(BPT) – How many people do you have on your holiday shopping list? And how much are you planning – or able – to spend on gifts?

The average American will spend slightly more than $700 on holiday gifts this year, ABC World News with Diane Sawyer reports. Some people plan ahead and save up during the year for holiday gifts, but for many others, the holiday shopping season can be a huge drain on savings.

If you’re ready to start your holiday shopping, you may be surprised to learn that you have cash just lying around your house in your jewelry box or the back of your drawer. Selling your old or unused gold and silver items can provide you with some, or even all, of the funding you may need to check everyone off your shopping list.

So how does it work?

First, make a decision to sell the gold and silver items you don’t want, any jewelry that is broken, missing stones or out of style and don’t forget to add sterling silverware, dental gold, and coins to your selling list.

The Gold Guys were rated the No.1 Gold Buyer Worldwide by toptenreviews.com, an online consumer review and rating service. Joe Beasy and Shane Maguire, owners of The Gold Guys have built their business on quality customer service and trust. They beat out several well-known national contenders for the honor.

The gold selling process is simple:

* Make sure you send your gold and other items to a company that will return your jewelry to you if you don’t want to accept the offer.

* Mail in to have the unwanted items assessed. Make sure the company you’re using insures the package, and pays for postage. Gold and silver are heavy metals, and postage can add up.

* Receive an offer for the item or items based on the current market value. If you  are comfortable with the offer, accept it!. Your check should be sent to you within 24 hours. If you decline the offer, your items should be sent back immediately.

* Compare prices, and the customer service you received, and collect the cash when you decide to sell. Start planning where you’re going to purchase all the gifts on your shopping list and get started shopping.

Establishing trust with a seller is extremely important to The Gold Guys, who work hard instituting legitimacy in mailing in jewelry and other precious metals for sale. Visit GoldGuys.com to learn more.

In addition, the Gold Guys does have 18 retail locations throughout the U.S.

This holiday season don’t go for broke in buying gifts for all of your loved ones. Instead, dig around in your jewelry box to remove those unwanted gold items that are just collecting dust. And then go out, and enjoy the holiday season with some fun shopping.