How to find extra money for the holidays -- in your house

Posted by on

Sweating your holiday budget?  

Your home could double as your holiday savings account this year!

There's more than likely a few extra dollars floating around your house right now -- and I'm not talking about loose change hiding under the sofa cushions.  
The couple of weeks between Halloween and Thanksgiving are a great time to sort through household items that you no longer use and sell them for some extra cash. 

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that your items aren't valuable enough to make selling them worth the trouble.  

You may only get $1 each for many items, but by selling them in bulk to retailers or online, those individual dollars add up fast.

And the payoff is more than financial, too -- your house will be less cluttered and more streamlined (and probably cleaner!) as you move into the busiest time of the year for many families.

How to find extra money for the holidays -- in your house
  • Outgrown clothes in good condition for this season -- they can be sold at children's consignment stores or used clothing stores like Plato's Closet for cash or store credit.  Here's a list of what sells best at consignment stores over the fall and winter.
  • Old cell phones and unused electronics -- You can trade these in for cash at Amazon, Target, and Best Buy -- learn how here.  Newer models fetch more, but if you're sitting on a few older cell phones and you get $8 each for them, it's still likely worth your trouble!
  • Unused gift cards for stores you don't shop at -- These can be sold on eBay or at a gift card website like plasticjungle.com for anywhere between 80 to 90% of their value.  Or of course, you could always regift these for the holidays (or use them stacked with coupons to buy gifts for the holidays.)
  • CDs -- Move your music library onto your computer or MP3 player and sell the physical discs at CD Exchange for anywhere from $1 to $3 each, depending on the artist.  You can also sell them to Amazon, or just get a quote that helps you bargain with the CD Exchange folks!
  • Used books and textbooks in good condition -- Take them to Half Price Books or price the trade-in value on Amazon.
  • Children's toys in good condition -- There are many used toy stores in town that are happy to give you a quote on old birthday gifts that never really got used.
  • DVDs -- Again, check the trade-in value on Amazon or take them to CD Exchange.  You can usually get between $1 and $3 per title, with newer films and box sets commanding higher values.
  • Video games and gaming systems -- Trade them in for credit at Amazon or Best Buy.
  • Housewares, furniture, collectibles and other miscellaneous items -- Try selling them on Craigslist or eBay -- just be sure to take some basic safety precautions!  eBay can be especially profitable if you have collectibles.  I have Christmas mugs from Starbucks that are selling for $25 each on eBay right now -- and I paid about $3.50 each when I bought them on sale a few years back.
If/when you find items that still have value but aren't in the best condition, consider donating them and keeping a record of the donation for your taxes.  

Both the Salvation Army and the ARC will schedule pickups of donations, so you don't even have to drive anywhere.

CD Exchange and Half Price Books will also donate any items of yours they've decided they can't sell, so you don't have to tote anything back to your house.

What are some other ways you can find extra money in your house?  Share your thoughts in the comments section below, or over on the San Antonio Budget Grocery Facebook page.

Want more freebies and deals? Go back to the front page, follow me on Twitter, or keep up with all the action on Facebook.

Comments

Post a Comment