What do you want to be when you’re older? Rich, is the likely reply. Thanks to the likes of Zuckerberg and Co, it’s cool to be a twenty-something billionaire with enough power to swing a US election. Okay, it is a great position to be in at such a young age. But, you don’t have to be the founder of a major tech company to add nine zeros to the end of your bank balance.
The home is full of items, most of which you hardly use on a daily basis. Come on – how much use do you get from a George Foreman grill? The answer is between nothing and a little bit less than hardly ever! The thing is, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, which is a fancy way of saying someone will fork out. There’s no way to tell at the moment, but a quick post on eBay will reveal all. And, there is usually enough to make millions, if not billions.
If you need supplementary income, take a look at these hidden gems. After all, an old grill only has so much value!
Apparel
Getting rich isn’t a one-way road, and there are plenty of methods available at your disposal. One is to use the little and often trick which applies to clothing. The odds are high that you and your loved ones have tons of old, non-usable t-shirts, jeans, etc. lying around the house. All they are doing is taking up precious closet space. Some also make you ponder “what was I thinking?!” but that’s a different story for a different day. Any of these second-hand items that are lightly worn or nearly new may go at a fair rate online. Obviously, eBay is the king, yet other companies exist, such as Gumtree. Alternatively, you can offload a cart-full of clothes at a consignment store and they will give you 50% of the returns. This option seems outdated, but lots of people still shop on the high street and consignment stores get lots of foot traffic. Because everyone has used pieces, you should be able to make a sustainable killing.
Designer Accessories
Another good plan is to take the expensive gear that is losing its shine and finding a buyer. Think of Gucci, Versace, Tom Ford and the likes as gold – they never lose their value. Sure, securing the amount you paid may be a pipedream, yet the total sum won’t be too far away. Designer brands have a certain reputation and esteem which makes them desirable regardless of age or condition. Seriously, some people take in worn and torn handbags and get them refurbished. It’s a cheap and simple way to afford a “brand new” Mulberry number. In fact, you can take advantage of this trick by selling accessories back to the manufacturer/supplier. Although Apple isn’t a designer accessory as such, the company accepts old products at a fair rate. Accessories include anything from bags and purses to shoes, hats, scarves, and anything else which is sellable. Checkout Poshmark if you need help; it’s like an online consignment store.
Jewelry
Shiny things are, of course, fair game. Indeed, gold, silver, and platinum are the biggest money-spinners of all. One reason has already been mentioned – they don’t devalue – as has another which is the fact that they are desirable. Probably the main reason people buy fancy jewelry, however, is simple: it looks good. As guys and girls are becoming fashion-conscious, we as a people are beginning to understand the importance of accessories. Quite simply, they revolutionize a style modestly and elegantly and add the cherry on top of the icing. Now, you may be thinking “if I had gold or silver, why would I sell?” It’s a good question, and the answer is that it’s a personal decision. Anything which has sentimental value or which is expensive is hard to put up for sale. However, consider an engagement ring for a moment. Divorced women whose Ex doesn’t want the ring back can get it out of their life and make a pretty penny.
Books
Dead trees are less popular than ever before. Nowadays, the cool kids do their reading online, or they download an ebook. How times have changed. Sadly, the evolution of books has left you with a pile of paper that you no longer need. After all, there is only so many times you can reread a story, Harry Potter excluded, obviously. For the people who are worrying, please don’t because there is a solution. All you have to do is sell them to the right market. Granted, millennials may not be interested but the older generation still likes to feel the touch of paper in their hands. And, even they love to surf the net from time to time. With that in mind, take a look at Amazon and its bookseller app. The good folks at one of Silicon Valley’s leading firms even provide a list to help you set a fair price, although they do charge a fee. The firm Half doesn’t, so you can use Amazon to find the right value and then list it with a competitor.
Electronics
Used computers, laptops and anything which looks new age is another money-spinner. Again, some people can flip them to make a decent profit. Plus, some men and women are geeks who love nothing more than to play with ancient software and hardware. Hey, everyone has a vice! As weird as it sounds, the older stuff tends to be more lucrative because it’s retro. You know how much hipsters love to brag about having a one of a kind item in their collection. So, Apple tech is worth a fortune but only if it’s a first generation Mac that sounds as if it’s about to explode. Not to say that iPhones, iPods, and iPads are worthless – far from it. BuybackExpress is more than willing to take in abandoned electronics which need a home, or anything with some value. The gamers among the readership shouldn’t throw away their Playstation memorabilia just yet, either. Cashforgamers takes in old, scratched disks as well as consoles and controllers. There are similar companies that will do the same for DVDs, tapes, and cassettes.
Gift Cards/Vouchers
This is a funny one because no one intentionally thinks they are going to waste a present. Sometimes, life gets in the way and there is no time. It’s an occupational hazard of being a human being and juggling work and a family. Therefore, the gift cards and vouchers people so thoughtfully bought go to waste. In fact, CEB is a services firm and it reckons almost $1bn worth went unused three years ago. Think how much you’d be worth if you could get in on the action. Well, you can with a proactive mindset and Cardpool. The key is to realize when the voucher is going to run out and then get in touch with buyers. Cardpool offers a slightly discounted amount, but it’s still quite close to the original value. Anyway, it’s pure profit so it doesn’t matter. If you want a better rate, try rivals such as Raise and CardCash.
Musical Instruments
Have you ever tried to start a band? Did you once listen to the Beatles and try to recreate their sound? How about attempting to make it as a bona fide musician? Yep, we have all been through the phase where becoming a rock and roll star is the only goal in life. Obviously, less than 1% of aspiring artists make a living through playing music, so it’s an uphill struggle from the beginning. Still, it never stopped you from buying a top of the range drum kit and a Fender guitar. If it’s good enough for Dave Grohl, then. Sadly, the pipedream didn’t work out the way you wanted and now you have a plethora of instruments taking up valuable space. Good condition guitars will sell for almost three-quarters of their original value, which is something to keep in mind. The same goes for any instrument with a brand name, to be honest. Plenty of companies exist, but you can’t beat Craigslist for a quick and pain-free sale. Don’t forget to throw in all the trimmings such as amps, wires, picks, and drumsticks.
Furniture
There’s no better feeling than getting rid of an old piece and replacing it with a new one. That is until you realize there is nowhere to store it and you have to haul it up to the attic. And, the basement, garage, etc. is where general knick-knacks go so they can’t stay there forever. Rather than sweep a problem under the carpet, you can list them online and get paid to solve an issue. There are many options, but you’ll tend to find buyers on social media. Facebook and Twitter are great platforms. Be sure to post plenty of images from different angles as well as the dimensions, too.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t you want to make money from the comfort of your home?
