How To Make Money From Your Unwanted Goods

There are no truer words spoken than “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure”. Selling post-consumer goods that can be beneficial to someone else is a great way to make extra money, de-clutter the home and keep trash out of the landfill – providing they are still in usable conditions. Meanwhile the buyer will be getting the goods they want and need for a bargain instead of paying full price for a brand new one.  Plus, they too will be aiding the environment by lengthening the lifespan of used goods.

There are quite a few ways you can sell and make money from unwanted products, all the seller has to do is clean their items, find the right place to sell them, price the items fairly and collect the profits. Here are a few useful tips on how you could make money from your unwanted goods:

Sell items on eBay and Amazon
These online auction sites allow sellers to list their items for a small fee. With eBay the seller has the freedom to sell almost anything while there might be a few exceptions with selling items on Amazon. Always include accurate descriptions and photos to secure positive feedback as this will help you if you want to sell goods online again in the future.

Sell items on Gumtree
This popular online community and classifieds site is a great way to reach millions of potential buyers. Gumtree is mostly free to use, all the seller has to do is upload pictures and write an honest description along with price.

Sell unwanted goods at car boot sales
When the weather allows it, selling your unwanted items can be very lucrative and fun at car boot sales. Search online for your nearest car boot location and contact the organisers to secure a spot.

Up-cycle unwanted items
The up-cycling and handmade community is a growing trend that can be quite gainful for the owner of no longer wanted items. Transforming an old pair of jeans into a fun wallet or spinning a used T-shirt into a reusable bag is a great way to make old goods more desirable and profitable.

Swap party
One way to get rid of unwanted items is to throw a swap party. So, if you wanted to trade clothes for example, you could invite friends to your house and ask them to bring a selection of clothes they no longer want and are willing to swap. So you could swap that top you no longer wear for a gorgeous dress – without spending a penny!

Use social media
You can even use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to help sell, swap or give away goods. Simply write an update about your item and post a picture. You’ll be contacting people you already know so you can be sure your friends in cyber space will see your post.

Charity
Making money from unwanted items is always nice, but if you want to raise cash that goes to a good cause, donate your stuff to a charity shop. Charity shops accept most things, except for electrical goods. If in doubt, speak to the shop you’re donating to.

Chris Turner writes about financial matters on behalf of the specialist debt company Baines and Ernst. Find out how you can manage debts through debt consolidation.