I am always up for making money. I mean, who isn’t?
Of course, when we think of making money, we just think actual jobs. But, you might be missing out on a simple way that you too can make a little extra cash.
I’m talking simply by walking into your bedroom closet. There can be amazing ways to making money just waiting for you behind the door!
Also See: How To Organize A Small Closet
1. Check bags, clutches and wallets.
I am a self-proclaimed bag hoarder. I seriously love handbags. And not just the bag, but also the wallet that co-ordinates with it. I actually swap mine out every few weeks. When I am doing that, it seems I always find some coins at the bottom of the bag. Once, I even found more than $20 in a wallet!
Take a minute and go through your bags and wallets and you might find some money waiting for you!
2. Check the pants pockets (and your jackets, coats…pretty much anything with a pocket).
While most of the time I carry a purse with me, there are times when I grab some cash and stuff it into my pocket when heading out. I also will occasionally take the change from my purchase and stuff it into my coat pocket.
Most of the time, this will come out in the laundry (even if it’s not mine, if I launder it, it becomes mine). However, I will put my winter coat into the closet and not pull it back out again until it is that time of the year. It is awesome when I reach into the pocket and find money waiting for me!
3. Clean out the items you don’t want and sell them at consignment stores.
I know that I have many items hanging in my closet which I’ve only worn once or twice (if I am lucky). I bought as it looked incredible in the store when I tried it on, but now I just don’t feel the love.
A simple thing you can do is take your used clothing items and sell them. There are actually two different types of consignment stores out there: traditional building and online.
There can be good reasons to use one over the other.
The one that most of you probably know about is the traditional, or local, consignment store. The biggest reason I love them is because it is instant reward. You take your items to the location and they pay you immediately. The main reason I don’t necessarily like them is that you may have to drive to find one. I live outside of a metropolitan area, but do not have an adult consignment store close to me. That means a bit of a drive for me to go that route.
The newest trend is the online consignment store. What is so awesome about this option is that they often will pay more than local stores. The reason is that they have lower operating expenses, so they can pay you more. The only thing that I do not like about this one is that they don’t necessarily accept everything you want to sell, which means you may not be able to get rid of everything.
If you do want to go the online method, here are some sites I’d recommend that you look into:
ThredUp has been around for many years and is one of the most highly recommended on-line consignment stores. Here is a bit about them:
- Request a free clean out kit – they will send it to you so you can mail in your items to their site.
- If you want items returned to you, the cost is $12.99. Otherwise, you could just tell them to dispose of (recycle or donate) items you do not want).
- You will earn 80% of the retail value of the items the opt to keep to sell.
- You can get free money from this site. Just send your referral link to friends and when they sign up, they get a free discount on their first order. When that happens, you also get free money to spend. (It is normally a $10 offer for them and you, but sometimes will be as much as $20).
- They offer discount codes to use on your first purchase of items (for instance, code 40NP will save you 40% off of your very first order of $50 or more).
Swap.com is another much loved on-line consignment store. This one offers all sorts of deals for women, kids and baby. Here is what you need to know:
- Sign up and get free shipping on your first purchase of $10 or more.
- Request a shipping label to send your items to them; they will take it from there.
- If your items do not sell in 45 days, they will actually buy them from you with their guarantee program.
- You get to set the price for the items yourself, rather than someone doing it for you.
- Payment is done via Paypal every two weeks.
ThreadFlip is another awesome on-line consignment store option. This is more high end as they must be one of the accepted brands, so if your item doesn’t meet the criteria, you can not sell it.
- You can send your items to them and they will take care of the listing and everything else that needs to be done; or you can list it yourself. The full service is offered to you free of charge (including shipping).
- You will earn up to 80% back on your purchase.
- Unsold or unaccepted items are donated to Goodwill; or you can pay to have unsold items sent back to you.
- They are revamping the referral program, so you will want to follow them to learn more as they launch it.
4. Get a tax deduction.
If you don’t have the energy to try to sell your items yourself, you could just donate them instead. This will not get you actual cash in your pocket, but it can give you a little deduction for your taxes. Just make sure that you keep the following:
- Receipt from the company where you donated, for proof of donation.
- Photos (can be helpful for proof, in case ever needed).
- Value of the item being donated. I recommend using It’s Deductible to get an idea of the value.
There are other great ways to make money out of the things you own, including having a Garage Sale. They are more work, but can pay off big time!