Ebay vs Garage Sale Vs Goodwill

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

This year for Cmas, we're getting our dds less toys b/c they already have so many. Over Cmas break, DH and I also plan to do a little decluttering. We want to get rid of unworn clothes, toys that aren't played with anymore, books that won't be read again, etc.

As far as hassle goes, making money, or getting a nice tax credit, which is the best route to go, Ebay, garage sale, or Goodwill?

Thanks for the advice!

P.S. Any advice on how to decide if something should go?

 

[cats mom]

I bet you'll get a lot of different of answers to this one.

Personally I hate doing garage sales. That would absolutely be my last choice. But I know there are folks who actually find them kind of fun.


E bay can bring decent prices on some things, but it's a fair amount of work and can be pretty hit and miss. I'm not sure how well you'll do with toys and books after Christmas. Probably would have been better to list them sooner.

We generally just donate that kind of stuff. I'm sure it doesn't bring the best return dollar wise, but it sure is easy.

I know a lot of folks have reported good results listing things on Craigslist. That might be worth looking into as well.

Good Luck!

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

Well, unless we decide to just Goodwill stuff, most likely we will box stuff up and put it in the attic until spring for garage sale or ebay. That way too if I take something and the kids actually miss it, I can retrieve it. If they don't notice it's gone, no biggy. I thought about having them help with this process, but they're 5 and 3 and say they love everything when it's time to declutter. My only problems parting with stuff are thinking about how much money I spent on stuff.

 

[Darcy03231]

I research eBay and see what the items are currently bringing. If its not much I donate it and tax the tax write off. We have a Salvation Army and they'll give a guidelist of what your items current value is.

 

[AllesonWonderland]

We use the program from itsdeductible.com when we do our taxes. You'd be surprised how much some of the stuff you donate is worth. (Drives my husband nuts, because when we have a rummage I won't sell it for too cheap since I can write it off--LOL)

I have a whole bin full of stuff that I've been meaning to sell on ebay, I just never seem to get around to it.

Our neighborhood has a rummage each year so I sell some things there. Then there are always the local weekend consignment sales like just between friends, etc. that if I was ambitious I could take part in. Plus there's a local buy/sell/trade site I found through my local freecycle group that I've sold things on.

I guess it all comes down to how much you want to have the stuff gone. If you just want to be rid of it, take pics, write everything down and give to a church or charity. If you want the $$ take it to once upon a child, a consignment sale, rummage or do ebay.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Goodwill will only give tax credit receipts up to $200 each time you donate. So if you have a lot of items, it will take more than one trip to donate them.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

I research eBay and see what the items are currently bringing. If its not much I donate it and tax the tax write off. We have a Salvation Army and they'll give a guidelist of what your items current value is.

I totally agree. Check eBay first for prices to see if it's worth your time. I used to try to sell whatever I could on eBay, but with the fees, the work, the time, the deadbeat bidders, packing, shipping, etc., unless it would bring a decent price, I just dontate the stuff to goodwill.

We also have an animal shelter resale shop nearby. I give them the items that are better than goodwill quality (if that makes sense) and that while they would do well on eBay, I wouldn't want to pack up for eBay, such as large items or breakable items. I swore off garage sales years ago.

Be proud of yourselves for dejunking. It frees the mind and spirit. I swear, I get high just watching my clutter being loaded onto Salvation Army trucks. But then, I get that way on garbage day too.

Tink

 

[dementia412]

I am on the poorer side of the Dis board, and even I don't bother with garage sale. Most of the time a yard sale isn't worth the time you spend doing it. Ebay is terrible for selling clothes IMO. I tried to sell very nice stuff cheap as could be and didn't get a hit. Unless you really know your way around Ebay I'd avoid it for selling clothing.

If you have a few big ticket items I'd say sell through a paper, craigs, or ebay. Really nice clothes go to a resale store maybe, but everything else I'd drop off at Goodwill or Freecycle the stuff.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I personally don't do garage sales anymore, I never have good luck with them. If you don't want to mess with ebay you could take your clothes to Once Upon a Child or another consignment store.

As far as toys and books, I've always had really good sales after Christmas on ebay. I think people are spending Christmas money or buying pieces go to with sets they get for Christmas, such as Geotrax. Not to mention people shopping after-Christmas sales looking for a deal.

 

[momxx5]

Never tried ebay. I have tons of new WT clothes and toys, but somehow I just don't see how making $2.50 is worth my time.

For excellent conditin or NWT clothes and toys I do Once Upon A Child. They are fussy, so if I take in a certain amount I have an idea what I want to earn. I usually earn what I want and also take home a box or two.

We do a garage sale each summer. We earn quite a bit. I price things simply so they will sell. I kinda go by the idea "what would I pay for it at a garage sale", and I'm pretty thrifty.

This fall we found ourselves with a huge blessing. So for the time being and hopefully many years to come, we do not need to have a garage sale....so I'm taking great pride in boxing items up for donation. We have a community thrift store that services many different areas....homeless, preganacy, abuse, etc.

Well....to make a long post even longer....
If you need the money than a garage sale is the quickest way to earn money
If you are going to "try" for bigger bucks ebay may work.
If you do not need the money, I suggest donating. Take the kids, make it a family thing.

(oh and I take care to fold clothes neatly, arrange items with like items and box all the donations up. A huge pet peeve of mine is seeing black garage bags full of tossed in items being dropped off for donation. It just looks like people are giving away their garbage.)

 

[JandJ]

I like doing garage sales, I think I got that from my mom! But it is a LOT of work if you want to do it right and make any kind of decent money. I think for books, toys, and stuff like that a garage sale is the way to go. See if any of your neighbors are interested in doing one the same time and you can chip in on the advertising and a block sale usually gets more customers. DH and I did well at our garage sale last spring on cut glass, china, small electronics, books, Beannie Babies, some Disney stuff, a few clothing pieces, and Barbies. I've sold the same sorts of things on e-bay and not done as well but with e-bay all the hard work is done at the comfort of my computer If they don't sell at the garage sale I'll donate good clothes and lightly used household items to a domestic abuse shelter or Salvation Army. My neighbor just had a garage sale and made only $10 but she didn't put an ad in the paper and she only put one sign on the main street - you have to do a lot more than that if you want to make a decent profit.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

garage sale - I've done it twice but it was LOTS of work and planning (around the weather and the kids' activivities) and we still had stuff leftover that we donated - I was giving stuff away at the end, just so I wouldn't have to lug it back into the basement. The second time DH said "put it in your car RIGHT NOW and take it to the children's hospital - it's NOT coming back in the house!"

ebay - never done it but I'd like to try it. I just never seem to have the time.

I've donated lots of toys and games - sometimes to our local children's hospital but I usually call Big Brothers Big Sisters because they will pick it up and that is the easiest and comes with a tax deduction.

It really depends on how much time/effort you want to put into it. You have to decide if the cash is worth the labor involved with ebay or a yard sale, or if you just want the stuff to be gone.