Have you ever bought something from a pawn shop? What was it?

Yeah, I found a super cool onyx and mother-of-pearl ring that I knew my girlfriend would love. And the guy behind the counter saw me looking at it and said "I'll give it to you for a hundred bucks." And I winced uncomfortably. And he said "Okay, fifty." And I winced uncomfortably. And he sighed and said "Twenty bucks." And I said: "Sold."

I found a brand new rolling toolbox, retailed for 500 and the pawn shop had it for $135. It was also full of tools so there's that.

I bought a ring at one. It still makes me smile to look at it, but to this day I didn't know if it was a good deal or not. Then again, I'm sure I didn't spend much on it, so I guess as long as I'm smiling, it was worth it.

Bought a tigers eye ring, 10k yellow gold, back in the fall to serve as my November birthstone ring. It's a pretty caramel/amber color and makes me happy to look at it.

Got a guitar that is usually around $600 for 200

Back in the day they were great places to buy music CDs. .. if you were into country and/or rap. Practically zero of any other genre.

I used to buy all my kids Playstation games at the pawn shop. Mostly they were fine, and like 10% of retail cost.

Bought and sold a lot of guns.

I used to buy video games out of the bargain bin at the pawn shop all the time!

Nope. I’ve gone in to look before, and would be open to it, but it always seems to be crappy used stuff priced at very close to what it costs to buy new. Just no reason. I get that stuff might be “priced to negotiate”, but not interested in playing their game.

I bought a drill for my car from a now-defunct pawn shop. That drill was brand new, I got it for 5 bucks. I went home and charged it up 3 years ago and it stills hold a charge.

Yes, I love pawn shops, especially in smaller towns. I have bought guitars and other music equipment, a bit of jewelry, tools, and have been thinking about a handgun. The deals are good and I admit getting a little joy out of others' misfortune.

found a nice little sewing machine at a pawn shop.

I got laid off from my job after 16 years and they gave a whopping $2500 after taxes. I went to a pawn shop and got a great deal on an Omega Seamaster. I considered it my parting gift. 13 months later I got hired back. I wear my Seamaster daily now.

What haven't I bought from a pond shop at one time or another. A pawn shop is a perfect place to get stuff that you need.But you can't afford to pay full price for. There is no shame buying stuff from pawn shops or thrift stores.

Official pawn shop - I bought a slow cooker. Perfect at a much lower price than it would have been if it was still available. The model has been discontinued. I broke the inner pot of my previous one and wanted the same type. I buy almost all my clothes (excluding underwear) at our local hospice shop. You just have to check properly for flaws and stains etc. Put it in the wash and it is fine. It is not a pawn shop, but it ends up being the same principle as one.

I bought my sapphire engagement ring back after my ex stole it and pawned it. I've found some good deals back in the day on cds and movies, mostly in the 90s when they weren't very c**** to buy.

Bought my first electric guitar - a Squier HSS dated to the early '90s - and still have it to this day. They asked $150, I noticed the middle pickup wasn't working, got it for $125. Brought it home, fiddled briefly with the wires, and all pickups were working. Also have bought the occasional used CD or Blu-ray.

Tools and a tool boxes

When i was in Texas I bought a crossbow

The one near is pretty good for music instruments and tools.

Rolex watch which I then sold a year later for double what I paid

About 10 years ago, I bought a really nice trumpet from a local pawn shop for $100 and my nephew still has it and plays it often.

My friend's husband used to buy her very good jewelry from pawn shops, at good prices.

You have to need things, if they have what you need it is usually a good bargain. Usually have a better selection of tools and electronics than thrift shops. Yard sales have the best prices but are hit and miss if you are just looking for a specific thing like a small air compressor or a c**** guitar.

i buy literally everything i can there, tools, guitars, laptops, etc etc.  if youre good at haggling you can usually get stuff youd be buying anyway for pennies so they can recoup a note. they pay about 30 percent market value on items, so if theyve had it sitting a few weeks you can get it at 50-60 to clear the shelf. their money is in banking not as much storage

I was a single mother with one child and very little money. Pawn shops were my friend. Especially for gaming systems. I never had a bad experience.

Bought my wife’s engagement ring from what was technically a pawn shop.

I've bought lots of stuff from them and worked in one for about 5 years.

Got a ring for my future wife, about 20 years ago, got them to throw in a pipe wrench. Still have the pipe wrench.

I occasionally hit up pawn shops to see what deals may be had but have only once actually bought anything -- a soviet-era Zorki 4K rangefinder camera. I think I paid $20? Dude seemed glad to be rid of it. Just remembered another purchase, an Ovation Custom Balladeer acoustic-electric guitar in its original hardshell case for $150. It sounds/plays great but is little more beat up than I noticed in the shop. I had regrettably sold a regular Balladeer as a starving student and this was the step up from that model. 99% of the time I see stuff I'm either uninterested in or uninterested at the price they want and can't be bothered to haggle.

I bought a camera from a pawnshop in 1976. I used it for 15 years.

I went to my first one about 3 weeks ago when a friend was visiting and it was on her bucket list. I just googled one and went to it. It turned out they were in the middle of being evicted from a bigger store down the strip mall and where in the middle of moving. A guy and his teenage daughter doing the move together. Kinda felt bad for the dude. Stuff was just piled in store. My friend bought a sapphire ring for a descent deal. I bought a brand new Fossil watch, needed a battery, and an almost brand new UE Boom newer edition both for $100. I was happy with that. Also felt good about helping the guy out. He seriously was about to lose his business and his livelihood.

A digital voltmeter. I didn't have the cash to buy new, and the pawn shop near my college had one. I still have it.

This was back around 1989. My mom bought me a gold bracelet. We looked at jewelry stores and pawn shops. We ended up buying one priced for weight at a pawn shop. It was heavier than any at the jewelry stores for the same cost and I really loved it. 

I've picked up guns that were shipped to them and bought ammo from them. At some point I think a bought a tool from them.

Never have, never will. I've pawned stuff before though. I have a problem with businesses that profit off the misery of others.

Hunting rifle

I got a window air conditioner in near new condition that helped me survive my 20’s in a studio with no air flow and overheated like crazy in the summer. It was so c**** too.

Bought a motorcycle helmet at one when I was living in Florida.

All the time. I've found some great deals at pawn shops. Anything from firearms to jewelry.

An ancient DeWalt cordless drill. Ancient I tell ya.

Ive bought tools, firearms, and even cast iron at pawn shops. Gotta watch though. Not everything is a deal.

Rings, bracelets

My friend and I bought 3DS’s from a pawn shop in high school so we could play animal crossing.  In college I had a friend buy a phone from one.  I still have the 3DS and it works perfectly. My friend also still has hers and it works less perfectly. No idea about the phone.

Bought a Fender Twin Reverb amp in 1985. Still pumping out the noise.

I buy my guitar strings at a pawn shop.

A window A/C unit

I bought a really cool jade ring from a pawn shop.

No but I sold a ring I found at one.

Microwave

a guitar amp, and a huge bar mirror with the Bass Ale logo

Yeah I used to do pawn shops for tools, especially something that I wouldn't use very often I bought a roofing nailer because I was doing my roof but how often do you do that?

Not me. I might one day, but it feels like a sad place, sort of like the parking lots of hospitals and auto zones.

I bought a laptop from one back in about 2006.

I love pawn shopping. There’s a couple of shops right next to each other in town that I’ll visit once a week just to see what’s new. I’ve bought just about every home/yard tool I’ve ever needed from them and all kinds of other things from c**** to very nice.

I went to college pre-eBay and used to troll all of the pawnshops within 25 miles of campus for musical equipment. I would make low offers on stuff that had been sitting for a while or needed a bit of repair, clean it up, and resell it to students who needed new amps and electric guitars. I kept the best stuff for myself and made enough to pay for about half of my room and board.

My husband has purchased a couple of guns, a compound bow, and some power tools and I've purchased a few DVDs and some video games as gifts

Got a 1972 Telecaster for $100. Cool guitar but I had to sell it a year later and got $300. Of course all this was in the mid 80s. Also once got a brand new .380 Bersa for $50. Twas a piece of c*** however and sold it also. More recently got a pretty good fender tube amp. I like shopping at pawnshops but it's a mixed bag, Buyers beware

got a nice Gerber Mk 2 knife from a pawn shop near Ft Bragg

Got a nice pair of binoculars on a trip to Key West. On a trip to vancouver bought a suitcase from a thrift store. I need it to pack our souvenirs!

I bought my bike back after someone stole it out of my garage

My wedding ring (man’s). Twice. I lost the first one within a week.

I’ve never sold, but bought many times. Love a good deal.

bought a SEGA Saturn new in box in the late 90's

The pawn shop in my town sells rolling papers and filters, bongs, trays, etc

Used to all the time. Manual film camera is the first thing off the top of my head.

Gold, jewels, guitars, and music