I'm being impatient!

littlejen_3

Hello All DFW's,

I've just been working through some figures. I am due to be debt free in March 2010. I think I can be debt free as early as Feb 2009. I am in a job that I don't enjoy but can't leave it until my debt has gone. I am trying to think of ways to make money. I don't really have time to do a second job and the tax on it would be huge anyway. I have been thinking about putting books on amazon and clothes on e-bay or having a car boot sale. I know every penny helps but when I look into this it isn't going to make very much. Is it worth selling second hand goods anyway? Has anyone done it? I have cut back in every way that I can, i've even got rid of the car. I hate my job and want to leave so any tips would be welcome.

Thanks

Debt at worst £36,300
Debt now £26,949
Monthly takehome pay £1800
Monthly debt payments £946

Tashja

We went through a stage of car boots a few weeks back and we made £40 for a couple of hours work - that was all profit and after we had paid for the table.

I would say it is worth looking in to.

T xx

miaxmia

Yes it can be worth it - have sold loads of unwanted goods on ebay - named brands of clothing go very well. Sometimes we have got back more than we paid for an item, other times things have only sold for 99p, but it has all been unwanted items and it all mounts up and you do far better with it than at a car boot sale.

lynzpower

Im not sure what you mean littlejen you hate your job but cant leave till the debt is paid off, can you not get a better job that you like more and that pays more?

Yes, sell anyting you dont need. even if you get 10p for it at a bootsale its 10p that you have to use however you wish. I reckon ive made about 300 from selling off my stuff, and finding new bits all the time. Although theres not much left to sell now.

Thriftylady

I think its definitely worth giving it a go - anything thats just going to sit at the back of a cupboard taking up space might as well be sold, even if its only for a few pence.

I have found that on eBay, things like dresses and suits sell quite well, I would normally get £10 or £15 for something like a dress which you might wear to a wedding, that sort of thing. Whereas, everyday clothes - skirts, shirts etc might only sell for 99p. My tip would be to price them quite low - you are better doing that and selling for a few pence than pricing higher and then not selling at all, because you still have to pay the listing fees even if the item doesn't sell. Have also sold curtains, old mobile phones, hair straighteners, basically anything thats lying round the house taking up space.

With books, amazon is great. There is no upfront listing fee, so you really can't lose. Things like self help or health and wellbeing type books sell for much better prices than the likes of novels. Be wary of pricing heavy books at too low a price, otherwise you could find you make a loss. I made a mistake when listing CDs and didn't realise that the postage allowance was less than that for books, so I copied what other people had done and listed cds at 1p each, then when they were sold I found out that it cost me more to post them than I had actually made in selling them ! But, lesson learnt !

Good luck

lynzpower

Greenmetropolis is anoher book sales place, you get £3 for each book there inc postage. Not bad. Ive only sold 2 though so far, but its early days for the website, nowhere near as developed or famous as amazon or ebay. No listing fees at all though.

I think its the best one ie what you come out with and for buyers all books are the same price, so thats good too. Shame theres not more movement!

littlejen_3

Hi,
I'm in the forces, if I left I would take a massive pay cut so can't leave until my debt is gone and preferably a little saved up too!
Thanks for the other tips tho x

lynzpower

Ah see what you mean littlejen, thats much clearer x