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If your savings account is slowly dwindling, while your credit card balance climbs higher, now might be a good time to rethink your finances.
As you make a plan for how to save, you should also consider selling off some old belongings. Clearing clutter can be a lucrative business, if you do it the right way. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Have a car boot sale.
If you have a collection you could sell, for example books or vintage clothing, you should consider becoming an entrepreneur by selling your items out of the boot of your car. Selling this way gives you the benefit of instant gratification, as you can have the cash in hand as soon as you find buyers. You can also change your location from time to time, which increases your chances of getting rid of all of your stuff quickly.
Sell belongings on Ebay.
If you're still stumped on how to save, or don't like selling face to face, you can do it easily online. Selling online also enables you to get rid of items that won't fit in the boot of your car, such as exercise equipment and furniture. You can use Ebay or Gumtree as portals to find buyers for each item you want to sell. Just make sure to take photos of all of your merchandise using great lighting and angles and add a detailed description for each item.
Make cash off of your old music.
You may have a lot of CDs, DVDs, or video games that you don't want anymore, and you can use the Internet to sell these too. Selling these items one at a time is less efficient than selling in bulk; in order to get a cheque from your entertainment collection with minimal effort, you can sell unwanted DVDs, CDs, and games in groups of ten to 25 using a music buyback service like musicMagpie.
Become a professional in your chosen hobby.
If you like to paint, create Youtube videos, read classic literature, or bake, you can easily transform your hobby into a money-saving part-time job. You already have the materials that you need to create your masterpieces, so all you have to do is find family and friends who are in need of your services. Whether you decide to give lessons in English or cooking, provide digital video services to local businesses, or display your artwork for sale, you'll have fun while making money.
However, if saving is your goal, these activities will only get you halfway there. It's important to come up with a plan for how you'll handle the money before you get it, so that you don't feel tempted to spend it right away. You might want to consider setting up a separate savings account just for the money you make from clearing clutter. You should also leave your credit card at home in favour of making all of your transactions in cash. This will help you with budgeting and debt reduction.
