Operating Segment Information (Current Classification of Administrative and Operating Expenses) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Revenue
Pawn loan fees and service charges	$ 68,348	$ 59,507	$ 135,237	$ 117,788
Proceeds from disposition of merchandise	130,293	113,850	290,954	255,733
Consumer loan fees	132,414	115,865	255,541	224,307
Other	3,197	2,859	7,725	7,315
Total Revenue	334,252	292,081	689,457	605,143
Disposed merchandise	79,275	70,417	178,852	160,362
Consumer loan loss provision	45,129	44,934	84,629	78,827
Total Cost of Revenue	124,404	115,351	263,481	239,189
Net Revenue	209,848	176,730	425,976	365,954
Expenses
Operations	115,076	101,931	228,477	198,450
Administration	32,640	25,446	59,697	50,994
Depreciation and amortization	12,308	10,215	24,750	20,933
Total expenses	160,024	137,592	312,924	270,377
Income from operations	49,824	39,138	113,052	95,577
Total assets	1,504,237	1,300,487	1,504,237	1,300,487	1,427,186
Goodwill	546,674	513,758	546,674	513,758	543,324
E-Commerce [Member]
Revenue
Pawn loan fees and service charges
Proceeds from disposition of merchandise	29		29
Consumer loan fees	105,094	89,083	202,386	169,981
Other	339	202	880	518
Total Revenue	105,462	89,285	203,295	170,499
Disposed merchandise	23		23
Consumer loan loss provision	40,373	39,915	76,690	70,822
Total Cost of Revenue	40,396	39,915	76,713	70,822
Net Revenue	65,066	49,370	126,582	99,677
Expenses
Operations	28,605	24,311	53,490	43,989
Administration	15,369	12,326	28,749	23,439
Depreciation and amortization	2,782	2,030	5,722	4,061
Total expenses	46,756	38,667	87,961	71,489
Income from operations	18,310	10,703	38,621	28,188
Total assets	396,928	380,576	396,928	380,576
Goodwill	210,282	210,282	210,282	210,282
E-Commerce [Member] | Domestic Country [Member]
Revenue
Pawn loan fees and service charges
Proceeds from disposition of merchandise	29		29
Consumer loan fees	55,212	67,277	113,923	129,911
Other	110	202	343	518
Total Revenue	55,351	67,479	114,295	130,429
Disposed merchandise	23		23
Consumer loan loss provision	16,504	29,466	33,662	52,879
Total Cost of Revenue	16,527	29,466	33,685	52,879
Net Revenue	38,824	38,013	80,610	77,550
Expenses
Operations	13,363	16,634	27,211	30,413
Administration	9,368	8,948	17,681	17,200
Depreciation and amortization	2,574	1,959	5,322	3,931
Total expenses	25,305	27,541	50,214	51,544
Income from operations	13,519	10,472	30,396	26,006
Total assets	304,586	332,809	304,586	332,809
Goodwill
E-Commerce [Member] | Foreign Country [Member]
Revenue
Consumer loan fees	49,882	21,806	88,463	40,070
Other	229		537
Total Revenue	50,111	21,806	89,000	40,070
Consumer loan loss provision	23,869	10,449	43,028	17,943
Total Cost of Revenue	23,869	10,449	43,028	17,943
Net Revenue	26,242	11,357	45,972	22,127
Expenses
Operations	15,242	7,677	26,279	13,576
Administration	6,001	3,378	11,068	6,239
Depreciation and amortization	208	71	400	130
Total expenses	21,451	11,126	37,747	19,945
Income from operations	4,791	231	8,225	2,182
Total assets	92,342	47,767	92,342	47,767
Retail Services [Member]
Revenue
Pawn loan fees and service charges	68,348	59,507	135,237	117,788
Proceeds from disposition of merchandise	130,264	113,850	290,925	255,733
Consumer loan fees	27,320	26,782	53,155	54,326
Other	2,858	2,657	6,845	6,797
Total Revenue	228,790	202,796	486,162	434,644
Disposed merchandise	79,252	70,417	178,829	160,362
Consumer loan loss provision	4,756	5,019	7,939	8,005
Total Cost of Revenue	84,008	75,436	186,768	168,367
Net Revenue	144,782	127,360	299,394	266,277
Expenses
Operations	86,471	77,620	174,987	154,461
Administration	17,271	13,120	30,948	27,555
Depreciation and amortization	9,526	8,185	19,028	16,872
Total expenses	113,268	98,925	224,963	198,888
Income from operations	31,514	28,435	74,431	67,389
Total assets	1,107,309	919,911	1,107,309	919,911
Goodwill	336,392	303,476	336,392	303,476
Retail Services [Member] | Domestic Country [Member]
Revenue
Pawn loan fees and service charges	61,158	51,080	121,384	101,942
Proceeds from disposition of merchandise	130,264	113,850	290,925	255,733
Consumer loan fees	27,320	26,782	53,155	54,326
Other	2,684	2,616	6,569	6,723
Total Revenue	221,426	194,328	472,033	418,724
Disposed merchandise	79,252	70,417	178,829	160,362
Consumer loan loss provision	4,756	5,019	7,939	8,005
Total Cost of Revenue	84,008	75,436	186,768	168,367
Net Revenue	137,418	118,892	285,265	250,357
Expenses
Operations	81,013	72,955	162,744	146,053
Administration	14,793	10,926	25,994	23,382
Depreciation and amortization	8,066	6,954	16,057	14,498
Total expenses	103,872	90,835	204,795	183,933
Income from operations	33,546	28,057	80,470	66,424
Total assets	971,457	800,774	971,457	800,774
Goodwill
Retail Services [Member] | Foreign Country [Member]
Revenue
Pawn loan fees and service charges	7,190	8,427	13,853	15,846
Proceeds from disposition of merchandise
Consumer loan fees
Other	174	41	276	74
Total Revenue	7,364	8,468	14,129	15,920
Disposed merchandise
Consumer loan loss provision
Total Cost of Revenue
Net Revenue	7,364	8,468	14,129	15,920
Expenses
Operations	5,458	4,665	12,243	8,408
Administration	2,478	2,194	4,954	4,173
Depreciation and amortization	1,460	1,231	2,971	2,374
Total expenses	9,396	8,090	20,168	14,955
Income from operations	(2,032)	378	(6,039)	965
Total assets	135,852	119,137	135,852	119,137
Goodwill