposed to 40 miles away and die slowly.
:evilgrin:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
girl gone mad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 03:22 AM
Response to Reply #4
11. France is in danger of having to shut down..
more than two thirds of their nuclear plants over the next three decades due to rising temperatures, flooding and drought along the Rhone and other rivers.

Right now they are running plants that would have been shut down just a few years ago because the intake water used to cool the reactors is too hot, and the water draining from the reactors is too hot, posing a major risk to local plants and animals.

All nuclear plants are heavily subsidized, something we currently can't well afford. Very few ever return the initial investment and maintenance costs.

Promoting conservation is far better option.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
notesdev Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 05:20 AM
Response to Reply #11
13. Conservation
Can, at best, deal with maybe 2% of the problem. It's a good thing, but it's not a solution on its own. Likewise, alternative energy sources like solar. The impact is too small to change the situation substantially.

It's a pick-one (or more) situation: coal, oil, or nuclear. Oil isn't working out as well as we'd like. Overall, nuclear power is a lot cleaner than coal power.

Energy prices control the price of everything else to a substantial degree. If we cut back on energy that necessarily means cutting back on goods, and there's only so far that people will sacrifice in the name of the environment. It is prudent to take a position that states, let's generate the power we need in as responsible a way as we can.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
girl gone mad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 05:47 AM
Response to Reply #13
14. Nuclear plants can only produce electricity.
Less than 1/3 of the energy we need is electricity. We need an oil alternative, and nuclear is not it.

Conservation can achieve a far greater reduction in consumption than 2%. Increased cafe standards and energy efficiency requirements for businesses, homes, light bulbs, appliances, etc. could make a much bigger impact than moving to build nuclear plants would. There are many factors than greatly limit the number of nuclear plants we could build and our money would be better spent investing in renewable clean energy.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 08:44 AM
Response to Reply #14
17. electric cars would change that drastically.
there is NO WAY to "conserve" ourselves out of the situation that we're in.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Apr-25-08 08:12 AM
Response to Reply #17
27. Indeed
We have a saying out in the West that you can't conserve your way out of a drought. Rain has to come, or eventually you're screwed.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Viva_La_Revolution Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 08:26 AM
Response to Reply #13
15. 2%!? my butt...
My family uses just 50% of the energy we did a few years ago. It's not that hard to do, and our lifestyle has hardly changed.

You need to try harder.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Ignis Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 01:06 PM
Response to Reply #11
20. Great points, GGM.
People also tend to overlook that trifling matter called "radioactive waste" in their rush to green up nuclear power.

Just ship it all to Nevada and forget about it, eh? :banghead:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
truedelphi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 02:26 AM
Response to Reply #3
8. Hey they killed Kennedy, MLK Jr, Bobby Kennedy, then stole
Two elections in a row, got us in an illegal war they have no intention of ending, left people to rot in the wake of Katrina and only when gas prices goes up overnight do people wake up.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DemocratInSoCal Donating Member (402 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 08:57 AM
Response to Reply #8
18. People HAVEN'T Woken Up
The SHEEP are still sleeping, figuring this will all blow over.

The GIANT TRUCKS, SUV'S, HUMMERS still Race down the street to the next red light, burning fuel along the way.

People are still MORONS, and they'll continue to be MORONS, even if they have to pawn everything they own in order to buy a tank of gas.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pokercat999 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 04:54 AM
Response to Reply #3
12. I believe those other countries......
ARE DEMOCRATCIES !!!!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Miss Authoritiva Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 02:47 PM
Response to Reply #12
23. Of course they are.
My point about saying "and it isn't as though this isn't a democracy" is that Americans have always had the chance/option to vote in representatives at every level of government who were for comprehensive energy and transportation reforms, to boycott exploitative companies, and to call for "follow the money" investigations into these speculative commodities surges.

But Americans are too busy and/or too indifferent and/or too thoroughly indoctrinated. We always seem to wait until, figuratively and now literally, we're heading out to the pawn shop.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pokercat999 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Apr-25-08 06:59 AM
Response to Reply #23
24. We are correct......nt
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
JackintheGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 02:33 AM
Response to Original message
10. And the scheit thing here in Philly is
that commuting by train doesn't really save any money now, since they raised the prices last winter.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
onehandle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 08:39 AM
Response to Reply #10
16. Atrios reported that even with the rate hike, ridership is up.
Which was unexpected by the train operation.

My wife and I are working on moving to Philly. Bringing our bikes.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
OhioChick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 01:15 PM
Response to Original message
21. K&R
:kick:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
FlyingSquirrel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-24-08 02:43 PM
Response to Original message
22. You can get bikes pretty cheap at the pawn shop
;)

I've been taking a bus in to work these days.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pokercat999 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Apr-25-08 07:08 AM
Response to Reply #22
26. Now that's funny !
Pawn my bike so I can buy more gas....
:rofl:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Wed Nov 13th 2024, 11:35 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC