Earn/Save Money

How to Spring Clean and Make Money

The weather is finally warming up, and it’s time to open your windows and get some fresh air in your place. It’s also that special time of year when you realize how much crap you’ve accumulated since last spring that you should probably get rid of. So take a look around, open up those closets and get ready to make some extra cash. Here’s how to spring clean AND make money:

Electronics: Gazelle or NextWorth

Answer a few questions about your old gadget (like a cell phone, ipad etc), and this site will give you an offer on it. If you accept it, you can ship it for free and they will pay you in the form of a check, Amazon/Target gift card or via PayPal. From what I’ve read, Gazelle’s offers are generally a little lower, but you get your money within 7 days. See – now you don’t have to send Apple hate mail for coming out with a new version every 3 days.

Designer clothes/shoes/bags: eBay

The reason I limit eBay to designer clothes is that this is the platform where you will get the most money for these items. Sure, that shirt from BeBe may have looked amazing on you in 2009, but the chances of anyone paying real money for it are slim. People go to eBay with the intention of finding designer items for less, and they search specifically for popular labels – meaning you are very likely to sell this stuff and get multiple bids. I have personally sold some high-end pieces for even more than I originally paid. Read my tutorial on how to sell on eBay like a pro.

All the other old crap from your closet: Clothes swap or consignment

For anything else that you haven’t worn in a full year that isn’t a popular designer label, wash and put aside for either a clothing swap with friends (it sounds cheesy, but it’s a brilliant idea) or find a consignment store in your area like Second Time Around who will choose items they will pay you for if they sell and then donate the remainder of the items to charity.

Make Donations

You might think that it is impossible to profit from making a donation, but there are ways to achieve this. For starters, you could make a boat donation, should you own one that you no longer use. There are organizations out there that will accept your boat as a donation and will then sell the boat at auction. The proceeds from this auction are given to charity, while you are given a tax deduction in the amount for which your boat sold. Make sure that you look at the available resources if you have any questions about boat donation.

Furniture: Craigslist

In the three times that I have moved in NYC, each time I have sold most of my old furniture on craigslist and then purchased new more appropriate (and grown-up) furniture on the same site – making the move a lot more painless. I’ve learned that for the right price, people will buy just about anything off this site – especially in NYC where your seller is usually close by and people are moving all the time. This site may not be as effective in the ‘burbs, but it is definitely a great resource to sell your larger pieces of furniture locally. Just be sure to have someone with you when they come to pick it up, and always do cash-only sales since you’re dealing with strangers. For more tips on how to sell on CL like a pro – check out my post here.

Spring clean your Bills

Phone Bill: Get rid of services you dont use like unlimited data or call waiting to save money every month. Read how I lowered my phone bill.

Cable: Ditch premium channels you don’t use or services like DVR that can add up.

Credit card/bank: Make sure youre getting the best rates from your credit card by calling and asking for a lower rate or switching cards. Also consider switching to an online bank that gives you a better rate on your savings. Read how to choose the right online bank.

 

 

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