Retired, fixed income, low income, cheap but affordable, unemployed, underpaid, short on funds. Each of these terms has become a part of the lives of many people. We may choose to blame the current downturn in the economy but for many of us we have learned to live “frugally” well before the rest of the population found it necessary.
Take it one week at a time
A lot has been written about how to save money, perhaps by adapting a budget and then sticking to it or taking on an extra job. Finding how little you can get by on is what it’s all about and I like to break it down into a weekly plan instead of monthly schedules. If I try to spread my income out over an entire month I find there is very little money left over before I run out of month. Those of us on fixed incomes are aware of when to expect our next infusion of cash and try to plan accordingly, but there are some additions that can be to our benefit if we just look around. My home had a lot of “stuff” that we no longer use or in fact never did actually use. Here are a few ways to “move your stuff”:
Yard Sales are not for the “faint of heart”
There is a lot to consider and a large amount of planning that should be part of having a yard sale. How many tables will be needed? Will it rain on the day of your yard sale? How early to start the sale? Yard sale goers are generally early birds so no matter the sale hours you state on the advertisement, expect to see some of them arriving at five to six AM so be prepared to get up early. They will want to “haggle” over each price on every item no matter what your price sticker says. They consider that an “asking” price and most yard sale goers love to offer about half (or lower) you’re your asking price. You must decide how badly you want to get rid of your “stuff” and not be stuck with it. Keep in mind if you really want to get rid of it, no matter the price, don’t let that potential buyer walk away without your “stuff”. Then it becomes their “stuff” and you will most likely find it for sale at their next yard sale.
Auctions cost but can be very effective
Some say that eBay and Yahoo auctions (among many other internet auction sites) are the world’s largest yard sales. You can most likely find anything you ever dreamt of wanting or needing on these web based sites. Selling your “stuff” can be fun and profitable on the internet because you don’t need to be awakened at five AM only to be haggled down to pennies on the dollar for your merchandise. They do charge fees for the use of their site but it is possible to sell virtually anything there (no live animals or fire arms). Depending on the type of sale you offer, whether you begin the bidding at a penny or have a “buy it now” price in mind, the bidding process can be fun and very effective at times. Just be prepared to let your “stuff” go for less than you’d anticipated in some instances. Of course if the bidders get competitive you may be pleasantly surprised by the outcome. You will need to decide how you wish to be paid, either by check, money order, or use Paypal (a good idea). Then you must ship the items at your own cost (shipping cost will be part of the ad).
Amazon will sell your “stuff” for you
Another internet based point of sale to consider is Amazon.com. They sell almost anything and will sell yours for you at no cost up front. They will collect a commission when your items sell but you don’t need to worry about collecting your money, just ship it when the sale is completed and they will pay you plus reimburse your shipping costs. If your “stuff” does not sell you can simply keep it listed there or delete it (no cost until it sells).
Bartering trades your expertise for someone else’s “stuff”
When money is tightest will be the time your brakes go out or the air conditioning in your home needs repair, it never fails. You may be able to swap labor with someone if you have a trade that is of value to someone else. Places like Craig’s List on the internet can bring people together to barter their labor. Need your computer repaired? Maybe you can find someone who knows how and wants some of your “stuff” in exchange.
The world is wide open to those who only have to look. Now I know why we kept all this “stuff” all this time, we were waiting until we could appreciate it most.