Monday, October 25, 2010

Money Matters Monday


Well, it's been a week since I've put our family BACK on a budget and I'm here today to give you an update. One thing that I had forgotten from the last time I lived by a budget, was to leave myself a little "wiggle room." Note to self: not leaving enough cash to handle the things that will inevitably pop up during the week will have you running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, trying desperately to pull off some creative financing. It's NOT a pretty sight....



No worries, though. I pride myself on being the Queen of penny pinching. So with a few little tweaks to the budget (and a raid of my piggy bank!), it all worked out in the end. You laugh, but there are several ways that I can think of where you can get your hands on some "free" money in a hurry. Here's some of my tried and true faves:



1. The Yard Sale: Many people shy away from having them because they think it's too much trouble. I've just about got the whole thing down to a science as I have two every year. On a later post, I'll give you the deets on how to have a successful yard sale. For now, know that you are sitting on hundreds of dollars of unused stuff that is just taking up space in your closet and in your garage. That's right. HUNDREDS...



2. Roll Those Coins: I keep an old coffee can to hold the spare change that I collect from all over the house. If change is left in plain sight, it's mine! Money found in the laundry... mine! And yes, I've even found money in the couch. All mine! When you start using "cash only" instead of the check card, the change starts to add up. Get some paper rolls from the bank and roll those babies up! A friend of mine actually buys her Christmas presents with the CHANGE she saves throughout the year. Impressive, I know.



3. Sell Your Gold: I've done this a couple of times. That one little hoop earring that's lost it's mate, the ring your boyfriend from college bought you for Christmas, that broken neclace... that's money in your pocket. Gold is at an all time high right now, and many jewelers advertise with little signs in their windows if they buy gold. If you are unsure if yours does, give them a call. They can at least put you in the right direction. It can be VERY profitable. I would advise staying away from the tv advertisements and stick to your local jewelry shop, though, just to be on the safe side.



4. Selling Online: I heart E-Bay. I've never actually sold anything on there, :) , but several of my friends have. Sites like this and Craigslist are good places for getting a little more money for your stuff, as opposed to selling at a yard sale. I've been thinking I might sell some of my rubber stamps from my extensive collection when I decide which one's I can part with. When I do, I'll let ya know how it goes.



So there you have it: four easy ways to get yourself some cash in hand. Whether it's for a bill, for your savings, or for an emergency fund, go find some stuff that's taking up valuable real estate in your home and turn it into M-O-N-E-Y!

2 comments:

  1. I do eBay rather than yard sales because I like the luxury of being able to post stuff and then basically forget about it as opposed to having to sit in the front yard half a day. I've made quite a bit of money this way. Kids clothes and, surprisingly, old post cards are always big sellers as are any items that tend to be collectible like those toys from Happy Meals. I made q good bit of money selling those blamed things of which we always seem to have multiples.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You know I'm a gabber. I think half the fun for me with yard sales is chatting it up with complete and total strangers! I never thought about selling those Happy Meal toys. We could have made a MINT over here!

    ReplyDelete