Icetruck.tv News Blog

Secret

Lifestyle

15 Signs You Have a Not So Secret Admirer

15 Signs You Have a Not So Secret Admirer


Sometimes it’s difficult to tell if someone is a secret admirer or if they’re just an amicable person. It would be embarrassing to assume someone is interested in you only to find out that’s how they treat everybody. But usually, there are telltale signs that someone has a crush on you. Actually, they’re relatively predictable signs.

15 signs that you have a not so secret admirer

Unclear on whether someone is casually glancing or crushing on you? Here is how you can tell.

1. Constantly looking at you

The person who admires you will watch you every time you walk into the room. They may smile or try to catch your eye. They’ll attempt to say hello as you walk by their desk. During the day, when you look up from your computer, you’ll notice they’re staring at you.

They may smile again or nod their head. It’s all a ploy to get your attention. They want but don’t want you to realize they’re interested. It’s the beginning of a cat-and-mouse game that not so secret admirers like to play.

  1. Body language

Your secret admirer may act nervous around you, fumbling with papers, or repeatedly dropping their cellphone when they’re talking to you. Or they may show their nervousness around you by non-stop talking.  Secret admirers aren’t always good at hiding their adoration and love. To impress you, they may become a bundle of nerves resulting in clumsiness or over talkativeness.

It’s painful to watch a poor guy bumble his way through a conversation. Some guys try to impress by acting super cool and funny. This may be effective to get your interest and make you laugh. This makes a secret admirer happy because they feel you noticed them.

  1. Notes on your desk

You may find funny little notes on your desk with funny sayings or pictures referring to things you’ve said or things that happened in the office. Or you may find a little note stuck to your car windshield at the end of the workday. These notes may look like a second grader wrote them or typed officially. The notes may be funny or silly, cute, or sweet, anything to get your attention.

The notes probably won’t contain hearts unless your secret admirer is getting bold. But if it’s around Valentine’s Day, you may receive a card with hearts and references to being in love with you. It’s best to enjoy the attention, but not make any judgments yet until you’re sure you know who your admirer. You may not have to wait long; Valentine’s Day has a way of pushing a secret admirer into action.

  1. Little gifts

When you have a secret admirer, little gifts may suddenly show up on your desk or at your front door. You may receive your favorite hot drink, your favorite kombucha drink, or a bouquet. Your co-workers will be curious. They may smile and roll their eyes when you tell them you don’t know who sent these gifts. It’s best to downplay the whole thing and tell everyone your mom is going over the top for your birthday this year…months ahead of time.

  1. Include you in group activities

Your secret admirer will invite you for a drink with a big group of co-workers at a nearby bar. They may ask you to join the office baseball team or a bowling team. They’ll go out of their way to include you in office or church activities. They want to be with you, but so they include you in lots of group activities. This way, they can still admire you without revealing their fondness for you.

  1. Smiling at you all the time.

Secret admirers are often compared to a lovesick puppy. They’ll have an enormous smile plastered across their face. They’ll smile at you and at everything you say. They are over the top infatuated with you, and it shows on their face. It may be challenging to know if you’re the reason for the smile, but a good chance their smile will grow more glowing when you’re around. If you talk to them, their smile will be radiant, and you may wonder if their face will break from all the stretching from their big smile.

  1. Telling you about themselves

Admirers like to tell you important things about themselves. They may tell you about their dog or their family or what they like about eating vegan. They will watch your reaction as they tell you about themselves, hoping you’ll agree or want to know more.

They’re looking for acceptance and an affirmation that you are interested in them. They may tell you about their great aunt’s fascinating shark tooth collection or how they got to shake hands with Elon Musk. It should dawn on you by now that this person is interested in you.

It’s up to you to show interest back or not. If you’re not interested in them, be firm, but gentle in letting them know you’re not interested in their aunts or their famous handshakes. If you don’t tell them now, it will make the conversation more difficult later on.

  1. They seem to be where ever you go.

Your not so secret admirer will suddenly show up at your local grocery store, even though you’ve never seen them at this store before.

They’ll pretend to run into you and mention they shop for organic foods. Or you’ll stop by your favorite coffee shop on Saturday morning, and there is your secret admirer sitting at an outside table. He’ll smile and wave as if he’s surprised to see you then ask you nonchalantly what you’re doing over the weekend.

You may feel this person is stalking you, so trust your gut.  If you feel unsafe, stop going to your regular stores for a bit. Alert your friends and family members about this person and ask them not to give out your information to anyone. If things get worse, call the police or go stay with friends for a few weeks to figure out what to do.

But if this person isn’t stalking you, but just a sweet guy who’s afraid to come forward to ask you out, maybe you should take the first step and ask him to have coffee with you.

  1. They remember things you said

A secret admirer remembers everything you say. They’ll ask you how your dog is doing after her surgery because they heard you mention your dog was having surgery at lunch with your co-workers the day before yesterday. They are into details about you and your life. If you don’t like it, don’t talk about personal things in a group setting and tell your friends not to tell the admirer stuff about you. Friends like to arrange romantic relationships, so tell your friends to back off and give you some space.

  1. They follow you on social media.

Not only will your secret admirer follow you on all your social media sites, but they will like everything you post. They’ll be the first ones to like your posts, adding cute smiley faces or thumbs up. They’ll agree with you or add a few thoughts hoping to get a conversation going with you on the internet. They just can’t help themselves.

  1. They’ll buy you a drink when a big group of you go out for lunch.

If you’re out with a group of co-workers or friends, your admirer will secretly buy you a drink. He’ll tell the server to deliver it to you. It’s fun for him to watch your reaction when the server hands you a free drink. Quickly look around to see who’s watching you. If someone catches your eyes and smiles, good chance, he’s your secret admirer.

  1.  They’ll agree with everything you say

It’s no secret that your admirer wants a relationship with you. He wants you to know he finds you attractive. In conversations, he will agree with everything you say. He’ll be your biggest cheerleader at work or church, commending your intelligence and ability to solve problems. It may be reasonably obvious he’s your secret admirer since he’s the guy jumping up and down every time you say something. Of course, your friends will ask what’s going on, but you can pretend not to know until you decide if you are as interested in this guy as he seems to be in you.

  1. They’ll tease you

Sometimes the easiest way to know someone likes you is to see if they tease you. Teasing is a roundabout way of flirting. It’s showing interest playfully without coming out and saying it. If one guy is teasing you all the time, maybe he’s too shy to ask you out. Go along with it and tease him back if you’re interested.

  1. Drawing you into conversations

Secret admirers aren’t always discreet. Your secret admirer will suddenly pull you into conversations at work to get your opinion or ideas on things. They will love your ideas and suggest to the group to use your ideas. They’ll stop by your desk to ask you a project related question. You’ll suddenly be their go-to person on work issues, tech issues, or if they want to gossip about the boss.

Your other co-workers may roll their eyes and tell you this person has a crush on you. It’s probably worth listening to your co-workers’ observations since they’re watching the whole thing unfold. You could corner your secret admirer and ask them why they’re suddenly interested in you. Or, you could wait for one more sign that they’re a secret admirer.

  1. Asking you about yourself

Your secret admirer will be immensely curious about you. They’ll pepper you with questions until you’re exhausted answering them. They ask you things along these lines:

  • Where you grew up
  • Where you went to college
  • Your best job growing up
  • Your favorite music
  • What movies you love
  • Your favorite restaurant
  • Your favorite coffee shop

Final Thoughts on Understanding Your Not So Secret Admirer

If you haven’t figured out who your secret admirer is when they ask you these questions, it should be the most significant sign that this is the person. Only a secret admirer or your mother shows this amount of interest in you.

The best thing to do at this point is to ask the person why they’re so interested in you. Hopefully, they’ll admit they’re fascinated with you and want a relationship.  If the feeling is mutual, you can invite them out for dinner to your favorite restaurant since they know already know what it is.

Lifestyle

15 Red Flags Someone Feels Secret Animosity Towards You

15 Red Flags Someone Feels Secret Animosity Towards You


“I would rather drown myself in the waters of the Sabarmati than harbour hate or animosity in my heart.” – Mahatma Gandhi

The powerful quote above should warn us about the dangers of holding onto hate and resentment. Feeling jealous or disliking someone only brings you down, so why put yourself through that misery? Nothing good ever comes from bottling up feelings, especially hateful ones. Negative emotions lower one’s vitality, while positive feelings such as love and kindness raise it.

All of us should strive to feel universal compassion and understanding for humankind because, without a shred of generosity in our hearts, humanity could not exist. However, some people seem to thrive on bringing others down, unfortunately. Perhaps you encounter someone in your life who you suspect doesn’t like you for whatever reason. If they display any of the signs listed below, they may have hidden jealousy of you.

Here are 15 red flags that someone feels secret animosity towards you:

 

  1. They have closed off body language.

Experts say that people who secretly dislike you or aren’t interested may show the following red flags:

  • pointing their feet away from you
  • avoiding eye contact
  • crossing their arms (though that could be a self-comforting technique, according to ex-FBI agent Joe Navarro)
  • their pupils constrict
  • they shift their jaw a lot
  • they touch their neck, especially the base at the front of the neck, often
  • their reactions seem forced or disinterested
  1. Their smile or laugh seems forced around you.

Another sign of secret hatred or jealousy forced happy emotions could mean that they have something to hide. For example, if you’ve just gotten a raise at work and told someone close to you, they most likely would feel thrilled and excited for you. However, a person harboring resentment may feign smiles just to appease you, but you don’t feel authenticity from their reaction.

Of course, they might just suffer from depression, causing them to have to fake smiles around people. Most of the time, though, you can tell when someone doesn’t have good intentions with you.

  1. They give compliments that seem insincere.

A person who harbors secret jealousy may give you compliments, but they add snide remarks or brag about themselves afterward. Their compliments never seem to come from a place of genuine kindness or love, instead of having an air of passive aggression about them. If someone praises you regularly, they might have a secret plan and just want to get on your right side. Be wary of these types of people, as many narcissists have a charming, friendly nature in the beginning.

These 20 lifestyle changes can help you become a happier person.
  1. If someone feels animosity toward you, they’ll downplay your achievements.

Do you know someone who always undercuts your accomplishments? For example, maybe you lost a lot of weight recently and wanted to share your success with your friends. Instead of congratulating you, they might’ve said something like, “I lost X more pounds than that last year.” No matter what you achieve, they will always find a way to downplay it.

  1. They brag a lot around you.

Expanding on the point above, people who have secret animosity toward you will find a way to dominate any conversation. Every time you bring up something you feel proud of yourself for, they’ll switch it around and make it about them. When you’re around them, you may find that you can’t get a word in edgewise because they always talk about themselves and their achievements.

People who do this feel jealous of you and only brag because they have to defend their ego. Don’t give in to their mind games; simply remain humble and try to distance yourself, if possible.

  1. They seem happy when you fail.

Someone who harbors jealousy toward you will only seem happy when your life isn’t going well. If you notice that they seem joyful when things take a turn for the worse, you might find that you have an energy vampire on your hands. These types of people feed off people’s negative energy and have low vibration. Because they don’t like their own lives, they only seem to come around when your own life is in shambles.

  1. Your friends tell you they’ve been gossiping behind your back.

You hear rumors that they’ve been talking about you when you’re not around. Someone who holds feelings of animosity toward you will gossip about you any chance they get, and won’t care if it hurts your feelings. They would never have the courage to tell you directly to your face, though, because they need your friendship to feed their fragile, damaged ego.

  1. This person never seems truly happy for you.

If a person never seems happy for you, they probably dislike you or feel jealousy toward you. Sadly, even if you talk about it with them, they will likely not change because the issue lies within themselves. People who bring others down have a problem deep inside themselves that they won’t address, instead of causing havoc and destruction in anyone who crosses their path.

  1. They always want to get a rise out of you.

Does this person seem to get off on making you angry or irritated? Do they purposely bring up sore subjects just to get a reaction out of you? If you find that this person loves to stir the pot and often says things to upset you, they probably feel hidden jealousy toward you.

  1. They get passive-aggressive with you.

If someone doesn’t like you, they may harbor a lot of resentment because of pent up feelings. Therefore, if an issue comes up that you need to talk about with them, they may just shut down and not communicate with you. Passive aggressiveness is a very immature, manipulative tactic used by people to get their way when they feel threatened or undermined. Don’t give in to this type of behavior, especially if you’ve done nothing wrong.

  1. If someone feels jealous of you, they’ll talk about themselves a lot.

Because they secretly feel threatened by you, they want to take the attention off you and put themselves in the spotlight. If you’ve recently accomplished something huge in your life, such as landing a new job or starting a business, they will try to one-up you in any way they can. Nothing you do ever seems good enough in their eyes, but they have low self-esteem and take it out on you.

  1. You just feel in your gut that something is off.

If your gut tells you that you shouldn’t trust them or you feel on edge around them, you should listen to your instincts. You can tell within a few seconds of being around someone if you match with their energy because you’ll pick up on their vibes. Feeling anxious or depressed around someone for no reason may indicate that you have picked up on their evil intentions.

  1. If you try to talk to them about it, they flip out on you.

If you try to have a mature conversation with them about how they’ve been behaving, and they deny it or try to gaslight you, then you’ve probably hit a nerve with them. A person who feels guilty about their behaviors or actions will usually try to shift blame or react passive-aggressively. You might not be able to break through to them, but if they don’t come around, take it as a warning from the universe that you should move on from the relationship or friendship.

  1. They make a lot of “jokes” about you around friends or coworkers.

Do they make snarky remarks around your friends about you? We all know when someone is just playing with us or when they mean what they say. If it seems like they make distasteful or hurtful “jokes” about you every time you see them, they probably have intense animosity toward you. Sometimes people display it in covert ways, such as covering up their feelings with sarcastic jokes or rude comments.

  1. They never truly listen to you, and you don’t feel comfortable opening up to them.

Does it feel like they’re in a different world when you talk to them? Or, does it feel like pulling teeth when you want to talk about something important? If you feel like they’re not interested in conversations with you, they might have animosity toward you.

Final thoughts on signs someone feels animosity about you.

Sometimes, we don’t catch it when people dislike us because they won’t come right out and say it. You may even have a close friend in your life who you get weird vibes from, but you can’t put your finger on the problem. Unfortunately, some people choose to stay in our lives just to use us or make themselves feel better by putting us down.

If you notice any of the red flags above in people in your life, make sure to set clear boundaries with them. You should surround yourself with those who lift you and inspire you, not those with secret agendas who don’t care about your well-being.

Lifestyle

15 Ways a Guy Friend Reveals His Secret Interest in a Romance

15 Ways a Guy Friend Reveals His Secret Interest in


For generations, young ladies have daydreamed about their future suitors while plucking daisy petals to see if he loves them or not. Maybe you have a guy friend, and you have wondered if he wants to take your relationship from friendship to a romance.

Could he also have a physical attraction to you?

Perhaps, yours is a case of love immortalized by award-winning singer, Bonnie Raitt. If he is having romantic thoughts about you, isn’t it time to give people something to talk about? Was that a sparkle of love in his eye, or are you wishfully thinking?

One may argue that platonic relationships can’t exist. Of course, you may still have men whom you consider friends or “brothers.”

Is there one different guy? How can you tell if he is sending you subliminal romantic thoughts?

Do They Want More? Here are Ways to Be Sure

romance

Trying to guess if someone close to you has a secret crush can be a slippery slope. On the one hand, you don’t want to miss out on romance just because you were too afraid to ask. However, you don’t want to look like a fool and put your heart on the line to discover that you misread his intentions.

What’s a girl/guy to do? Should you be upfront with him, or do you risk losing a good friendship? Is it possible that you are misinterpreting his extroversion for flirtation? If you wish there were more to your relationship, how are you going to know unless you ask?

Just about everyone has been in this dilemma of love at least once in their lives. Secret admiration has been the subject of novels, songs, and art since the beginning. Here are fifteen ways to tell if your guy friend secretly wishes for romance.

1. Does He Call or Text a Lot?

Let’s face it; guys would rather be doing anything than talking or texting. While some men are naturally more talkative than others, his daily texts may be more than friendly hellos. It gets even more apparent when he also calls regularly.

Before you chalk it up to chance or boredom, consider the context of his correspondence. Does he send you corny memes for a laugh, or does his conversation have substance? Maybe his day isn’t the same until he hears from you, which is a good sign that he is having romantic thoughts.

2. Are His Conversations Superficial or Meaningful?

Generally, men are not as in touch with their feelings as women are. Even boyfriends and husbands often find it challenging to discuss the more in-depth, emotional meanings of life. While they are all for love, they usually aren’t comfortable talking about it.

Does your guy friend have long, meaningful conversations with you, or are these talks superficial? Can you tell that he is genuinely interested in what you have to say, and can recall the details in later conversations? Either he is a brilliant conversationalist, or he is digging you.

3. Does He Mention Other Women in His Life?

Sometimes, guy friends use their female friends as sounding boards for their romantic interests and conflicts with other women. If this is your buddy, he might be trying to get a woman’s perspective and feels comfortable discussing it with you. However, you don’t want to be a dating therapist for life.

Does he date often and talk about the other women to you? Do you see him flirting with ladies at work or in public? If the only woman he always mentions is his mother, he is either having romantic feelings for you or you should run the other way.

However, you could be the only one in his eyes, and you have yet to realize it. Listen to his conversations and observe his dating life or the lack thereof. He just may be waiting for you to return his love interest.

love quote

4. Does He Seem Nervous Around You?

It’s a man’s nature to feel intimidated or nervous when emotions are involved, especially romance. He may act like a ditzy teenager in puppy love and be amusingly awkward around you. Most men advance from this phase into relaxed confidence as the relationship matures.

Have you noticed that your guy friend is usually calm and collected until he gets around you? Does he seem a bit giddy, clumsy, and stumbles on his words? It could be that he has a secret crush on you.

5. Is He Unusually Interested in Your Life?

While there are anomalies, guys are not usually overly interested in things that women find essential, unless he has romance in mind. If he hasn’t known you for years, he probably isn’t going to remember a lot of details about your life unless he has feelings for you.

Isn’t it odd that he knows all about you without being prompted? Does he know what color your eyes are, your favorite color, or whether you prefer chocolate or vanilla ice-cream? Does it almost seem like he can finish your sentences? He might be a keeper.

6. Is He Jealous of You?

Although jealousy is a complicated emotion to hide, it may be more so for guys. A Platonic buddy wouldn’t care about whom you date and what men you discuss. The only reason a man would get his feathers ruffled would be if he had thoughts of love for you, too.

Does your guy friend seem happy for you when you mention a male love interest, or does he quickly change the subject? Can you see a tinge of the green-eyed monster in his eyes when you are talking to other guys? If he’s jealous, then it may be time for you both to talk.

7. Is He in Touch with You, Literally?

In American society, women are usually the touchy-feely ones. Sometimes, guys misinterpret a lady’s innocent touch on the hand or shoulder as a touch of romance. But if people are attracted to each other, the need to touch is almost irresistible.

The next time you are kicking back with your guy friend, notice how many times he touches you. Does his hand linger on yours, or does he find ways to brush your shoulder, hair, etc.? Maybe he is dreaming of love and touching you as a lover.

8. Is He Often Lost in Your Eyes?

If a stranger continually makes eye contact with you, it is more creepy than romantic. When your guy friend stays locked into your eyes, he may feel a spiritual connection with you. Looking deeply into someone’s eyes indicates trust, honesty, and romance.

9. Does He Truly Notice You?

The bane of many girlfriends and wives is that their men don’t notice things. In the initial stages of romance, guys pay so much attention to their love interest that they often remember the smallest detail. Is he watching you so intently that he knows when something changes, like a new outfit or a different hairstyle?

falling in love

10. Has He Introduced You to His Family and Friends?

Maybe one of your guy friends has always felt like a brother to you, and you already know his family and background. If not, a closer male companion may casually introduce you to family and other friends.

Is he unusually nervous when he invites you to meet his family? He might be eager to see how they react to a possible love interest. Put your best foot forward because these folks may be part of your life soon.

11. Is He More Interested in One-on-One Time Than with Groups?

When people have love in mind, two is company and three is a crowd. Casual male friends may enjoy alone time with you, but they are just as happy in a group activity. Does your guy friend seem to be finding more excuses for private dates?

12. Is He More Than Generous?

It isn’t unusual for a close guy friend to give you a present for your birthday or the holidays. As a friend, his gifts are probably thoughtful but nonspecific enough for anyone. A guy friend who has romance on his mind may give you gifts for no reason, with an unsaid sentimentality.

13. Is He Extra Careful with His Style and Grooming?

A male buddy has no qualms of meeting you in a faded t-shirt and a ball cap covering his un-brushed hair. You’re his friend, so appearances aren’t always essential. If this guy has a romantic eye on you, he will be sure to dress to impress.

14. Does He Go the Extra Mile for You?

True friends help their friends when needed. However, a guy friend who wants more than friendship may be extra helpful. Does yours go out of his way to help you with things so that he can be with you?

15. Look for Yourself in His Life

Does your male friend want to be romantically involved with you? Browse through his social media accounts and notice your presence. Do you see a lot of photos of the two of you together?

romanceFinal Thoughts on Recognizing the Signs of Blooming Romance

Taking a chance on romance can be risky with your guy friend. Is not living with regrets worth the risk? Consider these tell-tale clues and see if they lead you to love. Sometimes, the most excellent relationships start as friends and blossom into more. Don’t let true love pass you unnoticed.

Business

5 Secret Tips on Selling Silver This Year

5 Secret Tips on Selling Silver This Year


5 Secret Tips on Selling Silver This Year

Selling silver is a trade older than many professions today, but it’s showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. With millions of buyers, billions of valuable pieces, and dozens of great markets and resources, this is a robust industry.

But what are the best ways to sell silver? Is there a right way to do it, or a wrong? Join us, today, as we break down five invaluable tips for selling your next silver piece!

1. Separate Your Silver into Different Types

Before you can start down the road to selling your silverware for amazing money, you need to get organized. And that means separating the silver you already have into coins and collectibles, sterling, scrap, and junk silver. And be honest with yourself about what is scrap or junk. You’ll save yourself awkward appraisals down the road, so it’s best to go into this knowing what you do have.

Finding out what kind of silver you have on-hand helps to define your sales strategy. Silver is most found in bullion, collectibles, rare coins, rounds and bars, sterling and junk. Junk silver refers to any silver coin issued before 1965, but the coin must be made of 90% silver. Separating them into specific types of silver will help you to find each seller, as needed.

As an extra note, bullion coin is most suited to investments. But rare coins work best as parts of a collection or on a hobbyist’s mantle. The Morgan silver dollar, for instance, can fetch up to $175 for the right coin and the right buyer.

2. Check out Your Own Merchandise

Next is some more preliminary work before we can move on to the sale itself. Once you have your silverware sorted and ready, you’ll need to ascertain the quality of your silver product to understand its actual value.

First, let’s dispel a pretty common rumor among silverware collectors. A lot of silver jewelry will have the word “silver” printed on it in one location or another. This does indicate the item is made from silver but doesn’t indicate purity or quality in the metal itself. 

A major factor in the value of your silverware is whether or not it is pure, sterling, or silver plated. That third one is especially important, as many pieces are actually silver plated and that makes them essentially worthless in a sale. Silver plating means that the item in question is actually made from a different metal altogether. This can be done in a range of different ways, from electroplating to various liquid treatments, but the result is always the same. A thin layer of silver applied to an item made from a much less valuable metal underneath. 

On the bright side, this silver-plated “silverware” is labeled, far more often than not. Look for an engraving that reads “silver plate”, “EP” (for “electroplated”), or the initials “EPNS”, for silver plated nickel. There’s no guaranteeing whoever plated the item would have marked it but, if you can’t find a mark, it could be a sign that the silver you’re working with is real.

Manufacturers of sterling silver items are expected to mark them as such. So, if you can’t find the word “sterling”, “silver”, or “925” anywhere on it, you might very well be working with a silver plate. Because of regulations, it is rare to find pure silver items out in the world that aren’t inscribed like this.

Lastly, we have to restate: silver plate is of little-to-no value. If you try to sell silver jewelry that has been plated, know that the items have a low resale value. Items you may have inherited could very well be worth nothing much at all if they’re not marked as “sterling”. 

3. Polishing: To Be Avoided at All Costs

It’s only natural, when you come into possession of a lot of gorgeous, older silver, to want to make it look its best. Maybe you’re a genuine enthusiast. Maybe you’re trying to boost your chances of a sale by making the items look better.

Either way, those tarnishes won’t do, and so out you run to the store for a bottle of silver polish.

Stop. Put down your keys, and keep reading. Because, it turns out, polishing your silverware can damage it in ways you didn’t even expect. Chemical polishes, for example, are not formulated for your silverware’s exact age and conditioning. They may be too harsh, ruining the finish and stripping the item of its luster, minimizing its value.

DIY tips for cleaning can be just as damaging. These often use items around the house and will assure you that a simple recipe will do wonders. The truth is, these could end up causing more discoloration and tarnishing than there was in the first place.

The most you should do on your own is to invest in a fine polishing cloth for jewelry if you need to stop or cover up discoloration.

4. Valuate Your Items

Now that the opening acts are out of the way, it’s time to start the main event: selling your item. Well, almost. First, you’ll need to spend some time determining the actual value of your silver.

After all, without some halfway decent research, you and your buyer would both be guessing at its value, and that’s no way to do business. 

Begin by checking online and in stores for the current price of silver, in general. This value changes constantly, and that will factor into when you want to sell. Wait for the sale until the silver price comes down, for instance, and you’re going to get less for each item you sell.

Next, you’ll want to factor in any personalizations on the silverware itself.

Has someone monogrammed it? A short inscription on the inside of a sugar spoon that reads: “To my darling Jessica”? These are nice touches to put on something when you gift it to someone for an anniversary, but they actually lower the value of the silver. And trying to have them removed can be even worse, in some cases. But, as we’ve said already, it’s important to know what you’re working with before you start the sale.

Next, did you know that silverware comes in a limited range of patterns? It does, and this means that certain patterns are worth more than others. Maybe they’re older. Maybe they were once favored by the Royal Family.

Whatever the case, do some research to figure out which pattern of silver you have on your hands. Depending on its age or rarity, you’ll be able to find collectors who are willing to pay a much higher premium for the item. This applies to special mints or limited editions of various coins and a whole host of other silver products, all valued for their designs.

Last on our list: different silver products are valued differently. A specialty item, whether it be a specialty carving set or a cocktail fork, is going to fetch a better price from buyers than something more common. Additionally, having a complete set rather than a few items from the set is also going to bring in more money.

Collectors are going to be interested in unique pieces, but who doesn’t want the complete set of their favorite thing in the world?

5. Appraise Then Sell

By this point, you’ll have come about as far as you can under your own steam. You’ve researched, categorized, cleaned, and given your items a value you think is fair. You’ve done a lot, but there’s more to do, and you should let a professional handle it.

New sellers should evaluate their silverware before a sale, especially if you think you’ve got something good. After all, you may have a hot deal on your hands. A professional appraiser can help you figure out any potential pitfalls and shortcomings in your plan.

You can find an individual to handle the appraisal. This might take time and cost a little more, but you can rely on individual service and be able to conduct your business in private. Alternatively, you might visit an antique store and ask for an appraisal right there on the spot.

This is simpler, but you’ll have to keep your wits about you, as someone may try to strongarm you into selling early. Or, you may reach out online for a rough assessment, instead of an official rating. The benefit here is in the convenience, but also in getting to learn about your item from someone who doesn’t have a vested interest in buying it from you.

Whichever way you go, this step will help you set the value of your item so that you know you’re not letting it go for far less than it’s worth. In addition, with some research and a lot of vetting, you could find a service, ask them to “sell my silver” and let them take care of everything. In terms of the best way to sell silver, it all comes down to how much control you want to have over the process.

Once the evaluation is all clear, you’re free to go out and find the best seller for your item. In terms of where to sell silver, online sales work very well for this kind of transaction. Individual collectors are a great find if you have a rare or valuable item.

On the flip side, if you’re selling something with low value, you could go direct and sell it at a pawn or jewelry shop.

Selling Silver: A Finely Tuned Process

When it comes to selling silver, the more prepared you are the better. Hopefully, today’s tips for selling this lustrous, valuable metal will help set you on the path to big sales in the near future.

Interested in more great content, driven by data-centric analytics? Check out the rest of our awesome blog content, today!

Lifestyle

The Sneakerhead’s Secret: The Best Place to Buy Sneakers Online

The Sneakerhead's Secret: The Best Place to Buy Sneakers Online


The Sneakerhead’s Secret: The Best Place to Buy Sneakers Online

If you like being in style, then you probably like a nice pair of sneakers. But, finding the best places to buy sneakers can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t know where to shop. 

The key to finding the best place to buy sneakers is to shop online. That’s why we’re outlining this comprehensive list of online shoe stores. Keep reading to learn more. 

These Are the Best Places to Buy Sneakers Online

There are literally hundreds of shoe stores around the world that advertise their products online. Don’t be fooled by cheap products and expensive shipping rates. These are the best places to buy sneakers online:

Sneakerboy.com

Sneakerboy is based in Australia and they’re known for carrying the world’s most wanted sneakers. You can find everything from Nike and Reebok to Alexander McQueen and Raf Simons. 

Sneakersnstuff

If you’re looking for Nike Dames sneakers, you can surely find them at Sneakersnstuff. This store originated as a sporting goods store and gradually became a top seller for shoes and related products. Find Adidas, New Balance, Puma, FILA, and more, all here. 

Baitme.com

Baitme actually has brick and mortar stores along the Pacific West Coast offering a diverse and eccentric range of shoes and shoe products. If you don’t live on the West coast, you can always check them out online.

Kith.com

Kith.com has quickly become a powerhouse seller for sneakers online. Last year, they launched the Kith app to make your online shopping experience that much easier. This year, they plan to improve the overall digital shopping experience across all platforms.

Footpatrol

Footpatrol is best known for carrying products that can be used for the gym. Look for Adidas, New Balance, Asics, Reebok, and Nike shoes at this online retailer from Australia to the UK. 

Shoepalace.com

Another West Coast brand, Shoepalace.com offers a strong presence of West Coast styles. If you’re looking for something unique to add to your shoe collection, this is definitely the place to start. You’ll find performance-based brands, too, like Anta and Brooks and Mizuno.

Sneakerpolitics.com

If you want to think outside the box a little bit when it comes to where you usually buy your sneakers, consider Sneakerpolitics.com. They have brick and mortar stores based out of Louisiana with a strong web presence. The regular store and online store sell today’s top brands like Adidas, Nike, and Jordan, as well as some niche labels.

Solebox

Based out of Germany, Solebox sells various brands with international shipping available. Not only do they carry the major name brands like Nike, Adidas, and Puma, but they also have a few specialty names like Diadora and Saucony.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know all the best places to buy sneakers online, you can stock up your closet with all your favorite kicks. The options are literally endless and at your fingertips. You’ll be the most in style and pure envy among your friends.

We hope you enjoyed this post and look forward to bringing you detailed articles about things you need to know most. For further reading, check out this post about the internet and relationships.