8 Little Secrets to Owning Jewelry During a Recession

Fashion jewelry has long captured the attention of men and women, young and old. The euphoria of jewelry shopping is as intoxicating as it is addictive. Stylish jewelry not only makes you look good, but can give you a sense of confidence and pride. While the benefits of owning jewelry are many, our ability to buy fashion jewelry often depends on the economy. 

As such, our current economy has consumers looking for alternative ways to own aesthetically pleasing jewelry. Now you can sport the latest jewelry styles without having to empty your wallet. And best of all, you can do it without feeling guilty.

- Buy Pewter - Pewter has become very popular and is a fast-growing niche in fashion jewelry. A combination of tin, copper and antimony, pewter offers buyers the look of silver jewelry while costing considerably less than silver and gold. In many cases, pewter jewelry does not contain lead, which also means it does not tarnish. Cross pendants, as well as other stylish men's jewelry, are now available in pewter. Buying jewelry made of pewter makes money and fashion sense.

- Versatility - Whether you are buying simple jewelry because of its beauty or wearing it to create style, choosing jewelry that is versatile in purpose is a win-win situation. Consider buying pieces that go with most of your outfits. For example, men's leather necklaces and bracelets are suitable for creating a casual, sophisticated style and are equally the perfect complement to a dressier look.

- Affordability - Buy only the jewelry you can afford! Recession is a time of financial stress. It's a wake-up call of sorts when consumers are forced to choose between what they need and what they want. Even if you prefer Tiffany & Co. styles, at that time, it may or may not be financially feasible. Instead, look for an alternative piece of jewelry that looks the same but costs considerably less. If you only have eyes for expensive jewelry, sales and promotional events are great times to buy jewelry at a fraction of the cost.

Choose quality over quantity - Quality no longer means higher prices. Over the years, the quality of fashion jewelry has increased making jewelry ownership more affordable and accessible. A wise financial decision would be a leather necklace that is convenient in creating many styles over a handful of multi-colored necklaces that are limited in style and versatility.

- Estate Sales - Estate sales are wonderful places to find rare pieces of jewelry. Vintage as well as other unique styles make up the majority of jewelry pieces found at estate sales. The classified section of your local newspaper is a great resource for finding estate sales in your area.