In these days of high unemployment and declining home values, people are searching for ways to regain control over their financial lives. For many, that includes paying off debts as quickly as possible. After all, if you no longer have a mortgage, the banker can't foreclose on your house. If your credit card balances are zero, the collection agency will stop calling. If you've retired your auto loan, the repo guy won't be knocking on your front door.

For many small businesses, maintaining adequate cash flow can seem almost impossible. Customers are tightening their belts, lending institutions are rethinking their credit terms, and suppliers are struggling to maintain their own vendor relationships. In today's economy, many business owners have seen their personal net worth plummet and some are facing bankruptcy.

"There's gold in them thar' hills!" said the prospector. There's gold, too, in many homes throughout America, gold that can be exchanged for cash. In fact, the combination of rising gold prices and declining income has led many families to begin exploring their jewelry boxes, digging through cobweb-covered chests, and unlocking safes in an effort to discover gold treasures that...