Raising money by selling stuff

Bumbelina

Hubby has spent the last 2 evenings putting a total of 51 items on Ebay (books, PC games, bike boots, leather jackets, even a laptop) and it's so exciting - we've got watchers already on just about everything. We should raise enough out of this lot (about £500 I'm hoping) to clear the overdraft and pay for Christmas.

Have decided to take the money straight away and go and buy the children's presents while the shops are still quiet and there are still some sales on, then wrap them up and put them away so it's all done and I don't have to worry about it. Am also planning to make my own mince pies, pate, Christmas cake etc this year and have a lovely traditional home-made Christmas instead of a plasticky, shop-bought one (well, it's a nice fantasy!). Will be visiting the Old Style board for more ideas!

I'll let you know how much all the stuff fetches when the sale closes next week.

DSmiffy

Good luck Bumbelina. Ebay is always a good way to raise some cash from the comfort of your home. You should check out the Old Style board, they have a whole money saving christmas thread on there which should help you spend less this christmas.

monkeylugs

Good luck!

I've got about 400 books - mostly bought from charity shops but a lot brand new just sitting in my wardrobe (I have big wardrobes) waiting to be read. I've decided that my debts are more important than the books so I am going to list them all on Amazon and if/as they sell I will create a list and hire them from the library. Obviously I will probably have lost a lot of money on them but this is in the past.

I've also got some things to list on e-bay so that's reminded me that I must charge up my digital camera. Look forward to seeing how you get on!

Contains_Mild_Peril

Good luck with your selling.
I have a few items currently listed on eBay. I've also sold things at car boot sales before, which are more suitable for large quantities of low value items, but since I don't actually have a car I've decided it's usually more hassle than it's worth. One of my friends who has a car suggested we could share a boot sale stall, so I'll probably do that sometime.
As well as using eBay to sell things I have around the house that I no longer use, I've also started buying things from jumble sales etc. to sell on eBay at a profit. This usually works, but not always. It generally involves studying eBay to see what sells well and what doesn't. Old school satchels in reasonable (or better) condition seem to be doing well atm, even though they cost about a fiver to post.
Don't worry if you don't get any bids for ages: that's quite normal. I usually find most of my items get no bids until the last day of the auction. A few get no bids at all; you win some, you lose some. I currently only have 1 item with a bid (£14.99 for a dinner suit I bought for £3).
I think usually about half of watchers are potential bidders; the rest are watching because they're thinking of listing similar items.

Thefunkygibbons

Check out the ebay board on here for tips from the experts and how to avoid problems

ms_london

Hello. Definately a good idea. I have made a bit on ebay in the past, and currently have about 40 items that I want to sell (but waiting for the 1p listing day, or similiar).

I bought Benefit's High Bean from a carboot once, for 10p, it sold for around £12... also, a diamante belt from a charity shop for £2, sold for about £15........

Ebay does work well until you have a problem (as I have found recently), get proof of sending for all items you send, be organised & send items when you say you will. And if something doesnt sell, just re-list it. It doesnt mean it wont sell the second time. Anything is a profit.

Ms_London