Selling things on Ebay during BR?

newlifein2011

Hello,

I went Bankrupt 2 months ago and so far so good (if that's the right word?!) things are certainly settling down though.

I am however getting stressed about Christmas although there are area's of our budget which can be used for this going forwards with car repairs I've had to pay for and road tax due next month there just isn't enough time to put aside enough money to cover even a basic Christmas.

I am looking to sell some of my belongings to help to pay for a simple Christmas (nothing spectacular and only really enough so that we can buy gifts for our two children, I have already made a great start at boot sales but will need a little more).

Is OK to do this or could the OR see it as income and want to take it? I am thinking max value of around £250 if things sell well.

Thanks

skylight

Selling personal items is AOK. Unless its that Rembrandt you were thinking of shifting!!!!

Obviously if you have anything of exceptional value that you declared to the OR cannot be sold. Anything else is your business. You cannot buy stuff to sell on as that makes you a business with tax and other implications with income and OR etc - blah, blah (unless you want to get into it that far??)

alastairq

hi............Christmas for many has become a spectre lurking at the bottom of one's purse....Try looking on some of MSE's other forums, especially for money-saving ideas [for Xmas]...

The car is an important bill to be met.....and there are an incredible number of folk out there these days with exactly the same money issues as you.....so short-changing Christmas is more widespread than imagined.


AN example of my own tite-waddedness is the free £20's worth of Amazon vouchers I'm after, simply for starting up their Lovefilm account...which I have no intention of pursuing and will cancel as soon as the vouchers arrive....

Now...Amazon vouchers are apparently a present every young individual would really like, since Amazon don't just sell books and films....it used to be book tokens in my youth...no use at all if one really wanted paint brushes!

Ineedaname

I remember many Christmases with only one present under the tree from mum and dad, and that not of any great value, maybe just a board game I particularly wanted. Always had a 'stocking' at the end of the bed, usually containing an orange, a bag of chocolate coins and a few other items worth a few pennies each.

Decorations were so much more fun when you had to make them yourself too - remember the paper chains hung across the ceiling?

Spending time together as a family at Christmas is far more valuable than any material items that will be discarded or broken by New Year.

Valli

While I fully appreciate where you're coming from it seems somewhat ironic to be selling stuff so you can buy more stuff.

Anyway (you don't say how old your children are) keep an eye out in charity shops and when you are car booting for stuff for the kids! I have bought gifts from there before. I also top up my PAYG phone at Boots, using the advantage card because that's 40p worth of points every time for money I would spend anyway. And keep and eye on the freebies and comps boards. You never know!

Good luck with it all!

Tupperware_Queen

well done on refocusing Newlife - its the attitude change which is the hardest - I note that you are not talking about spending hundreds of pounds, you just want to make a special day for your kids. I have great empathy - I was in the exact same position last year. As has been suggested, I scoured charity shops, got bogof deals etc etc I also did lots of home baking for gifts to friends and family.

Not much help for this year, but last year I set up a credit union account and began saving in their Christmas fund. I just got my money for this years Christmas shopping, I was only able to put away £20 a month, so its still not going to be an extravagant Christmas, but for the first time in years I have some savings rather than borrowing. Had a very long discussion with my sons, they understand that the budget for their pressies is £50 each - I have let them think about what they would like. Now I know that some people will think that is wrong, it spoils the spirit etc, but I want them to appreciate the value of money, and I also want to manage expectations - before separating from OH we would spend silly money on both kids ( most of it on CC to my shame) My kids are teenage, so I suppose its easier to talk about money with that age, I appreciate little kids may not understand Santa has a budget.

Good luck with your budget Christmas - believe me, budget can still be cheerful...the sense of satisfaction last year knowing that none of the pressies put me in debt was wonderful!

tigerfeet2006

As has been stated it is fine for you to sell a few of your own things on Ebay as long as you are not buying stuff to sell on at a profit.

I second TQ's advice to get a Credit Union account if you possibly can. It's great for saving for things like Christmas.

Also get yourself over to the Christmas and other Yuletide Celebrations board
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=101&order=desc

Look out the Freebies board as well and don't forget the Oldstyle board.

I am sure you will make this a very special Christmas for your children.

Ineedaname

Tupperware_Queen wrote: »

Had a very long discussion with my sons, they understand that the budget for their pressies is £50 each - I have let them think about what they would like. Now I know that some people will think that is wrong, it spoils the spirit etc, but I want them to appreciate the value of money, and I also want to manage expectations

It's not wrong at all, look at the lesson you're teaching them for the future.

I remember always writing my list with the most expensive and unobtainable (a pony) at the top, working down to a new pencil case at the bottom.

When it came to opening my presents of course I was disappointed not to have a pony, but I also learnt to be realistic about what I could expect.