Seems like we’ve been hearing about how bad the economy is for a long time now. You probably can’t even count on one hand the number of people you know who have lost their jobs due to lay offs. Hopefully you’re not one of them – but then again, maybe you are.
Some of us are just looking for ways to make a little cash while reducing the clutter in our homes. I guess I fall into both categories. I lost my job in April 2002 and opted to find ways to earn money at home. I have a couple of businesses that I work at, but they don’t offer instant income. No, unfortunately, they require work!
Sometimes we just go through life events that require changes. My mother has moved in with us and we want to move to a more efficient home for all of us. I want a one-story home where she’s not required to use the steps. I also want something smaller with less to take care of. When I look at the way we’re bulging at the seams now, it’s hard to imagine that we can cram it all into something smaller! My thought process now, when trying to determine if something is worth keeping, is this: “Do I really want to move this to another house? Do I love it? Is it worth packing?” and even worse, “Is it worth unpacking?”
Whether you’re looking for money to help pay your bills, or would just like a little extra to stick in your pocket, or to put away for something special, here are a few suggestions for turning your trash into cash!
Run an ad in your local paper to advertise furniture and other large items. Many planned communities have their own newspapers and allow free advertising. Maybe there’s a freezer in your garage that’s not being used. If you, like many others, are trying to downsize, chances are you have an extra sofa or bed that you can’t squeeze into your new place. Sell it!
Have a garage sale if you think you have enough to sell to make it worth the time. I’m not sure I’ve ever made a profit on a garage sale if you count the hours of time spent sorting, cleaning and pricing items on top of the time spent manning the sale all day and working late nights to make it happen.
If you have a digital camera, or at least access to one, try eBay! I have a friend who sold a wireless dog fence on eBay. I recently sold an electric typewriter that hadn’t been used in more than 10 years. The shipping charges, paid by the buyer, were double what I got for the typewriter, but at least I got it out of my house! When cleaning my garage last year looking for items to contribute to our local Boy Scout garage sale, I came across some Playboy mugs that we have had since probably 1970. I didn’t think they were appropriate for the Scouts, but they sold rather easily on eBay. The great thing about eBay is that you have an international audience. Your neighbor may not want what you have, but I would guess that there are millions of people logged into eBay at any one time who are searching for some obscure item that they can’t walk into a store and buy. My first experience with eBay was to find a Buzz Lightyear talking bank for my grandson’s birthday for less than the retail price of $60! I was thinking more about having money to put IN the bank instead of paying a fortune FOR the bank! I found just what I wanted for about $20 and have been hooked on eBay ever since.
After having some success in selling the typewriter, the mugs, and some unopened diet supplements, I’ve decided that (1) you can sell or buy anything on eBay and (2) if you’re not careful, you’ll become an eBay junkie. Once you’ve made your first dollar auctioning off your trash, you’ll find yourself digging through every cabinet for something else to sell. Just this week I took my favorite autographed Springsteen photo off the wall and listed it because I’d rather have the money than the photo. As sick as that may sound, it’s true. Sorry, Bruce.
Whatever your reason, the season is right for auctioning or selling your trash. With Christmas just around the corner, this gives you an opportunity to (1) get rid of stuff you never wanted in the first place, (2) make some money on the old stuff so you can go buy more, or (3) help someone else who may be searching the world for that one thing you have hidden in your closet or garage. |
