How To Make Money Selling Your Stuff – The 2014 Things Challenge

by kathilipp | Feb 19, 2014 | Home | 26 comments

So you’re knee deep in your piles of things to get rid of for the 2014 Things Challenge.

The Problem – some of this stuff is worth some real money!

While it’s great to be generous (and let’s face it, it’s a lot less hassle to give stuff away than to sell it) sometimes it’s worth the time and effort to sell those things off and do wild and crazy things with your money, like feed your family…

I also believe in selling off a variety of “things” in order to get the “one thing” your family needs. Last year I sold dozens of books on Amazon in order to put the money toward a juicer that we wanted for our health plan.  I haven’t missed one of those books, but the juicer is now a beloved part of our family.

So here are just a few ways to get rid of the stuff you need, and get some cash along the way:

The first way  to make money from your unwanted goods is Craigslist.  This is like the greatest garage sale you could ever hold and  the buyers are at your fingertips on the computer.  Although you do the selling and shopping online, the buyer meets you at an arranged location. There are some very specific tips to help you out like taking good photos and writing an accurate description of the item. These tips from the Money Saving Mom site will help you to save time and make money without hassle.

When setting up a meeting place, make sure it’s always a populated area or if it’s an item you have to have picked up at your home, make sure your husband or a beefy male friend is on hand. I sat on a jury where a fake Craigslist ad was posted for the sale of a car. The meeting took place at the end of a court and the men “selling” the car were waiting for the buyer (who brought cash” with guns. My son purchased a car through Craigslist the same week I was on the jury (and I was forbidden from talking about the case,) but he took his dad to the meeting – in front of a local Target store.

Selling things on Ebay is another easy way to get rid of your extra things and make money. Ebay is a website that allows you to download photos and descriptions and you are responsible for shipping the item to the buyer. The most important thing to remember is to do your research. Every detail you put into the description will help the buyer know exactly what they are buying and will be more likely to pay more money for your item.  It is also important to time it right.  Selling that Mickey Mouse costume in the middle of the winter will not be quite as lucrative as selling it in the beginning of October in order to get the money saving mamas buying for Halloween.  Ebay selling tips like setting reasonable prices or having your shipping supplies ready ahead of time will help you get more money for your clutter.

The last way to make money from getting rid of your stuff is a feel good way – donating.  The IRS rewards generosity with money-saving tax perks for certain charitable contributions. As in the other ways, research is very important in knowing the cost of the items you are giving away.  It is also crucial to decide on a place where the organization wants you items and will be able to use them.

Next week we’ll be talking about how to get the whole family in on a garage sale and make even more money from all of your stuff!

Whichever way you choose, do your research so you know that your time invested is worth the money you will get.  The good news is that you really can make money selling your stuff.  What is a another way that you make money getting rid of your stuff? Tell me in the comments below and you will be entered to win Wisdom Meets Passion by Dan Miller!!! Just one of the 52 books from my library I’m giving away in 2014!