May 13, 2013

Don't yard sale that! Sell used items for more

It's yard sale season again, arguably the best season there is. But don't put dollar price tags on all your stuff just yet. Your stuff has value, and if you're willing to do a little leg work, you could reap some cash from your unwanted goods.

What to Sell:

Electronics
I sold this beat up glide chair
quickly in a Facebook group
Your 2-year old cell phone that is slightly beat up, your brand spankin' new phone you just cracked on the sidewalk, your netbook you've since replaced with something a bit snazzier, your 20 gb old school iPod: my advice is, don't take these items to the recycling center just yet. I urge you to spend 5 minutes on Craigslist, Amazon or Ebay looking up your device's value. Most people would never guess that people still pay for older electronics. I recently sold my 3-year old netbook (for which I paid $200) for $100 solid on a yard sale Facebook site. My boyfriend bought an iPhone 5 and dropped it, cracking the screen in every which direction. We sold it on Ebay for more than he paid for it. It might not make sense to you, but people want your old electronics because they have value.

Home Goods
No, I'm not talking about my favorite retail store, I'm talking about your extra coffee maker, microwave, toaster, home decor, old wheel barrel, grill, or other household items. Believe it or not, there IS a market for this stuff. Again, the first thing you need to do is check online before you take it to Goodwill. With home goods I've had a lot of success selling my items on Facebook group sites and Craigslist.

Clothes
I must admit I don't sell my clothes, but I still believe they have value. My friends and I have quarterly clothing swaps (no, I'm not joking). We gather at someone's house and everyone brings clothes they want to get rid of and we spread them out throughout the house by category: tops, pants, skirts, dresses. Then we eat some food, and go back to our piles and root through everyone's stuff. I've never left a clothing swap empty handed, and I always leave with stuff I like much more than the stuff I brought. Another option for folks who have name brand clothes in good condition: take it to your local consignment shop. Every consignment shop has different rules, so call ahead and ask before you stop in with all of you stuff. Sometimes they only take clothes during certain hours when specific staff are available.

Textbooks
If you are still in college or fresh out, your textbooks may have value. I've even had some success selling old editions for high prices. Amazon is your baby on this one. It's very simple to list a textbook on Amazon because you only have to list the condition and name your price. Sell it quick, and list it for less than other people's asking prices. Look to sell it in August or January for the best turnaround. Here are some other tips on textbooks: How to Save Major Cash on Textbooks



Where to Sell it:




Craigslist
What to sell: Household goods, lower-priced electronics
How to Use it: I LOVE craigslist, but it's important to stay safe. Never allow anyone into your home. Always meet in a public place. I'd also recommend reading my previous blog post: Craigslist: How to not get scammed


Ebay
What to sell: Nearly anything small in size (you don't want to ship a bookshelf), or things of high value. If you have electronics worth over $150, stick with Ebay for secure payments.
How to Use it: The most valuable feature on Ebay is to see what items have sold for in the past. On the main page search bar click "advanced settings" then check the "completed listings" box and search again. Now you know what people will and have paid for your items. If you want to sell your item, price it lower than that price.



Amazon
What to sell: textbooks, electronics in good condition, smaller items in size.
How to use it: Always do a quick search to see if your item is listed, and if it is, click the "sell on Amazon" icon on that product's page. If your item isn't selling on Amazon, try Ebay. Amazon is the easiest site to use but the fees are the highest.

Facebook groups
What to sell: household items, electronics
How to use it: Log in to Facebook and then in the search bar type in your town or nearby city name + yard sale. In my town you can search "Berks County Yard Sales" and a couple groups come up. Read the site rules posted at the top, and then take photos of your items and post them on the site. Simple, easy, local.






Have you had luck reselling items? Please leave a comment & share your story with our thrifting community!
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