RIP-OFF ALERT: We've all seen the ads running constantly on bad late-night TV that promise you can turn your unloved gold jewelry into cash.

The Los Angeles Times recently ran a piece on Cash4Gold.com -- one of the most popular of these outfits that make such promises. The newspaper found that the amount of money you get is pitiful compared to the jewelry's worth. In one instance, a man sent in $150 worth of gold and got a check back for 15 cents!

Cash4Gold.com isn't the only company running such an operation. Others include Dollars4Gold, GoldKit and GoldPaq, according to the newspaper.

In a separate investigation, Inside Edition had a jewelry expert grade the value of the raw material in 23 samples before sending them off. The assessment came in at nearly $1,000…and Cash4Gold sent a check for $209.81 -- roughly 20 cents on the dollar!

It's like the Midas touch in reverse.

Be particularly wary of turning to an "insta-answer" option like selling your old jewelry online when you're feeling desperate. Payday loans and early tax refund loans also fall into the "insta-answer" category.

The truth is that a piece of jewelry is never worth what you originally paid. Part of what you buy is a sentimental attachment. Remember that jewelry is not an investment…unless it's an investment in the heart.