Well, I can't tell you how to be a ninja, or a rock star, but I do know a thing or two about shifting things to make a quick buck. In fact, when I need some quick cash, I head to the local Goodwill and always find a few things that I can sell for more than I paid and make a little money. Interested in making a little money? Pay attention:
One thing you can do if you're recently unemployed or just need a little cash is to go through your closet and find a couple things that you have barely worn and sell those. We all have something in the back of our closet that we just had to have because it was on sale, only to get it home and realize that it was about as flattering as a burlap sack. I cleaned out my closet in 2006 when I was pregnant and wanted some money to special-order a crate of Bechamel sauce. I made about $200 selling things that I knew would be out of style when I finally fit into them again. Bechamel is fairly caloric. Anyway, if you're going to do this, you have several options for how to sell: Consignment shops, buy-sell-trade stores, craigslist, ebay, and yard sales are all things I have tried, and found that each has its own pros and cons.
Consignment boutiques and buy-sell-trade stores are both quite ubiquitous; a quick google search should give you a substantial list of shops in your area. Buy-sell-trade stores will pay you cash up front, usually 30-35% of the amount the plan on selling your item for. They will also offer you a trade option, usually around 50% of the selling price. Consignment boutiques charge a one-time fee to open your account, usually around $10. They choose the items that they want to put up for sale in their shop, and when your item sells, they pay you 50% of the selling price. Usually you have to sign a contract to leave your item there for a specified period of time, usually 60 days. At the end of 60 days, you can pick up your check, or reconsign your item(s) if they did not sell. They will also allow you to use your money towards in-store purchases. Consignment is the way to go if you don't mind waiting for your stuff to sell, but buy-sell-trade guarantees that you money, even if the item sits in the store for 6 months and ends up being sold on clearance.
Craigslist is another option that I have become fond of recently.It costs you nothing, and you can post pictures of your item, set your price, and people will contact you if they're interested. I've sold several pairs of Dansko clogs and maternity clothes this way. The drawback is that people will contact you and then decide they're not interested, or that they want you to meet them 45 minutes away to complete the transaction. However, if you think that meeting the person to hand over the item and get the cash is going to be more trouble than the money you would make, you can always just lie and say you sold the item and wait for another bite.
Ebay used to be my favorite way of shifting stuff, and it was definitely lucrative - when the buyers decided to pay, that is. It's an online auction site where you pay a listing fee and and a small commission charge once the item sells, and users bid on your item for a predetermined number of days, usually 3, 5 or 7. The highest bidder at the auction's close is the "winner" (a little misleading as it seems to give some people the impression that they don't have to pay for the item). I finally got fed up with having to re-list things that people "won" and then decided not to pay for. It's also a pain having to ship the items, even though most of the time, the postage is paid by the buyer. Still, frequent trips to the post office can become a burden.
I had a yard sale once. I gathered up a bunch of random junk that I didn't have any place to store, borrowed a few card tables and made some signs. I didn't want to bother with tagging each individual item, so I tagged the tables instead. Everything on one table was $1, the middle table was $3, and the last table was $5. It went all right, and for the last two hours I ended up taking everyone's offers. I didn't make a fortune, but then again, I wasn't selling that much to begin with. And I cleared out some precious storage space in the house, which is priceless.
If you love to putz around antique malls, thrift stores and clearance racks, have above-average taste, and are able to keep up with the latest trends in everything from clothing to home decor, you just may be able to generate a little extra income this way. Trying can't hurt, right? It might even be fun.
Now, just a few words from the wise:
If you're going to go the consignment route, I would suggest doing a google search of consignment shops in your town. Read the customer reviews and visit the shop a few times before you commit to opening your account. When you visit the first time, make a note of the inventory. Return a week later. Has it changed at all? Look at the prices they charge. Are they too high? One consignment boutique here in town prides itself on being upscale. They sell their designer items for about two-thirds of retail value. That's an awful lot to pay for a used item, no matter how good of condition it was in and how fastidious the previous owner was. On the other hand, you don't things to be priced too low, either. Remember, you're getting 50% of the selling price. Another shop in the area sells things ridiculously cheap. It's not much more expensive than Goodwill. While I'm sure she sells a lot this way, it's not that good of a deal for the consignor.
If you're going to use craigslist, make sure to post some good pictures of the item, showing it from all angles, including and defects or blemishes such as holes, scrapes, tears, scratches, etc. This is also true for ebay. Also, make sure you think about your safety when disclosing your name or address or meeting someone to complete a craigslist sale. Meet in a public place during the day, if possible. If someone must come to your home because an object is too large for you to easily transport, play it safe and have them meet you outside. You might even want to have a big burly friend over, just in case. If something doesn't seem right, it's better to not go through with the transaction at all. Your safety is most important.
And if you're going to have a yard sale, make sure you advertise. It's a lot of work to go through if no one comes. A lot of neighborhoods plan a yard sale weekend, which helps with publicity. It also helps to plan it according to what you're selling. If you're selling a lot of kids' stuff, for example, why not pick a weekday when stay-at-home moms are out and about with the kids. Selling a lot of sporting goods and other man things? A weekend may be your best bet.
So, there you have it. A few ideas to make a few bucks. Enjoy!
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