Your Money_ The Missing Manual - J. D. Roth [62]
Be willing to bargain. Early in the day, you want to get as much as you can for each item. Most people will still buy Aunt Lucy's soup tureen at $5 even after they offer you $3. (If they're bargaining, it's because they want the item.) Don't be completely rigid, but don't give your Stuff away either. Later in the day, be more open to negotiating.
Keep a ledger. It's easy—and useful—to keep a written record of what you sell. For each item, jot down a brief description, how much your sold it for, and—if you're having a multi-person yard sale—who gets the money.
Don't use a cash box. Carry your money with you at all times so you're not a target for casual thieves or professional swindlers who run distraction con games. Use an apron, fanny pack, or something similar.
Running a yard sale isn't rocket science. If you put a little effort into creating a pleasant environment where it's easy to browse for hidden treasures, you'll make a lot more money than you would by just stacking stuff in your driveway.
Tip
For lots more about running a successful yard sale, check out www.yardsalequeen.com.
Posting items on Craigslist
The final step in selling Stuff is to list it on www.Craigslist.org, a free classified-ad site. Craigslist doesn't reach as many people as eBay because it's limited to your local area, but that means you don't have to deal with shipping. Also, Craigslist doesn't have any built-in protections; people can and do get scammed, so be careful. Despite these caveats, Craigslist is a great way to get cold, hard cash for your dusty old Stuff.
Though posting an ad on Craigslist is fairly straightforward, there are things you can do to increase your chances of success:
Write detailed descriptions. Provide all the info—like size, color, style, and so on—that buyers need to make a decision.
Be honest. Don't try to fool anyone. If you say something is "like new" and a potential buyer shows up to discover it's well-worn, you won't make the sale—and you'll have a cranky customer on your hands.
Post photos. You don't have to include photos in your ad, but you'll have better luck if you do. Even if you write well, you can't describe that old dining room table as well as a picture can show it.
Ask a reasonable price. If you're not sure how much to ask, check Craigslist and eBay to see how much similar items fetch. And remember: No matter how much an item cost you, you won't get near what you paid for it.
Be patient. You'll get lots of responses, but few people will follow through. Don't let it bother you—that's just how Craigslist works. Be grateful for the folks who do follow up.
Stand firm. Don't let buyers talk you into alternate forms of payment. For example, if you're asking $250 for something, don't accept a trade for it instead. Folks who want to trade are sometimes trying to pull a fast one.
Tip
If you're new to the site, check out Dayana Yochim's article on how to speak Craigslist: http://tinyurl.com/MFcraigslist.
Donating to Charity
After you've sold your expensive items on eBay, held a yard sale, and sold things on Craigslist, you'll still have Stuff left over. Fortunately, there are better ways to get rid of it than throwing it in the trash.
Try giving your Stuff to charity: Donate it to a local church or school, or take it to a thrift shop. And ask your friends and coworkers if they know of any specialized charities. For example, your town may have an organization like Free Geek (www.freegeek.org), a Portland-based nonprofit that accepts computers and refurbishes them for local schools and charities.
If you can't find a charity that wants your Stuff, check out Freecycle (www.freecycle.org),