With summer’s end quickly approaching, you might be wondering how to make some quick cash before your status as a broke college student begins once again. If you are like me, and are not into donating blood or other extreme measures of earning an extra buck, then read carefully as I give you four ways to quickly fill your wallet. The key is to sell, sell and sell!
1. Have a Garage Sale
Garage sales are a great way to get rid of your old or currently unused objects, while making money at the same time. You can sell almost anything at a garage sale, from old bikes to jewelry and bags. University of Illinois senior, Rachel Olen, relies on garage sales to earn her extra cash. “At school, I always seem to accumulate a ton of stuff over the course of the year. Garage sales are a great way to earn some extra cash and ensure that your load is lightened before you return the following year,” Olen said.
2. Sell Your Books
You know that bookshelf you have in your house that is stocked with never-read books? Well, that is basically a pile of money, waiting to be spent. Take your books to a used bookstore like Half Priced Books, where you can sell them for a decent amount of money. According to hpb.com, all the pricing is done by them and based on condition, as well as supply and demand. An added bonus – they buy records, games and movies as well!
3. Sell clothes at Plato’s Closet
Take some time to go through your closet. Find some pieces that are newer purchases that you either never got the chance to wear, or don’t like anymore. I am always in shock by how much I have and how little I wear some items. Plato’s Closet is a great resource where you can sell your lightly worn clothes and accessories.
Manager of the Plato’s Closet in Skokie, Natalie Gottlieb, gave me some helpful hints to share as you embark on your selling adventure. “We are a trendy and fashion forward store so we buy what is in style, what [one] would see at a mall,” Gottlieb said.
4. Sell Your Electronics
In this digital age, old electronics fill almost every junk drawer in America. I personally have had four iPods in my lifetime as well as a plethora of cameras, MP3 players and cell phones. You would be surprised by how many people are willing to buy old electronics at a reasonably set price. I made an announcement once on Facebook that I was selling an old iPod, and within five minutes I had a buyer. I sold the barely used iPod and made 80 bucks out of it! Good deal, huh? Besides Facebook, another great website to sell used electronics is gazelle.com. This website allows you to type in your electronic’s brand, series, model and name in exchange for the estimated price they are willing to pay for it. Best part is, they help with the shipping of the product!
Happy Earning!