7 Thrift Store Items you can FLIP for a Profit

Note: I don't want to advocate going into Goodwill and clearing the shelves of all the good stuff in the store. Please be considerate of other shoppers. Personally, I only buy things my family will use and enjoy and when we are done using them then I consider selling those items. 

Which do you enjoy more: thrifting or making money? What if you can combine your love for both? Today I wanted to share some items you can purchase at a thrift store and sell for major profit. 

Looking for more ways to earn cash. I wrote a book about how I took a $13 investment and turned it into a business that is now my full-time job. 

Flipping thrift store items is a great way to earn a little extra cash to pad your emergency fund. I don't usually purchase things from a thrift store with the intent to sell. Instead, I purchase items for my family to enjoy and then when we are finished with them I will list them on eBay or Craigslist. 

Check out seven MORE THINGS you can flip for a profit.

Name brand clothing

This past winter I was at my local Goodwill where I saw a gorgeous, purple Ralph Lauren sweater. It was, like everything else at my Goodwill, $3.99. And it was my size. I snatched it up, took it home, wore it a few times and realized I wasn't in love with it. 

It was just one of those items that appealed to me on a hanger but not in real life. 

So I decided to flip it on eBay. I turned my $3.99 investment into a tidy profit in just a few days. 

Toys

My Goodwill often has tubs of legos, Melissa and Doug toys, dolls and puzzles, bags of Barbie clothes and dolls, Little People sets. The list goes on and on. Often these items are priced for under $3 and can be sold quickly at either a yard sale or on eBay. 

My tip would be to sell toy items in a lot for maximum profit. 

Broken tech

I found a broken Kindle at a local charity store in town for just a few bucks. I did not buy it but later I saw a broken Kindle that sold for $28 on eBay. 

I am CONSTANTLY amazed by the amount of profit I have made from broken tech on eBay. I sold my laptop that died for $150 and a broken iPod (the old school kind!) for $30! 

Maternity clothes

Inexpensive, cute and comfortable maternity clothes are like a commodity and I see them at Goodwill all the time. 

I sold a maternity maxi dress (that I wore during my last pregnancy) and another shorter dress (that had been given to me) using the "buy it now" function on Ebay within hours of me listing them. 

Since these items were name brand they sold quickly for around $8 each. 

Cookware

Cast iron cookware is expensive but lasts for ages. While cast iron might be expensive to ship via eBay you can also sell it on Craigslist for a nice profit or list it on a Facebook resale page. 

I have seen cast iron skillets sell for $5 at Goodwill but it sells for $20 - $30 in resale. Plus it's very easy to clean even if it hasn't been properly cared for in the past. 

Pyrex dishes

I cannot tell you how many old Pyrex dishes I have seen at Goodwill and other thrift stores. And I am talking the vintage kind that your great Aunt Ida had. 

You can list this on Etsy per piece or in a set and it sells like little hot cakes. 

Handbags and shoes

I have a friend who every few weeks hits up the thrift stores in her area for shoes and handbags that she then sells through some online second hand stores. She either does this for profit or store credit.

Just make sure you look for gently used items without major flaws or tears. 

It just takes a little time and planning to turn a thrift store find into a major profit. 

Check out seven MORE THINGS you can flip for a profit.

Other articles about making money from home or getting out of debt:

How to maximize Craigslist profits.

How to maximize eBay profits.

How to earn gift cards through Amazon Trade. 

 10 Side Hustles you can start today. 

How our family saves $10,000 a year. 

How we paid off $36,000 in debt in two years while living on one income. 

What about you? Have you ever flipped thrift store items? Leave me a comment and tell me about it. 

4 easy ways to earn extra Christmas money

I know it's only October but the holiday season is creeping up fast and before you know it Thanksgiving will be here with Christmas right on its heels. So why not take some time to prep?

Christmas should be a time of peace, hope and worship. Not a time of stress because you fear the credit card bills coming in January. Credit card debt sky rockets in January and February according to this report. 

So instead why not set up a cash budget? Here are some ways to earn a little extra money before the holidays begin. 

1. Sell your old tech and toys on eBay

Do you have an old and broken smart phone or tablet stashed away in a drawer? What about ALL those Legos your kid don'ts play with anymore? Why not sell them on eBay.

I have had great luck selling broken tech, designer hand bags and old toys.

Here are a few of my tips for maximizing your eBay profits. 

2. Put your garage on Craigslist

Do you have an old weed eater? Some old play equipment or baby items cluttering up your garage? Put that stuff on Craigslist. 

In the past three years we have made THOUSANDS of dollars via Craigslist getting rid of stuff we didn't want, need or use. It is the best place to sell things like furniture and large baby items.

Just make sure you ALWAYS meet in a public place to exchange your goods. I recommend a busy shopping area or even the police station parking lot. 

Here are a few tips for making the MOST money on Craigslist. 

3. Earn Amazon credits

If you're anything like me you buy pretty much everything on Amazon. If Amazon sold milk I would never have to leave my house again. 

Why not take some time to round up that dusty collection of DVDs and those books you will never read again and trade them in for Amazon gift cards? 

I wracked up $155.78 in one day just trading in DVDs for gift cards. 

You can read the FULL details here. The process is so simple. 

4. Wrack up free gift cards 

Another great way to pay for holiday expenses is by scoring some free gift cards. 

There are so many options for this, whether it's through taking quick surveys or signing up for an awards program through your health insurance. 

Check out a list of four ways to earn free gift cards. 

10 Side-Hustles to Help You Earn Extra Income

This is day five in a series 30 Days to Start. This week we are focusing on the process of getting out of debt.

I have noticed a trend among my frugal living fiends. It's a common theme that I think ties us all together. It is the side hustle. 

I think it is because we all realize that clipping coupons, making all your meals from scratch, living without cable and new cars and magazine subscriptions and vacations will only get you to a certain point. 

If you want to accelerate your debt payoff you need to increase your income. This is where that extra job comes into place. Or as I call it, the side hustle. 

I started my side hustle in 2012. It really is my heart's desire to be at home, but I also wanted a way to earn extra money to pad our emergency fund and pay for extra things.

It came in really handy to have that emergency cash when our car AC went out when Isaac was just two weeks old... in June... on a day when it was 102!

But the notion of more work doesn't sound appealing to many. I say the notion of no money sounds worse. 

Here are some side hustle ideas to get you stared: 

1. Freelance: I always recommend this because this is what I do a lot of times. I edit, write, handle social media. The best part about this is that there are so many websites you can use for free to begin working by the weekend. 

2. Get rid of your junk. I do this ALL THE TIME. I made $155 in one day selling things on Amazon. I also make a pretty good profit on eBay selling old things and I have even flipped thrift store items. 

3. Do the things no one else wants to do. People hate cutting grass and cleaning gutters. Hate it! We hate cutting grass, that's why we pay a nice young man to do it for us. See if someone you know needs their house clean. Or if you live in an area that is known for tourism see if there are condos to be cleaned. 

It's not glamorous. But neither is being broke. 

4. Babysit. Who says you're too old to babysit? I know a TON of women with children my age who keep other people's kids. They do this to earn extra income and it's cheaper than daycare for the family needing the service. 

5. Create an online course. Are you a good speaker and do you have a good working knowledge of a skill? Create an online course!

I did this using Udemy and it was so much fun and I've made a little money off of it. I can think of a TON of topics you could make a course on. Cake decorating, sewing, web design, car repair, finance, learning a new language, playing an instrument, public speaking, job interview skills. The list goes on and on. 

6. Write and publish an eBook. I did this and I am so glad I did. This has been one of my biggest income sources and a very rewarding experience. And it wasn't as hard as you might think it is. In fact just Google "publishing to Kindle" and you will find a wealth of information. 

7. TaskRabbit. This is great if you live in a metro area, TaskRabbit allows you to post your skills and jobs your wiling to do, your rate and the hours you are available and matches you with people who need help. It might be things as small as being hired to mail someone's wedding invites to something large like cleaning an apartment. 

8. Tutoring/teaching. Do you have great piano skills? Are you a math whiz? Why not put those skills to work tutoring or teaching someone? You could charge up to $25 an hour!

9. Haul some things. Are you paying off a truck note?? Why not use that truck to haul furniture for a fee, or haul off limbs for people? 

10. Find a seasonal gig. Y'all, it's summer. I tried to count the number of places I saw hiring when I was driving to the supermarket yesterday, I lost count. Sure, it's seasonal employment and yeah, the money isn't great. But it's a job, not a career! 

Some times it takes a little thought and creativity when developing a side business or active revenue source. But it can be done. I am living, breathing proof that it can be done. 

What about you? What side hustle are you working? 

How to sell on Craigslist and make the MOST money

This weekend I tried to sit down and to the math on how much money Jason and I have made selling stuff off Craigslist. But I lost count. 

In the past three years we have made THOUSANDS of dollars via Craigslist getting rid of stuff we didn't want, need or use. It is the best place to sell things like furniture, large baby items like high chairs and swings and farm equipment like old lawnmowers and weed eaters. (And that spare tractor you have lying around...)

Last week I talked about how to maximize your eBay profits, today I wanted to talk about how you can sell on Craigslist and make the most money. 

1. Set up an account with Craigslist with an email JUST for Craigslist.

It is free to list your items to Craigslist plus Craigslist doesn't take a cut. But, it is FULL of scammers. 

Craigslist will mask your email address so when people email you it looks like they are sending an email address to something like 12345@craigslist.org (this is just an example). So when a potential buyer emails you they don't have your email address until you reply to that email. 

If you get an email with "is your item still available" that is usually a scammer just trying to get your email address and potentially hack you. 

Go ahead and protect yourself by setting up an email just for craigslist or just for a particular item. 

2. Take LOTS of GREAT photos. 

Craigslist will allow you up to 24 photos per item. So don't skimp. 

Items with no photos are far less likely to get clicked on. So it doesn't matter how great that antique hope chest your selling is if no one clicks on it because it had no photo.

Your photos are just as important to your ad as the description you will type up (see #3) so make them count. 

I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen a photo that was clearly taken in the back of someone's garage on their cellphone. No. That's not gonna work. 

Drag your item out to the drive way, dust it off and take a decent photo. 

Show the size, color, make, label and any scratches, dents and scrapes. 

3. Make your description sing. 

In your posting title don't just write "brown couch." Write something that people are looking for "brown coach, 6-feet-long, smoke-free home." 

Inclue as many descriptive words as possible. Then in the actual description area of the item include all of the information you have, color, size, material and dimensions. 

Always include dimensions if selling furniture. People are just going to email you and ask so be sure to include it up front. 

Also always be honest. If the couch you're trying to sell has a broken leg and a hole in a cushion put that in your post. It's not like you're going to be able to hide these things when the item is purchased. And all you're doing is wasting your time and the buyers time. 

4. Price to sell. 

Your item is used so it's not going to sell for what you paid for it. When determining a price I look up what similar items are selling for, I think of the absolute least I will take for it and I add 10-15%. 

I never put "or best offer" in my listings because I don't want someone coming to me with a low ball offer.

The fact that I have taken the time to list it already shows I intend to get rid of it, if they want to negotiate I am willing, but I am not going to advertise that I am taking less money for it. 

5. Include other items you listed. 

When I list things on Craigslist I go ahead and list multiple items at one time and I go ahead and click on the "include more ads by user" button. That way people can see all the stuff I am selling at one time. 

This is a great feature: USE IT!

6. Relist every 2-3 days. 

Things get pushed to the bottom of Craigslist pretty fast so I resist often. Delete your first listing and go ahead and relist it. Add new photos and punch up the copy if you have to.

If it has sat on Craigslist for more than a week I usually lower the price. 

7. Respond to emails right away.  

When you get an email reply promptly you are not the only person selling something and if someone doesn't hear from you they will move on. 

Also, if I have several people interested and someone offers me a lower price I usually counter offer and let them know I have another buyer interested at a higher price. It works. BUT BE HONEST!!

8. Don't hold items and only accept cash.

 Don't hold your bunk beds til Thursday. If you have a buyer interested go ahead and sell it to the person who comes with cash in hand first. 

And only cash. No checks and NO WIRE TRANSFERS. These are scams. Cash only. 

9. Be safe. 

I always meet in a public place when selling smaller items like baby items or small pieces of furniture. 

For larger items I make sure the buyer knows I will have someone at home with me. And I always let someone else know what is going on. You can't be too safe. 

Some police stations are also allowing for Craigslist transactions in their parking lots. 

10. Practice Craigslist karma.

 If your item has sold delete the listing. Craigslist ads are good for 30 days. Don't leave it hanging around after the sale is final. 

What tips would you add to this list? Do you shop on Craigslist? 

Linking up at The Thrifty Couple, Thrifty Thursday, Frugal Fridays.

6 tips for maximizing ebay profits

It's spring cleaning season. If you're like me you have garbages full of scrap paper, boxes full of donation items and those few things that you just KNOW are worth something. 

Why not sell those items on eBay? Or maybe you found something at a thrift store that you want to flip for a profit? Today I am going to share my best tips for selling items on eBay and maximizing profits. 

What items best sell on eBay? name brands, high-end items, technology (both working and broken) hard to find items, collectibles (vintage toys) spare parts and lot items of clothing (think 8 pairs of kid's pajamas). 

1. See what like items are selling for.

Do a quick search of your item and see how much it is going for or has gone for in the past and then price accordingly.

Don't inflate the value of your item in your own head. Just because you paid $65 for a sweater or pair of shoes doesn't mean it will sell for that much once you have used it. Keep in mind how other people are pricing their items. 

2. Take a LOT of photos. Then take some more. 

eBay allows up to 12 photos for each item you list take advantage of this. Get clear pictures of the label, size, condition, and make sure you clearly snap any defects, scuffs or scratches. 

Use a natural light source and use a white background. I put the items I want to list on a white blanket on the floor next to an open window. The natural lighting is pleasing to the eye and also shows more of your items details. 

Do not use the flash. The flash will darken your item and just looks bad. I used the flash in the photo above and as you can see it looks terrible! 

3. Choose a VERY specific category. 

Don't just list Ralph Lauren t-shirt. Instead list as many specific things as possible in the category. For example: Ralph Lauren size 12 purple 100% cotton t-shirt. 

Using more descriptive words will guarantee that your item will show up higher on the list when people search on eBay. 

4. Include as many details as possible in the description. 

When writing up your listing include every details: brand, condition, materials, color, size, defects, origin. Etc. Etc. 

Think of any questions that a buyer might have about your item like dimensions and whether or not it comes from a smoke free home and go ahead and answer all of those questions in your description. 

5. Be Honest.

I feel like this is just great life advice. But don't oversell your item. If it has a tear include that information, if a part of it is cracked or broken photograph that an include in your listing. 

If you don't include defects your item will more than likely be returned and you will get bad feedback. Feedback is the lifeblood of eBay. 

6. Find out your cost of shipping BEFORE you list.  

If you aren't correct in your shipping costs it can eat into your profits making your efforts a total waste of time. 

Weigh your items. If you don't have a shipping scale you can use a bathroom scale. 

I do a quick lookup of my item on Amazon and use their dimensions as a way to determine my shipping costs. 

My best bet is to usually use USPS flat rate boxes. Their motto is "if it fits it ships." You can also order free flat rate boxes delivered to your house. And USPS will come pick up your items if you schedule it on their website. That is also a free service. 

What about you? What tips do you have for selling on eBay? 

7 Thrift Store Items you can FLIP for a Profit

Note: I don't want to advocate going into Goodwill and clearing the shelves of all the good stuff in the store. Please be considerate of other shoppers. Personally, I only buy things my family will use and enjoy and when we are done using them then I consider selling those items. 

Which do you enjoy more: thrifting or making money? What if you can combine your love for both? Today I wanted to share some items you can purchase at a thrift store and sell for major profit. 

If you’re looking to earn extra cash from home- I wrote a book all about how I took a $13 investment and turned it into a full-time business.

Flipping thrift store items is a great way to earn a little extra cash to pad your emergency fund. I don't usually purchase things from a thrift store with the intent to sell. Instead, I purchase items for my family to enjoy and then when we are finished with them I will list them on eBay or Craigslist. 

Check out seven: MORE THINGS you can flip for a profit.

Name-brand clothing

This past winter I was at my local Goodwill where I saw a gorgeous, purple Ralph Lauren sweater. It was, like everything else at my Goodwill, $3.99. And it was my size. I snatched it up, took it home, wore it a few times, and realized I wasn't in love with it. 

It was just one of those items that appealed to me on a hanger but not in real life. 

So I decided to flip it on eBay. I turned my $3.99 investment into a tidy profit in just a few days. 

Click HERE for tips on how to maximize eBay profits.

Toys

My Goodwill often has tubs of legos, Melissa and Doug toys, dolls and puzzles, bags of Barbie clothes and dolls, Little People sets. The list goes on and on. Often these items are priced for under $3 and can be sold quickly at either a yard sale or on eBay. 

My tip would be to sell toy items in a lot for maximum profit. 

Broken tech

I found a broken Kindle at a local charity store in town for just a few bucks. I did not buy it but later I saw a broken Kindle that sold for $28 on eBay. 

I am CONSTANTLY amazed by the amount of profit I have made from broken tech on eBay. I sold my laptop that died for $150 and a broken iPod (the old school kind!) for $30! 

Maternity clothes

Inexpensive, cute and comfortable maternity clothes are like a commodity and I see them at Goodwill all the time. 

I sold a maternity maxi dress (that I wore during my last pregnancy) and another shorter dress (that had been given to me) using the "buy it now" function on Ebay within hours of me listing them. 

Since these items were name brand they sold quickly for around $8 each. 

Cookware

Cast iron cookware is expensive but lasts for ages. While cast iron might be expensive to ship via eBay you can also sell it on Craigslist for a nice profit or list it on a Facebook resale page. 

I have seen cast iron skillets sell for $5 at Goodwill but it sells for $20 - $30 in resale. Plus it's very easy to clean even if it hasn't been properly cared for in the past. 

Pyrex dishes

I cannot tell you how many old Pyrex dishes I have seen at Goodwill and other thrift stores. And I am talking the vintage kind that your great Aunt Ida had. 

You can list this on Etsy per piece or in a set and it sells like little hotcakes. 

Handbags and shoes

I have a friend who every few weeks hits up the thrift stores in her area for shoes and handbags that she then sells through some online second-hand stores. She either does this for profit or store credit.

Just make sure you look for gently used items without major flaws or tears. 

It just takes a little time and planning to turn a thrift store find into a major profit. 

Check out seven MORE THINGS you can flip for a profit.

Other articles about making money from home or getting out of debt:

How to maximize Craigslist profits.

How to maximize eBay profits.

How to earn gift cards through Amazon Trade. 

 10 Side Hustles you can start today. 

How our family saves $10,000 a year. 

How we paid off $36,000 in debt in two years while living on one income. 

What about you? Have you ever flipped thrift store items? Leave me a comment and tell me about it. 

Declutter and make money off Amazon: How I made $155.78 in Amazon Gift Cards in ONE DAY

It seems like everyone I encounter, or at least every MOM I encounter, is trying to do the same thing, find ways to save money and declutter their home. 

Yes. I get it. I am always trying to do the same thing. 

And one of my favorite ways to declutter and MAKE extra money is by using the Amazon Trade -In program. In fact, I earned $155.78 in gift cards IN ONE DAY simply by getting rid of DVDS, books and video games that I no longer wanted, needed or used. 

That stack of "Friends" DVDs you've been hanging onto? Get rid of them! That show is now on Netflix! That cookbook collection you never use? Get rid of them! Ree Drummond (love you!) already got her money, now someone else can love all those recipes you will never make. 

So here is how it works. 

Step one: Go through your house and find unwanted books, DVDs, and old electronics. 

Old electronics and box sets of DVDs are what make the most money. You can trade-in an old iPhone 5 for around $100. 

Step two: See what your items are "worth." Now, obviously you could sell your old junk on eBay and probably make a little bit more money, but it would take more time, and you could be dealing with a person who doesn't pay and then you have to relist your item. Been there, done that. 

Step 3: Determine the quality of your item. Usually Amazon will give you a few options to choose from when you are trading in your items. They are usually "like new," "good," and "acceptable." The quality of your item obviously impacts what you will be paid for that item. 

Be honest about the condition of your item. If your iPhone has a massive scratch across the screen, don't choose "like new" condition in an effort to get more money. It's not just dishonest, it also won't work. (See step 5.)

Step 4: Ship your items. Amazon will give you a shipping label so that you can ship your trade in items for processing. This is at no cost to you and you can schedule a pick up at your home or office. 

Step 5: Wait to be paid! Once your items get to wherever they are sent (I picture a massive warehouse with Amazon robots) the items will be assessed and Amazon will then send you a gift card via email. 

If your item is rejected it will be returned to you. 

There you have it! It is so simple. And then you have an Amazon gift card to spend however you wish. 

I used mine to supplement our diapers and wipes. 

What about you? Are you decluttering? Have you ever use the Amazon Trade-In program.