Want debt forgiveness? Sell your jewellery.

I'm on a roll starting threads again. http://www.thejournal.ie/debtors-should ... 5-Jul2012/ I see Alan Shatter has said people who want to avail of the new Bill to get debt relief should sell their jewellery as its an asset and can be used to offset debt. Even sentimental items such as engagement rings seem to be fair game.

Ah, thats why he's legislating regarding Cash for Gold outlets. (Sorry, me not speak good this morning)

I do agree with him to a certain extent. You cant claim you're completely broke when you have a few grand of jewellery. Personal insolvency/Bankruptcy should be a last resort. If you have a few grand in jewellery then you're not exactly starving

I'm going to sound like a hard b!tch here but I don't disagree with him. I would hate to see someone have to sell their wedding ring or whatever but expensive jewellary is an asset. If you want debt forgiveness then you have to make sacrifices. I work in credit control and so maybe I am biased (bad week with people lying to me about not having money to pay loans then I hear they are just back from holiday/their partner isn't actually just after dying last week etc).

Personally I couldn't sell my jewellery. I don't have a huge amount anyway, but then like a lot of people, I'm extremely sentimental when it comes to certain pieces. Each case is different, but you must have money if you constantly buy fairly expensive pieces, even custom made, - but not wear them because "they're too good to wear"........ There will unfortunatley be number of people who would have no other choice but to their jewellery.

My wedding ring and my engagement ring would be the extent of what I would say is worth anything. I'd never sell though, the diamond in my ER came from my mams ER, it's far too sentimental.

I couldn't bear to part with my wedding or engagement ring. to me they are a symbol of OH and my love for each other. I get a warm fuzzy feeling whenever I look at them.....I don't have much jewelery of value aside from them. I got a bracelet from my mum for my wedding day to go with the dress, which I plan to pass down to a daughter if I am lucky enough to have any.....all my jewelery is gifts (mainly holy medals from my mum) and has so much sentimental value but very little monitary value. My jewelery are things given to me by people who love me and it would break my heart to loose them.......I understand the theory behind his idea but I really don't like it.......I am just really sentimental though...I can't imagine how bad things would have to be for me to part with my wedding ring, and I have been struggling financially for most of my life. I have seen my mother go without food when I was a child, the bills and threatening letters piling in, but she never sold her wedding ring.....I think its the last posession that would go before its just the shirt on your back....

haven't read article but can agree to an extent. We all know the type who lived it up large during the celtic tiger days and are now moaning they are 'broke' yet still drive the 4x4 and dripping in jewels. I do think in that case it's a matter of sellign off what is of value. I wouldn't expect anyone to sell their wedding or ER ring. I got all of my Mum's jewellery when she died and I couldn't sell it - I just couldn't. It's for my girls. Not that there is much there that's worth much. I was going to insure her ER but my Dad said no point as if I lost the ring it wouldn't be it's worth that was important, it's the setimental value (I've lost it since March so hoping he feels the same if he ever finds out!!! it's somewhere in house but can't find it )

[quote="Daff ":3994l51z] I got all of my Mum's jewellery when she died and I couldn't sell it - I just couldn't. It's for my girls. Not that there is much there that's worth much. I was going to insure her ER but my Dad said no point as if I lost the ring it wouldn't be it's worth that was important, it's the setimental value (I've lost it since March so hoping he feels the same if he ever finds out!!! it's somewhere in house but can't find it )[/quote:3994l51z] Not sure if you're religious or not Daff, but my Dad swears by praying to St Anthony at times like this. Fingers crossed the ring will turn up. My Mum lost her engagement ring once, for about 6/7mths years back, and it turned up in the end - so you never know.

I would be inclined to agree, you should live within your means, if you have debt it needs to be paid, if you can't make repayments, and if you have assets that can be sold they should be sold to offset the debt.