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My family is on the move yet again. This time we're heading from the west coast back to the Midwest ... at least for the moment. I'm beginning to think I might be descended from a band of traveling gypsies, as this will be around our fifth living location in almost as many years. I have to say, I'm beginning to tire of not having a cozy little spot to cool our heels for a while and am hoping we can rest for a bit at this next stop, although I have no illusions considering our transient past.
That being said, being constantly on the move does have its benefits when it comes to keeping our lives downsized, and throughout most of our relocations we have managed to make a little cash along the way. In fact, we pulled in over $500 in cash and recognized nearly $500 in charitable donation tax deductions before our last big move.
Specific Resale
Getting into specific resale areas is where the big money can be when looking for make some cash from moving discards. Furniture, antiques, coins, collectibles, electronics, and similar items could be valuable enough to make them marketable in certain resale niches like coins shops, antique stores, book, electronic and music resale stores, and pawn and consignment shops.
I would rather try to find a specific resale market for such higher value items than chance trying to sell them in garage sales or similar areas, since such niche markets will likely have knowledge of such items' value and be willing to pay more than just the average garage sale attendee. However, making such sales can take time, and if often the reason why I turned instead to the next option, online sales.
Online Sales
But even specific resale locations may only be able to reach a local market. This is why I like to put certain higher value items up for sale online. While this option could be more time consuming, I'm able to reach a broader market of buyers and look for more resale options. I've gone this route for items like collectible bookends, antique binoculars, collectible toys from my childhood, and musical instruments, and made well over $400 in the process.
Garage Sales
Many of the items that I'm not able to resell through higher value markets, or that aren't worth my time trying to find niche resale markets for, I tend to put in the garage sales we have in the months and weeks leading up to our move to make an extra $100 or so.
Some of these items might still make their way to the resale market eventually anyway for a quick $10 or $20. Sometimes I price items like books, CDs, DVDs, and video games a little higher for garage sales since I might find specific buyers willing to pay more for these particular items. If they don't sell in the garage sale though, I can always take them to a resale shop, although possibly getting a lower payment for them in the process…but it's still a payment nonetheless.
Donations, Gifts and Lending
The final stop for any leftover items we're ready to be free from before we move, head in the direction of donations, gifts, or they are lent to friends and family.
Donations can be a great way to give to a charitable organization, while at the same time recognize some income tax savings. Giving items as gifts or lending them to friends and family can also be a good way to ensure that they go to a good home, and avoid having to toss them out or pay to have them moved in the process.
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