The flight into El Prat was delayed, the cab line long, and my jetlag full-blown. Still, nothing felt heavy until I opened my laptop in a hotel lobby near Plaça de Catalunya. It refused to start. I tried charging, restarting—nothing. I needed a quick solution, fast internet, and preferably, something affordable.
Discover new places and experiences
Someone at reception mentioned Cash Converters, not as a pawn shop, but as a place where people go when they need real answers. I walked ten minutes, found the storefront easily, and walked into a space that looked more like an electronics showroom than anything else. Rows of refurbished laptops, phones, and tablets lined clean glass shelves. A staff member helped me pick out a lightweight notebook, perfect for writing on the go. It came with a guarantee, had been tested, and best of all—it didn’t break the bank.
Later that night, I learned I could have sold my broken laptop to them too. Apparently, computer accessories, even partially working ones, are often brought in and sold for parts or refurbishment. That was lesson one: almost everything has value when you know where to take it.
The Gothic Quarter and the Golden Exchange
Barcelona is gold at sunrise. The light creeps through alleys and explodes into plazas like something staged. One morning, sitting in a quiet café near the Gothic Quarter, I remembered a gold ring I’d been carrying for months. Not a family heirloom—just something I never wore.
I found another Cash Converters nearby and brought it in on a whim. They had a gold and jewelry purchasing program that was straightforward and fast. I handed it over, they did an evaluation, and I walked out with cash I hadn’t expected to have that day. I could have opted for their reclaimable sale service—selling it temporarily with the option to buy it back—but this time, I let it go.
Later, I saw a young couple buying an engagement ring from the sustainable jewelry section. The staff told me it had been professionally cleaned, valued, and certified. That moment stuck with me: someone else’s past becoming part of someone else’s future.
Valencia: A Marketplace Disguised as a Storefront
Valencia’s market culture runs deep. Fresh produce, fish, spices—it all flows through Mercado Central like music. The colors, the aromas, the rhythm of negotiation—it’s an ecosystem of exchange, and somehow, that spirit carries over into the local Cash Converters just a few blocks away. From the outside, the store looked modest, but inside, it felt alive with motion—like a community moving things forward, piece by piece.
I stopped in out of curiosity and ended up walking out with a Thermomix I didn’t even know I needed. The price caught my eye—marked down more than 50% from retail—and the staff member explained it had only been used a few times, fully tested, and reconditioned. The flat I was renting had a well-stocked kitchen, and for the first time in weeks, I felt like cooking again. That night I made paella with saffron I’d picked up from a spice stall. The next morning, lentils with chorizo. Even stewed octopus made its way onto the table by the end of the week.
The staff told me it wasn’t uncommon. Many locals trade in barely-used home appliances—things gifted but never opened, or gadgets that people bought and realized they didn’t need. It’s a kind of culinary recycling system, where someone’s underused kitchen gear becomes someone else’s daily tool.
During the same visit, I watched a college student sell sports gear to make rent, another guy trade in a drone he had flown once, and a young woman drop off her DJ controller as she shifted careers. The inventory on display constantly shifted, reflecting the real lives of the people walking through the doors.
I asked how they managed to keep everything so organized. One of the employees pulled up their inventory dashboard, showing me how they track, transfer, and request items across all their stores in Spain. It wasn’t just a store—it was a living network.
Madrid: Selling a Story in Pieces
Madrid was intense—fast, electric, with late-night energy that didn’t ask for permission. I spent a few days near Lavapiés, journaling and photographing street performers. One morning, I realized I had too much gear. A camera lens, an old tripod, a smartwatch, and noise-cancelling headphones—none of which I’d touched in over two weeks.
I packed them up and took them to the Cash Converters store on Calle Bravo Murillo. The place was buzzing. One guy was selling a flat-screen TV, another had a toolbox full of unused equipment. I got quotes fast. The inspection was efficient, and everything was handled with respect—no haggling, no pressure.
They also explained their appointment system for faster processing and how I could do online renewals if I ever chose their reclaimable sale option again. It felt modern. Streamlined. Practical.
I left that store with a smaller pack, a pocket full of new options, and a lot fewer things weighing me down.
Seville’s Soundtrack and a New Companion
Seville is music. It drips off the walls. One evening, I wandered into a square filled with impromptu flamenco, and I wished I had something better to capture the sound. My phone wasn’t cutting it anymore.
The next day, I walked into Cash Converters with the goal of upgrading. I walked out with a refurbished iPhone—tested, unlocked, and smooth as new. I also picked up a voice recorder for ambient sound capture. The guy at the counter told me I could sell it back when I left Spain if I didn’t want to travel with it. That kind of buy-sell flexibility was rare.
I ended up also buying a watch, sleek and simple. Nearby, someone else was selling a GoPro, and another person had a TV remote and accessories they no longer needed. The transaction wasn’t just about money—it was about mobility.
Granada: A Story Carried by Jewels
Granada is quiet in the mornings. I wandered through the Albaicín, breathing in the silence and thinking about the silver bracelet I’d bought years ago in Morocco. I hadn’t worn it since. That day, I walked into a Cash Converters and sold it. Not because I needed the money, but because it deserved another wrist.
They explained the process for jewelry buybacks and how gold and silver pieces are assessed. They also told me about recyclable sales—if I wanted to sell something valuable short-term, I could do so and reclaim it later, even online.
I bought a small tablet for reading and editing photos on the go. At checkout, I was offered a brief overview of user account features—ways to track transactions, set alerts for restocks, and manage evaluations. I hadn’t realized Cash Converters operated like a hybrid of store and service platform. It wasn’t just physical anymore. It was networked.
Málaga: Writing, Recording, and Letting Go
Málaga is built for artists. I set up in a hostel with a desk and a good window. But my audio interface wasn’t compatible with the Spanish voltage system, and I didn’t want to risk frying it. I took it to Cash Converters and sold it within minutes. They explained they also accept audio equipment, studio gear, and even instruments.
Someone next to me was buying a gaming console, another was selling kitchen tools, and the staff helped them through the process using the in-store data dashboard that syncs their product information across Spain. It was fast, transparent, and better organized than most new-tech stores I’ve been to.
I walked out with a pair of earbuds, a tiny Bluetooth speaker, and enough euros to keep me writing for the next week without worry.
Bilbao: Tools, Trade, and Time
In Bilbao, I helped a fellow traveler fix a loose drawer in their rented apartment. They joked I should carry tools, and I remembered I had a set—one I hadn’t used in months. I sold it at the local Cash Converters, along with a power bank and a tangled mess of charging cables I didn’t need anymore.
Nearby, someone was setting up to sell DJ decks, and another was buying a refurbished laptop. I talked to the staff for a while. They said even sound items, video games, and TVs move quickly in this part of the country.
What made it all seamless was the use of their digital booking system. I booked, showed up, and finished the transaction all within 30 minutes. I got a receipt and instructions on how to follow up online if needed.
Zaragoza to Santiago de Compostela: Travel in Cycles
As I made my way from Zaragoza west toward Santiago, the rhythm became natural. Buy a gadget when needed, sell it when done. Upgrade only when it made sense. At each city, Cash Converters offered stability, flexibility, and a genuine alternative to wasteful spending.
What I bought along the way:
- Refurbished iPhone
- Tablet
- Laptop
- TV
- Bluetooth speaker
- Thermomix
- Watch
- Jewelry
What I sold:
- Smartwatch
- Tripod
- Camera lens
- Tablet
- Gold ring
- Bracelet
- Fitness gear
- Tools
- DJ equipment
- Earphones
- Sound recorder
And what I discovered was more than resale value. I discovered a new way to move—lighter, freer, and better equipped for wherever the road led next.
