Last Updated on Apr 1, 2020 by James W
Whether you’re moving from one end of the country to another or just totaled your car, you’ll inevitably want to get rid of a bit of junk in your life. However, before you go tossing things out, take a close look at what you have in front of you. It could be that you can sell it for more than you expected, pocketing a bit of cash from some unwanted items. Follow these easy tips to get the most cash for your junk.
10 Ways to Make a Profit On Your Junk
With a little time or even a silver tongue, you can find reasons others want to buy your junk. It’s more of a matter of presenting it as something of value, instead of calling it “junk.” To them, it’s a possible treasure in the rough. Thus, try these 10 clever ways to get rid of your “treasures” quickly and easily.
- Sell The History First – Research the item you have for sale, whether it’s as small as a glass bottle or as big as a car. The time you spend understanding what you’re selling is going to help you sell it faster. You may find it is an antique bottle, thus upping the price. You might find out that the item was worn or belonged to a famous person. You might even just find out interesting history that you can use to convince your buyer that they’re buying a piece of nostalgia, not just a piece of junk.
- Repair or Refurbish It – If the item is broken, put a little time into repairing and refurbishing it. For the cost of a few spare parts, you might be able to up the price significantly, than if you tried to sell the item “as is.??? If you find you have a hang for fixing broken vintage sewing machines or wooden furniture, why not buy broken items for a song and a dance and flip them once they’re brand new?
- Part It Out – Some things can’t be fixed inexpensively, in that case why not break the item apart and sell it in parts? The rims from an automobile that no longer works are often worth hundreds of dollars. A computer might be shot, but the monitor still is in decent condition to sell. If you want to get cash for damaged cars, Adelaide junk dealers will often buy cars so that they can part them out the same way.
- Re-Purpose the Item – Broken dishes make nice mosaics. Old shoes can be made into novelty planters. Broken bike chains can make steampunk jewelry. Almost anything can be used to make creative new items that grab a customer’s fancy.
- Remodel It – If you’re handy with a paint brush, this can be one of the simplest ways to upgrade junk into new treasures. Strip old furniture and give it a new look. Spray paint can do wonders for metal items. Use popular colors or white.
- Market It – Once you have an idea of what you are selling and have it in the best condition, it’s time to market it. Take photos of it from various angles and put them on virtual yard sale groups on Facebook and on Craigslist. Let people know what a similar item goes for in retail, so that you can bump up your own asking price.
- Auction It – If you prefer to use an auction approach, you can use some renowned websites to list your item and let others decide what they’re willing to pay for it. If you know what price you won’t let the item go, then set a reserve price so that it won’t sell if the reserve is not met. This adds a sense of urgency to the sale because auctions are time-limited events.
- Offer It On Consignment – Local consignment shops will offer you a price for your used sporting equipment and then resell it at their price. However, other stores will just put it out on the floor and only give you a cut, like 80 percent or less, once the item sells. This is good for items like clothing and furniture and it takes the hassle out of trying to find a buyer yourself.
- Raffle It Off – You can make a lot more money off an item that is in high demand by raffling it off for tickets sold at a lot less than the full value. If you get enough people to buy tickets then you make more money and you get one happy winner who gets the item. You do have to follow state and local laws when using a raffle approach to make sure taxes are properly assessed and that it is legal in your area.
- Finance It – Still having trouble selling an item? It might not be your item that is the problem, but the amount of money that people need to have to buy it. If it is an item that can be easily repossessed, you can either lease it or finance it so that people pay in installments instead of all at once. That way, you may be able to dig up a few more eager buyers than before. If they fail to make payments, then you can still get your item back and sell it to someone else.
Look to Turn a Profit
It doesn’t matter if all you’re trying to do is lessen the amount of junk you’re moving so that skip hire Adelaide professionals offer you a better moving deal. You still can choose to sell those items instead of trashing them. You keep things out of the landfills and you get to finance more of your move with old stuff you no longer want. Someone else gets a great deal and a new treasure in their life. It’s a win-win situation for everyone all around.