Author Topic: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use  (Read 9824 times)

gooki

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2917
  • Location: NZ
    • My FIRE journal
To put it bluntly - I have a problem hoarding stuff - my various hobbies (diy speakers and amps, riding bikes, video games, media consumption) has caused me to possess far more stuff than I actually use.

To keep myself motivated and to show how to build your stash by selling shit, I'll keep a record here. The aim is to sell at least three items per week. So here goes.


Week 1.
Asus Transformer $665
Breadmaker $46
Bike 1 $75

Week 2
PA Crossover $71
PA Equalizer $326
Exhaust $76
Bike $251

Week 3
Tweeters $80

Week 4
iPad 2 $730

Week 5
iPhone 3GS $355
Nokia n800 $455

Week 6
Electric mountains bike $520
Kindle paperwhite $286 (this really surprised me, more than US retail, but you can't get them here)
FCUK jeans $31
Baby hange table $36


Total $4003

« Last Edit: January 11, 2013, 11:38:01 PM by gooki »

frugalman

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 176
Way to go!
I put a graphic equalizer on Craigslist this weekend for $20.  No responses yet.  But I've got other stuff that's going on there too, including a Tivo HD.  Got to keep thinning it out or we'll end up looking like my hoarder mother in law.

James

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1678
  • Age: 51
  • Location: Rice Lake, WI
I sold a Tivo HD last year when I was getting rid of tons of junk, didn't get much for it...  :(

I'm down to odds and ends after about a year and a half of thinning things out.  I sold a couple things on ebay last week, but mostly things go to Goodwill now, the quality items have been sold already...  :)

Good luck, it's well worth simplifying things!

SugarMountain

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 938
I sold a water heater a couple of weeks ago and after languishing for two weeks, I got hits yesterday on both a trailer hitch bike rack and a clawfoot tub that I have on craigslist.  So bizarre, virtually nothing on either for two weeks and then I got two emails about each item within a span of 8 hours.  I've got some stereo stuff I need to list.

kolorado

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 368
Bob, I noticed from selling purposefully from January-March of this year, that interest in my items peaked at the beginning(1st-5th) and middle(14th-18th) of the month. I'm assuming it's related to pay cycles. I think it's why I couldn't sell an item for $5 on the 8th but sold it the next week, on the 15th,  for $12. Now I know the better times to list and promote my items.

strider3700

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 516
  • Location: northern BC
Also remember when welfare checks arrive. It used to be every second Wednesday.  Value Village was usually busy when I was there the next day.    Grocery stores are busier, as are fast food joints, and liquor stores.   A bunch of the bars in the poorer parts of town have beer and shot specials on Wednesday nights.   

elysianfields

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 515
  • Location: Asia
Our embassy has yard sales twice a year, and we just sold a bunch of old clothes and other stuff we no longer need.  We cleaned out a whole lot of crap and made $150.  Doubly mustachian, if I do say so myself.

gooki

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2917
  • Location: NZ
    • My FIRE journal
Thanks for posting. This reminded me to list another three items: Bike, Exhaust, PA crossover. Lets see what they sell for.

jwystup

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 84
Ugh, we have SO much junk in our house right now. When we moved in, the previous owners left a LOT of stuff, mostly in the garage. I figured we'd have a yard sale at some point and make some money off the stuff we don't need (but by not bitching about it, we acquired a lot of tools for ourselves, which we didn't have in coming from an apartment). That pile of stuff has just increased over time ("hey, we can try to sell this instead of throwing it out... add it to the pile!"). And just recently, a pile has started in the dining room because my boyfriend cleans dorms for a living, and acquired many many things when the kids moved out and left behind a lot of stuff! We did get some cool shit (I got an awesome, working but deactivated android phone that I'm currently working on a wifi-only setup for - these kids will leave anything!). We were hoping for more mini fridges but there weren't as many this year than usual (from what we've heard) and my sister wanted one so she got the only one we had. I can't freakin WAIT until the end of June (I think that's when our neighborhood will have a big yard sale weekend). I want this stuff out!

gooki

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2917
  • Location: NZ
    • My FIRE journal
Don't wait for the yard sale, start craigslisting/ebaying the high value items.

gooki

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2917
  • Location: NZ
    • My FIRE journal
Week 2 sales figures added.

trammatic

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 218
  • Location: Gettysburg
Way to go, Gooki!

gooki

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2917
  • Location: NZ
    • My FIRE journal
I've been slack. Only one item sold last week, and none this week.

gooki

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2917
  • Location: NZ
    • My FIRE journal
Only one item sold last week, but at least I got a good price for the iPad (bless high resale value of apple products).

mechanic baird

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 109
Good post. bump!
Start slow is a good strategy. I am going to steal it and start by selling 3 items per month, then goes up by one item each month and see where I end up with.. I may see myself selling a whole lot more by year end.. Good stuff.
Going to keep a journal somewhere else to track this..

carolinakaren

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 171
  • Location: Charlotte, NC
I like this idea too.  It may be just what we need to get ourselves motivated.  I've been wanting to have a yardsale, but procrastination is not my friend....

gooki

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2917
  • Location: NZ
    • My FIRE journal
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #16 on: August 16, 2012, 08:28:33 PM »
I have overcome a couple of weeks of procrastination and sold a couple of spare smartphones.

Mrs MM

  • Administrator
  • Bristles
  • *****
  • Posts: 367
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #17 on: August 17, 2012, 01:03:56 PM »
Can you really get $355 for an iPhone 3GS?  Seems kinda crazy...

Great job on selling all your shit!

Perpetual_Student

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 86
  • Location: Longmont CO
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #18 on: August 17, 2012, 02:54:12 PM »
I agree with Mrs MM.  I will be astounded if you can get $355 for a 3gs.  My mom bought mine for me as a gift and she got a great one with lots of memory that was near-new for only $200 on CL.

Right this instant you can get an 8GB unlocked brand-new 3gs for $375 at the apple store, so unless some serious sucker finds your ad, I might take the price down a wee bit.  Money in the pocket, gooki.

Good luck with the sales!  Viva la secondhand economy!

grantmeaname

  • CM*MW 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 5961
  • Age: 31
  • Location: Middle West
  • Cast me away from yesterday's things
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #19 on: August 17, 2012, 03:03:03 PM »
New Zealand Dollars != United States Dollars. And consumer technology is easier to get here in the US than anywhere else: for example, usually a new laptop will cost the same number of dollars as pounds!

Perpetual_Student

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 86
  • Location: Longmont CO
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #20 on: August 17, 2012, 03:59:36 PM »
Sorry gooki, didn't check your locale.  Good luck!

gooki

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2917
  • Location: NZ
    • My FIRE journal
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #21 on: August 17, 2012, 08:50:51 PM »
Multiply price by 0.8 to get US dollar.

Also prices listed are what they actually sold for. Anything that I sell that I know will have decent demand, I list on our local auction site for one week with a $1 reserve. I find this is the best way to get market value, and a guaranteed sale.

Mrs MM

  • Administrator
  • Bristles
  • *****
  • Posts: 367
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #22 on: August 20, 2012, 12:08:33 PM »
Aha!  I didn't catch the NZ thing either.  Still, that's a lot.  Good on ya!

I think I got mine for $199 with the contract at AT&T when it had just come out.  On ebay, they seem to be all selling for under $200.

carolinakaren

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 171
  • Location: Charlotte, NC
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #23 on: August 20, 2012, 02:52:41 PM »
In the past few weeks John has been able to sell an electric miter saw, auger, plate joiner (biscuit cutter) and a coffee table on craigslist.  He has listed a few jewelry items for me, but we haven't sold them yet.  I am considering donating the jewelry to a a local charity silent auction if it doesn't sell.  Jewelry is kinda hit-or-miss from what I can tell.....a friend of mine sold her engagement/wedding rings pretty quickly on CL.

NestEggChick (formerly PFgal)

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 238
  • Location: Boston-ish, MA
    • Nest Egg Chick
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #24 on: August 21, 2012, 08:14:54 PM »
I did ok getting rid of a few things, but I really made progress when I read this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Hoarder-You-Happier-Healthier-Uncluttered/dp/1609611314/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345601472&sr=1-1&keywords=the+hoarder+in+you

Actually, I listened to the audio book from the library.  Then I got my mom to listen to it.  It's incredibly inspiring and it made me see my "things" differently.  I'm definitely a clutterer.  My current project is the bookcase.  I don't expect to get a ton of money from it, but I'm so glad to finally be getting rid of the college textbooks from 15 years ago, plus 50-60 other books!  I also finally sold an old Blackberry (why on earth was I hanging on to that?) for almost as much as I originally paid of it.  When someone loses a phone and is still under contract (so they can't get a good deal on a new one) they're desperate for a reasonably-priced replacement.  I sold some dvds that I wasn't watching, and I have a bunch of others on CL now.  It's a great way to free up space and bring in a little cash.

gooki

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2917
  • Location: NZ
    • My FIRE journal
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #25 on: January 11, 2013, 11:41:02 PM »
Week 6 added, more stuff sold.

Actually made about $100 on the kindle paperwhite. Tempted to import them continously and sell one a week for a nice side hussel.

giggles

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 145
    • Kiva - Change the world with a $25 loan
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #26 on: January 12, 2013, 04:12:31 PM »
I also had a good week:

Lands End Vest - $15 on ebay
AX Jeans - $15 on ebay (great since I bought them at the thrift store!)
Two text books - $83 on amazon
Wireless keyboard and mouse - $25 on amazon
TOTAL:  $138

I have 3 items still up for auction on ebay, all with watchers, ending tomorrow.

thurston howell iv

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 425
Re: Taking out the trash - a record of selling all the shit that I don't use
« Reply #27 on: January 15, 2013, 06:17:50 AM »
Thanks for the motivation!  After reading this thread, I felt bad that I was slacking off a bit and decided to start rooting around in my office closet with the plan of selling crap I dd not need. Since CL has been slow, I decided to retry ebay... I listed 10 items and sold about half. I earned $250. in the first week. Another $200 the second... Only about $30 the third (I need to tweak the listing/selling as I'm still new to it)

While in the middle of listing items and researching, I met a guy who started a side hustle a year ago and claims to bring in an extra $2k a month so I'm working toward that goal.  My plan is to have at least 10 items listed every week. I figure even if I only bring in $100 extra each week, it can all go to my debt reduction so it all helps... However, I'm really shooting for something more substantial.

The added benefit is that we are planning on moving in a few years and it would be nice to have less junk to pack along with us!

Wish me luck!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!