Selling That Unwanted Stuff

One way of generating some additional cash (at least in the short term) is selling that unwanted stuff that you have lying around!

If you have been following the process outlined on this web site, you should have already gone through your house and completed an inventory of all your personal assets. (If you haven't done this step, I recommend that you go back and do it now!)

During this exercise you will have identified any assets or personal possessions that you no longer use or want, and these items are the 'stuff' that you can sell to generate an inflow of cash.

Not a long term solution to any personal finance issues you may have, but if used wisely, even a small inflow of cash can make a significant difference in the long term.

Preparing Your 'Stuff' for Sale

Before you race ahead to the actual selling part, you might need to spend a bit of time preparing your 'stuff' for sale. Your preparations might include cleaning or repairing the items you want to sell, checking out the market value or what 'price' you should be asking for and working out the best way to sell it.

Garage Sales

If you have a lot of stuff to sell, you might want to consider a garage sale. Basically you open your home or your garage on a specific day to anyone who wants to buy. This option involves advertising to let people know where and when, and you need to be reasonably well organized, but it is often a better option than selling each of your unwanted items separately or carting it all to a market.

Selling stuff on ebay

Selling on ebay is another option. There is a small cost involved and you will need a digital camera to take photos of your items. If you don't like the idea of an auction, you do have the option of setting a 'buy it now' price. Just remember that anything you sell on ebay needs to be posted or couriered to the buyer, so do some research on how much it will cost before your create your listing!

Trash and Treasure Markets or Car Boot Sales

If you have a lot of stuff to sell, you might want to consider taking it all to a trash and treasure market. But be prepared to be there early as that is when all of the serious treasure hunters will be there!

Newspaper Adverts

You might like to consider placing an advert in your local newspaper. There is usually a small cost involved, but this can be a very effective method for selling your unwanted items.

Second Hand Dealers

Another option is your local second hand dealer (depending on what you are trying to sell of course). Generally less hassle than some of the other options, but don't expect to get top dollar for your goods, and there is no guarantee that the dealer will want to take all of your items!

Free Classified Advertising

Although very similar to placing an advert in your local paper, with this option it doesn't actually cost you anything to place the add. But you will need to have access to an internet connection!

When You Have Finished Selling That Unwanted Stuff?

So now that you have finished selling that unwanted stuff and have the cash in hand, you need to work out what should you do with it to gain the most benefit financially. My recommendation would be to use the cash to eliminate or reduce one of your debts. Although you miss out on the pleasure of spending the cash today, reducing your debt will mean that you have more cash to spend in the future!

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