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How to Sell Stuff Online and Off to Earn Extra Money

How to Sell Stuff Online and Off to Earn Extra Money

Article Highlights:

  • How to get rid of your textbooks
  • Sell your things on the internet
  • Take your clothes to a consignment shop
 

Written By: Grace W. - Date Posted: 5/5/2009 - Number of Views: 2271 - Grade:   B+

Even if you plowed through our advice on how to get an on- or off-campus job and ignored our take on how to make cash quick, one piece of advice that is hard to ignore is that of turning your old stuff into cold, hard cash.

Sell Textbooks You Don't Need
The easiest way to get extra money from selling stuff you no longer need is to get rid of last semester's textbooks. This may sound like a no-brainer, but take it from someone who worked at a student bookstore; many students do not take advantage of the full amount they could be making back when they sell textbooks. Here are some tips:
  • Sell textbooks early! As soon as you are finished with your book, even at the very end of the semester, sell it back. The best time to get cash for books is during finals week when the professors have given the bookstore their list for next semester's classes. Do not wait until after break.
  •  Make sure your books are in the best condition possible-no torn pages or missing CDS.
  • If you're not getting that great of an offer, try selling directly to another student. Bookstores won't offer as much as you think, especially if they have already met their quota.
Sell on eBay and Other Places Online
eBay may have been one of the best inventions ever. You can sell just about anything on eBay, really anything. Be careful to keep your seller rating up, or people won't want to buy from you.
Another, perhaps easier, way to sell stuff online is through your area's Craigslist. That way people can come pick your stuff up and you don't have to hassle with shipping costs, seller's fees, or ratings. People sell all the same sort of things on Craigslist as they do eBay-clothing, books, furniture, appliances, even pets-so feel free to post your stuff. Research how much you think you can get before creating an ad for your old things.
If you're crafty and have some projects sitting around gathering dust, then you may want to check out Etsy. Etsy is like the eBay specifically for crafters. The only things you can buy and sell online at Etsy are handmade items which makes it the perfect place earn extra money if you're creative. 

Take Your Clothes to a Consignment Shop

There are probably tons of resale shops in your community that will sell your clothing-and usually furniture, too-and give you a percentage of the profits, which is typically around 50 percent. Some consignment shops will just pay you out right and then sell your stuff at a higher price-much like a pawn shop. Both are fast ways to get money quick.

 

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