While gold can be a great recession-proof investment, you really need to know what you are doing. You have many choices, and you want the right gold investments in your portfolio. Therefore, pay attention to and consider the following helpful advice so that you can make good investment decisions.

Know what gold is currently selling for. While it's convenient to just bring your gold to a shop, do a little internet research first to see what the range is. That way, you can go in knowing how much you can expect to receive. You will know if you are being lowballed.

Be aware of any fees that are attached to the transaction of buying gold. Online purchases come with several types of fees. You may suffer from a markup of as much as ten percent from the dealer. Read all of the fine print to learn about any and all fees that are related to the purchase

If you decide to invest in gold, you need to consider it a long-term investment. The price of gold fluctuates constantly but over the long term, prices increase. Even if you plan to make a large investment in gold, buy gold bars or coins separately over a short period of time.

Try saving on gold by buying some at regular intervals. It doesn't even matter what the current gold price is. Every month or every regular period, try to buy some gold. Its price may be higher one month and lower the next, but that doesn't matter. The consistency is what matters since its value will eventually even out and rise later on due to gold's value going against the value of currency.

One valuable piece of information about gold is that while its dollar value may fluctuate, its purchasing power does not. In other words, if 10 ounces of gold could purchase a car 50 years ago, 10 ounces of gold can still purchase a car today. This is because although the dollar value of the car has increased, so did the dollar value of an ounce of gold.

When selling gold, it is important to realize that most states govern the buying and selling of precious stones and metals. For this reason, you should always bring a valid photo id with you when selling your gold. By only dealing with a reputable dealer who requires identification, you can ensure that there is no stolen items in the store.

Many people find purchasing gold stocks is a wise investment for their portfolio. When stock of companies lose value, the value of gold stocks rise so this provides some protection for their long term investments. Many investment counselors are now recommending inclusion of precious metal stocks in long term retirement accounts.

When in doubt, get it checked out. There are some great knock-off gold pieces out there that really look like the real deal, but are infact fake. The best way to not get duped is by investing in a gold testing kit, or taking the gold piece in question to the pawn shop.

You can sell gold by sending it in the mail. Many sellers enjoy this method due to how simple it is. You put jewelry in a prepaid envelope and you'll eventually get a check. Places that use this option usually pay a lesser amount. Sometimes you'll find that people are only willing to give you 30 percent less of what an item's worth, so watch out.

Do not buy gold from strangers who approach you in the streets and offer to sell it to you at an unreasonably cheap price. It might sound silly but people fall for it all the time. These pieces are brass or gold plated and the seller will do anything to get you to buy it. Ask to go to the pawn shop and if they refuse, walk away.

If you are purchasing gold for investment purposes, understand that there is no guarantee. Amritsar tours fluctuate often, meaning some investors win big and others lose big. Always make sure you are not investing more than you can afford to, and have a clear understanding of the risks before you invest at all.

If you have paid attention to these tips, then you are ready to go ahead and plan out your gold investment strategies. The basic information that has been described is enough to get you going, and now you just need to keep learning. Gold really can help drive your financial future.