Don’t Get A Second Job. Do This For Holiday Cash Instead

While you probably wish 2020 would make a speedy exit due to COVID-19 and all of the other craziness, you still may want to enjoy the holiday season. That can be tough to do if you don’t have any money, which raises the question: What are some ways to earn holiday-boosting income?

The most obvious way to make money right now is to get a second job. Plenty of places will be hiring part-time workers to help with the holiday rush, but is that really your best bet? If you prefer to stay safe at home without being exposed to the coronavirus, a second job probably isn’t your cup of tea. However, selling used stuff could be, which is why now is a great time to declutter your house.

If you didn’t take quarantine time to declutter, here’s your perfect excuse to finally mark it off of your to-do list. Not only will you reduce stress by getting rid of clutter, but you’ll also have more cash for Christmas by selling your things either online or locally.

If you’ve never sold anything online, don’t fret. There are many sites out there that make it super simple to do so, even for beginners.
Here are a few examples:

eBay

Let’s start with a site that you’ve probably heard of before. In fact, you may have even purchased something off of eBay before, but wondered how to get in on the action.

Here’s how:

1. Go through your home and pick out the items you want to sell.
2. Take good pictures of each item that showcase its condition and features.
3. When writing your product description, load it with keywords that a potential buyer may look for.
4. Set your item to “Buy It Now” for an easier transaction, or use the auction format to see if you can snag a higher price.

Decluttr

From looking at its name, it’s rather obvious what this site is used for. Unlike eBay, however, Decluttr makes it even easier to turn your clutter into cash if you don’t feel like dealing with customers, shipping items, etc.

First, you declutter your home. Second, you gather up everything you want to get rid of. Third, you send a list of your items to Decluttr. Fourth, they give you an estimate of what they’d pay for those items. Fifth, you send Decluttr the items, if you accept their offer. Finally, you get paid.

Local Options

It can sometimes be easier to get cash for your clutter by choosing local options. These work well if you need money now and want to get rid of your items without much hassle.

What’s the downside to local selling? Having to meet others in person, which could prompt safety concerns for some.

If you want to sell your clutter locally, you can bring it into a consignment store or have an old fashioned garage sale. You can also do a hybrid combination of meeting people in person after listing your items on sites like Craigslist and the Facebook Marketplace.