Advice for Selling Your Possessions

The Dusted Attic, KCMO

Stuff, stuff, stuff. We have so much of it and not much use for it. But I will say that stuff isn't all evil. One advantage I find in having stuff is that you can make money off of it. It has actually become my favorite part of having stuff. I move a lot so I tend to pack light, but there's some comfort in the fact that my stuff can help me travel more. I mean who couldn't use an extra chunk of change while traveling?

Right now I'm in the process of selling my stuff. I've done it before but this time I decided to ask a professional for advice. I already know a lot of the usual methods for selling but I wanted to properly assess the pros and cons of each method.

With a business degree and five years of experience under his belt, Chris P. runs a successful online business and consigns for a popular auction business. Don't ask me what he sells. Even I can't figure it out. It's all quite random. I walk through his large warehouse space and consistently think to myself, "people pay money for that?!" The funny thing is the answer is yes. My theory is if this guy can make a business out of selling random stuff he's probably the person I need to go to.

Ebay and Amazon

Some towns have markets that feature a collection of local vendors.

These sites are very well known and are good sites for selling individual items. Ideally, I would sell relatively light-weight "big ticket" items like electronics and accessories. While it is ideal for selling a bunch of smaller items, always keep in mind how much money you may be spending on shipping. It may sound nice to use free shipping as a method to add value to your product but it is very easy to rack up shipping costs. In addition to shipping costs, according to Chris P., Ebay and Amazon take about 15% of everything. You have to have a bank account and be verified which usually takes a week or two. If it's a new selling account they limit you to 10 items or $1000 in your first month and then it's performance-based, every month. During the verification process, if you happen to make a sale they hold your funds for up to three weeks but after you are approved, its immediate. Amazon has unlimited selling for starters and they pay you about every two weeks. Either way, you'll have to wait for verification so if you are leaving in a week, it may be a better to sell your possessions through alternative means.

Craigslist

Do you have a few big things you want to sell but don't want to pay for shipping? This is your ideal spot for items like furniture, TV's, bikes and the like. Unfortunately, with Craigslist you don't know who you are dealing with. If someone is coming over to pick up your stuff, it may be ideal to have a friend or two with you. If someone  requests that you ship something be extremely wary. Especially, if they ask to ship it to another country. I wouldn't even bother.

The first time I ever sold something on Craigslist I was scammed (go figure). I followed all the rules (I used Paypal and everything!) but they got me because instead of checking my actual Paypal account (it was my first time using Paypal, as well) I got an e-mail saying that the money was deposited into my Paypal account.Turns out it was a phishing e-mail (fake e-mail sent by the scammer). So as far as I know, my laptop is in Africa somewhere. If you are going to ship, I'd go through Ebay. They have actual customer service and guarantees that can protect you from such situations.

 Are you a horrible haggler and pushover, like me? Chris offers advice: "People buying on craigslist will always ask you to lower your price so be firm with what you need out of them."

Garage Sale

Old school method. Works like a charm. I made $400 on my first independent garage sale and I was pretty confident my stuff wasn't worth much. The advantage is you can sell what you want, without limitations. The only disadvantage is everyone wants to haggle you down. I would sell my clothes and CDs at a garage sale but not my big electronics. Also most cities require a garage sale permit. They are about $5 and you can get them at your local town hall.  Chris' advice would be to "make sure you advertise a lot. If you can, it's a good idea to piggy back off of a neighborhood or church garage sale. This is great if you have an an apartment and no yard to sell your stuff." You can even piggy back on Craigslist and post your garage sale in the "garage sale" section.

While an added advantage of garage sales is that you make your own hours, try to be open early. Many people who go to garage sales go on a constant basis. If you have real gold and silver jewelry, mention it in your ad. Warning: People looking for gold and silver WILL show up at your place up to an hour before the garage sale. They can be vicious so either be ready to give them what they want or be firm enough to tell them that the sale starts 9am sharp. Pushover advice: It's not your problem that they came early. You wrote the time on the ad (you did, right?). A few years back my friend and I had a garage sale. People showed up way too early and wouldn't back off. My friend's mom had to put cones up and shoot them evil mom looks. Her evil mom looks can scare a grizzly.

Flea Markets

Mary of Mary's Markdown Mercantile and Ray of Ray of Sunshine Markets
in the Dusted Attic, West Bottoms, Kansas City

Same as a garage sale but sometimes the vendor fee is more. The advantage here is that you don't have to do any advertising and you get more traffic. The disadvantage is competition. The other disadvantage is that that there may be a restriction as to what you can and can't sell. So make sure you ask if they have a "do not sell" list before you pay that vending fee. If you can sell clothes, great! If not, I recommend small household appliances, decorations, jewelry and small electronics. In terms of vendor fees, assess whether the fee will be worth it. It may be a flat fee for a certain amount of space or a percentage of everything you sell. The last thing you want to do is spend all that time packing, selling, driving just to break even. If you don't have a lot of stuff but you want the traffic, team up with a friend or a current vendor who sells items that are similar to yours. Next to garage sales, this actually is becoming my favorite way.

Consignment Shops

 If you have an eye for name brand fashion than this is your best hope. Sometimes they purchase your items right off the bat. Sometimes they don't send you a check until it sells. The disadvantage is that they don't take non-name brand clothing unless it's super vintage. "Make sure the shop has proper security." says Chris P. "The last thing you want to is to lose your money due to theft."

Personally, I never buy name brand unless it just happens to be cute and at a thrift store. And usually I don't notice the brand until after I take it home. My other source of name brand clothing comes from my aunts' hand-me-downs (which are amazing and I usually want to keep them forEVER). Other than that, I pretty much shop at Forever 21 or places similar. If you shop like me, it will be very difficult to get rid of your clothing. Especially, with the increase of donation-based, thrift shops.

Because of my clothing situation, I tried this app:

Wallapop

It's a garage sale/ trade app. I think it's great for posting several individual items. You have individual pictures and the app itself is pretty easy. Instead of just selling you can trade for things as well. I've used it but it's not yet popular in Kansas City so it didn't do much for me. There are commercials and they have it in the UK and France so I'm sure everyone will be talking about it in the next year or so. My only qualm with it is that it's only an app. Not a website. I have large fingers and typing a description on my phone isn't very fun. Personally, it's easier to do things on my computer. The other dilemma is that there is a limit to how many items you can put up. I would likely consider it good for trading whilst on the road but I think I'll have to wait until it becomes more popular before it becomes useful. Until then, I'll stick with the flea market.

Here's some more advice on how to sell your stuff by Chris P.

About clothing

"People usually buy clothing online if it is something they need immediately or for a specific event. For example a party or holiday."

About electronics

"Wipe all of your info off if it's got a hard drive. Make sure you can sell a working product otherwise it'll come back to bite you. [In terms of traveling] Expensive electronics are better to sell rather than potentially have them stolen from you. Always remember that electronics have depreciating value, so sell them as soon as you can."

About appliances

"Offer delivery if you have the means. Not everyone has a car but needs the product. You can even offer $20 more to install the product. Clean everything. Offer a small week long warranty. That'll make people feel comfortable about buying it."

Home products

"Craigslist is the best place to sell them when selling online. When you post on craigslist make sure you add an accurate description and make sure you use good keywords so that the item is more likely to pop up in a search."

About selling in general

"When it comes to selling your possessions, it can be an issue having an emotional tie to them. You're not going to get what you paid most of the time because you've used it. You have to come to terms with yourself and why you're getting rid of it."

"Use pawnshops as a last resort because they don't give you what it would sell for."

"Meet people in a public place like a library where they can test the product."

"Take what you can today because people may not want your stuff tomorrow. People lose interest. Realize that there might not be that next offer."

-O.T.

First World Problems

Hope is a strange thing. We Americans (and busybodies of all nations and ethnicities) constantly sweat the small stuff. We sweat it so much that we even make fun of our superficial problems with hashtags like #firstworldproblems and #fml.  I could pretend like I'm above all these things but let's be real; I get horribly upset if the person I like rejects me. I get all whiny when I can't go out with my friends because I spent my money on take-out because I was too lazy to cook. I am typically distressed over room mates, employers and most authority figures (because sometimes it feels like everyone has authority over my life, except me).  I freak out if every inch of my body isn't covered in lotion within five minutes of exiting the shower. And it has to be the good stuff, too. Don't give me that dollar store crap. I need that Eucerin or Jergens The stuff that can lubricate cars for years. These are my "problems".

The funny thing about First World Problems is that we make them ourselves.

I mean whose fault is it that you don't have any money to pay that bill after partying? Whose fault is it that your friend or significant other got pissed at you because you got trashed and said something stupid? Whose fault is it that you're in jail because you didn't feel like paying for that new iPhone 4684SQ 2.0 (no that's not a thing)? It's yours. And while we scamper about like bunnies lamenting over our insignificant problems there are people with very real life or death problems. And while we feel hopeless because we didn't get our dream job or school or we have shitty luck with finding a mate or no one likes us, those who are in desperate situations are completely capable of finding real hope in the future.

When I witness situations like these, it calls me to re-evaluate my life. My priorities. My "problems". Yes, sometimes it is difficult to compare each person's problems, much like it is to compare one's physical pain to another; but we have to stop and ask ourselves: What problems can I fix with a little more effort and a little less whining? Just as important: What problems can't be fixed? What is outside of my control? Would all the fuss and hoo-haw and effort even change the outcome? If not, perhaps it would serve me better to take a deep breath, thank God I am alive (because you only get one life) roll up my sleeves and then rebuild.


-O.T.

Money's...Aight.

As I sat on my uncle's leather couch sipping a cheap but awesome chocolate stout from Trader Joes, I reflected. I thought about how relatively peaceful my life has been the past couple of months since my arrival to California. I thought how wonderfully peaceful this day was (before my lovable, adorable, whiny two year old cousin got home) and as I sat there reading my "Spanish for Gringos" book, after budgeting for a moped, paying folks back, an apartment and summer music festivals, it hit me: I like money.

For those who know me, I've never had much of a respect for money, evident by my lack of ability for saving, the fact that I never noticed when it went missing, the fact that I always chose "more interesting" jobs over "stable jobs". During my travels, some time a month into my time in Europe and a week into Paris, I ran out of money. After a ridiculous amount of panic, my grandmother helped me out and supported my time abroad both financially and mentally...and I needed a LOT of mental help...primarily because I needed a lot of financial help. A few years ago, not knowing where I would be the next day sounded mighty appealing. The adventure! The romance! The potential! But now, as I get older, the thought of not knowing where I will be staying that night is stressful. Or more specifically, not knowing where I'll be staying in addition to no potential accommodation  (e.g. hostel, campsite, whatevs) is a stressful situation. Afterwards, I spent an exciting, yet nerve-wracking three more months in France. When I wasn't at a farm, homestay or accomodation, I was freaking the heck out. Where am I going to sleep? Will I have to sleep on the street? Why does everyone in Dublin look newly homeless? Will I have to camp on a beach again like I did in Rosslare? (Note: In terms of aesthetics and warmth, Rosslare beach is NOT fun. Beach beetles, seaweed, crazy wind and the paranoia of high tide. Though the fisherman there are very nice and will look out for you if you're a random clueless girl.) 

(Rosslare, Ireland. Somewhere outside the Europort ferry)

Anyway, after such a crazy adventure I came to California, found a job and after the first paycheck, something happened. I thought about all the stress I went through in Europe and all the things I loved doing there and the things that I wanted to do but couldn't because it required money that I didn't have. Immediately, I decided I would just hoard all my money and not do anything. After that, I thought of my cool Australian gite-mate I met while staying at a fromagerie farm in central France. As we lounged on my sleeping bag under the bright sun in front of our adorable, yet spider-infested gite (teensy house) she explained to me how she tended to money hoard but then it hit her that what's the point of saving all your money if you don't live? With that thought, I decided to always have a nice balance of exploring, party-going and future festival-mongering. And this brings me back to my uncle's couch, sipping beer, studying Spanish for my trip to Barcelona right after creating a nice list for summer music festivals.

This is what I've learned and maintained (maintenance being the most important part of learning). Money isn't horrible. It's a vehicle to getting what you need. Too much and too little can be a pain in the ass so take only what you need, make sure to have a little fun and move on. 

-O.T.

Dimes Over Death

Two Novembers ago I had a panic attack. As I was getting my hair retwisted in Newark, the loctician asked me how my life was going. While reviewing my year, my chest was overcome with excruciating pain, making it extremely difficult to breath. A sharp pain shot down my back and my stomach felt as though it was being ripped open from the inside. As I felt like I was going to pass out, my loctician asked me if I was okay. After doubling over in pain, I thought about my next move.

"Do you want me to call an ambulance?" he asked.

I declined. After calling my parents, I took a two bus, hour and a half ride to the clinic in West Orange. By the time I got there, my chest still hurt but I was feeling much better. I got a check-up and an EKG. Everything seemed pretty normal. I was sent off with a prescription -which I never redeemed- as well as a warning not to stress so much and lay off the Cuban Pete's (employment at the time).

At 22 years old, I learned the idiotic, bitter reality that sometimes you have to make a decision between your health and your wallet. In theory, your health should be more important but when you think about it, a broke college student with no insurance going to the hospital can only end badly. I know I'm not alone in this convoluted decision-making process. According to a 2003 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities study, 45 million people do not have health insurance. Most college students and grads -to which I am acquainted- do not have insurance.

Considering how many doctors over-prescribe and the current generations are in what I consider the Addiction Era, I can't tell if less people going to the doctor will be for the better or worse. Maybe as a result more people will look into holistic medicine and religion? Just a thought.

I highly anticipate the day I receive insurance. Until then I will fear hospitals. The institution, known as the modern hospital, used to be a source of relief for those in serious need of help. When it was first built, I could imagine it as a beacon of hope for those who wished to no longer rely on primitive healing methods. Now, like the police, it has become an object of fear and corruption. Rather than a vast storage of knowledge and medicine, I now see it as numbers, $40 aspirins, horrible credit and ruined lives.

-O.T.

Changing My Situation

I've fought with myself over the past month or three about whether or not to do something about this whole lack of "kitchen" situation. For those who don't know, my "kitchen" is nothing but a mini-fridge, crock pot and hotplate in an empty room with pipes protruding from the walls. I've been rather lackadaisical about the whole situation being that it didn't affect my life in any serious way.

That is, until I looked at last week's bank statement.

I spent almost $200 on takeout. Yep. $200. A week. When I figured out I was responsible for keeping Satish Palace, Ruthie's, Enzo's and other restaurants open, I began to put more thought into my spending situation. At first I freaked out and decided to move. Then it hit me how much money it would cost to move and how much more money I would be paying a month. I went back and forth about it for a little while. Provided you were desperate enough to move into a place with no kitchen, what would you do?

Here's the breakdown (my thought process):

A new place would have everything I needed (fridge, oven, etc.) but it would cost anywhere from $300 - $600 extra a month. This would be an issue if my, somewhat unstable, job fell through.

It would be cheaper to change up my kitchen but I would be spending money on things that I would not be taking to a new place when I move (ideally after Dec.). Being that I want to move to another state, I planned on packing light until I had my desired place.

I don't know when I will find a place or if it's a great idea but I need to do something about the food/ health/ money situation before then.

So that's where I'm at. Someone has awesomely offered me the use of her kitchen but I prefer not to be a bother to someone's bills. Not to mention I have relied on people way too much these past few years. I'm 23 and I would like to establish some type of independence. Not to mention, I would like to not be embarrassed to have people over.

This decision is very make or brake for me but I have come to the conclusion that I might be better off turning my "kitchen" into a common room/ kitchen. The great news is that I'll be taking you along for the ride. So without further adieu, here is my kitchen. I'll update you guys on with some pics on how it's going. As you know, I don't have much money. Perhaps, this will become a lesson on how to redecorate when you are completely broke.


-O.T.

Job Motivation

I don't know if I've mentioned that I no longer work at my restaurant. My hours became less and less. Essentially, I made about $5...a day. I found a job as a copywriter at an upstart public relations/ marketing out of a man's home office in Newark. It's the strangest place I've ever worked and yet the best place. I write a lot. Though, I fear that I've been paraphrasing so much, I'll forget how to be creative.

Anyway, there is a girl there who just kind of slacks off. It's interesting watching people who lack motivation. Maybe her specific job isn't what she wants to do. I don't know the reason for it but I wonder if she knows how hard it is for people to get a job. Why do people spiral into self destruction when they don't want to do anything anymore? Is bailing when you are unhappy really a good thing? Despite hating it, is sticking with something for the money a good thing?

When I was a teen I had a theory:

You are at job about two-thirds of your day. That is most of your day. If you are unhappy at your job, you are unhappy with most of your life. That is why you're better off finding a job that pays very little that makes you happy. What's the point of having all of that money if you are unhappy?

I told a bus driver that once. "You're young," he said arrogantly. I told myself I would remember that moment so that I would never become bitter like that bus driver. Now that I am 23, I look back at that and I'm torn. I've had a myriad of crappy jobs. I was most depressed during those times but sometimes you have to pay the bills and stick with something you don't want to do. I wonder where my coworker is in her life? Was that me a few years ago...or even last February when I hated my job at Zara and couldn't find the passion to care about clothes? Sometimes envy those whose ideal career choice also makes them a good deal of money.

-O.T.