More and more television shows revolving around money saving options and opportunities keep popping up. I love such shows since they are not only interesting and educational, but they can build knowledge and confidence regarding various money-making techniques.
There are three main categories of such shows that I’ve found have proliferated the airways lately, and the options just seem to keep growing.
Auction Shows
I grew up going to auctions as a child, so I know just what kind of deals are out there when it comes to the auction environment. I went to my first storage auction a couple of weeks ago, but they had changed the dates, so I still haven’t lost my storage auction virginity just yet.
There are the wild storage auction battles taking place on Storage Wars, the heavy hitting bidding of Allen Haff and Ton Jones (yes, I said “Ton”) on Auction Hunters, the more laid back atmosphere of the southern-based Auction Kings, and the ever-interesting movie memorabilia finds on Hollywood Treasure.
What you’ll discover when it comes to such shows is really up in the air. Take all these shows together and you can learn something about almost any and every type of antique, collectible, or memorabilia out there.
Pawn Shop Shows
Before I started watching shows like Pawn Stars and Hardcore Pawn, I never really knew much about pawn shops. Besides getting a good education on how to authenticate items that people might “claim” are antiques, I also glean some good haggling and negotiating techniques by way of such shows, which can certainly be beneficial in various resale settings.
The knowledge that such shows provide, also helps viewers to get a better idea of what various items can be worth. However, these types of shows also drive home the point that just because people have an idea of an item’s value, that doesn’t necessarily equate to what they’ll get paid when they resell it. There can be a big gap between an item’s appraised or estimated value and what someone will actually pay for it.
Educational Picks
My educational picks are a smattering of several shows that bring varied offerings to the television viewing audience. With shows like American Pickers and Antique Roadshow, audiences can get a feel for the value of true Americana. They may even see a few items they have sitting in their attics or that were passed down from parents and grandparents.
Meanwhile, programs such as ’til Debt do us Part or The Suze Orman Show can cater more toward everyday financial hurdles the average American might face. From paying down debt and cutting expenses, to making the right investment choices, planning for a child’s education, and deciding whether one can actually afford a big ticket purchase, such shows can help build a viewer’s financial education.
While I don’t do everything such shows recommend — choosing instead to make my own financial decisions — sometimes I can pull certain aspects of what they advocate into my own financial lifestyle.
More From This Contributor:
5 Websites that Could Save You Money
How One Page Simplified My Financial Life
Valuable Financial Lessons From Mom and Dad
Disclaimer:
The author is not a licensed financial professional. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Any action taken by the reader due to the information provided in this article is solely at the reader’s discretion.
