Quick money

Quick money

Raising money quickly

Quick money isn't that difficult to raise and there are times when you may need to get some cash together quickly......... You can do it and it isn't difficult - it just needs some decision making!

Look around the house, garage, garden. What haven't you used for ages? How about those old Christmas and Birthday presents - all those little 'dust gatherers' - which were kindly meant but which are probably still in their gift wrappings, or the lawn mower which hasn't been used since you bought the new one, or the old gearbox which you kept for spares? How about that old canoe or the wind surfer you gave up on years back?

Now the reason you haven't thown them out is because "there's nothing wrong with them" and the other favourite "It's sure to come in useful sometime" or just because you haven't got around to it. I know because we all do it! The truth is that you are never going to want them but you do quick money, and that means now!

Right, let's turn it into quick money. Make a list of what you want gone. Be ruthless because the reason you still have it is that you don't use it. Break up the list into items which could easilly be posted and those which are too big/heavy or awkward and will need to be collected.

How many big items do you have? If the answer is 'Lots of them' then consider a home 'garage sale'. Plan on the week-end after next (always hold a sale when the maximum number of people will be free to come. If you must hold it mid-week, then only do it in the Summer months when there is plenty of daylight). Make it the week-end after next because you need time to spread the word around.

Stick an advert in your local 'Freebie' Yellow ads newspaper. (FREE!) Put one in 'Craig's List' (Well known in the US, becoming popular in the UK). Be sure to list any special items. Put Post Cards up in the local shops, the Village Hall or Church Hall. These cards will generally be free or low cost. Remember, money paid out on advertising is profit lost! Consider putting a notice on the near side rear window of your car. People will see it while you are parked when out shopping or wherever, and you need people.........

On the day......... Put a notice outside the house - it doesn't have to be professional but it should be large enough that people driving around looking for you can easilly spot it. Spread out the things which are for sale so people can walk around them. Put prices on them but make it clear that everything is negotiable! Be flexible because you want quick money and your customers want a bargain. This is also a good time to lay out a couple of boxes of books. Books are a problem because everyone has them, they are not expensive and they are heavy to post. While you have visitors you may as well offer them for sale because everyone likes to leave a sale having just bought something - even if it is only a paperback or two. But, when selling, think cheap on all but top quality technical or collector hard-backs which will be better listed with Amazon. More on that way later.

At the end of the day............ You will have room in the garage and put some quick money in your pocket - Well Done!

Of course, if you only have one or two large items then a garage sale is overkill. All you need do is advertise in the same way - cheap! With single items you can be more descriptive and put the price a little higher - you can always lower it again if you get an offer.

Small items are much easier to deal with......... You can sell these on one of the online auction sites. For now, my advice will be to stick with e-Bay which is by far the biggest. You will find excellent instructions on the site and you can choose how long you want an item to remain on offer. I suggest either seven or ten days which is sufficient time to generate interest but quick enough to bring in the money! For now, let me just say that you need to describe honestly but creatively 'A glorious diamond ring which will make any girls finger beautiful' might be an example. The other thing which is essential is to provide good, clear photographs of the item.

We will be dealing in much greater detail with this type of selling in our e-Bay section, because while it can provide short term income, it can also be one route to a very successful on-going income stream.

And an extra bonus! All these things were your own property. You weren't selling them 'by way of trade' so there is no liability to pay any tax on that quick money - but if you are staying with us on the Income generating trail then do enter the sales in your ledger. It will show you how well you are doing............

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