Flexible side gigs?

[disneysteve]

This is a cool idea! I am a lover of vintage stuff and love thrifting so this really appeals to me. Do you have any good resources for how to identify what sells the best? Or should I buy what speaks to me?

You love vintage stuff so there's probably stuff you know the value of. It's always best to start with what you know. Look for those items at yard sales, estate sales, and thrift shops. Find them cheap and flip them for a profit.

The best resource for identifying what sells is ebay itself. You can search for an item and see how many are currently listed. Then you can filter the search to see ones that have sold. That tells you how much they're selling for but also lets you see the sell-through rate. Ideally, you want to see a good number sold relative to the number listed. If there are 100 listed and only 5 sold, that's not so great. If there are 40 listed and 30 sold, that's much better. The ebay search goes back 90 days. If you have an ebay account, you can also use the Terapeak research tool which goes back 2 years.

Also you can find things people are giving away for free online. Download the Freebie Alert app and you can get a notification every time somebody lists something for free on Marketplace, Offer Up, NextDoor, etc. You've got to be quick, though, as things often get claimed really fast. I've gotten many things that way that I have resold. Obviously, it's all profit when your cost is zero.

Who do you use for shipping? I feel like shipping costs take away any profit and I'm afraid of things arriving broken. I have vintage Disney posters that I would like to sell but I can't figure out how to ship them (they have a flat cardboard backing, not rolled).

I ship over 95% with USPS as they generally have the best rates. I use UPS now and then for larger items as they're usually cheaper for that stuff. Buyer pays shipping so it has no impact on my profit other than the final value fee ebay takes on the total sale price including shipping and tax but when I buy something for $5 and sell it for $50, I really don't care that ebay takes about $7.50 of that. I still come out way ahead.

Are those posters mounted on the cardboard or could you remove them and ship them rolled? That would be the best option if you can. If not, you'd have to sandwich them between stiff cardboard and mail them that way but the oversize fee could raise the cost. Whether or not it's worth it depends on the value of the items.

@Princesca just to give you some legit idea, my worst month so far this year, January, I had sales of $1,075 and profit of $610. My best month I had sales of $1,416 and profit of $1,033. I set a personal goal at the start of 2022 to make a monthly profit of at least $500. I've only failed to hit that once in September 2022 and that was because we were away on vacation for part of the month. Other than that, my worst month I did $585 profit. My best month by far, June 2022, my profit was $3,710.64 (huge estate sale score). My average monthly profit for 2023 so far is $771.

I constantly recommend ebay as the best option for people who need extra income but don't have time for a traditional job or second job. There are some great Facebook groups like "ebay sellers helping each other" (I'm a group expert for that one), and "ebay the right way" which also has a podcast by the same name. If you want to hear more of my story, I was a guest on that show last year (episode #87, November 22, available on YouTube or any podcast app).

 

[DisneyHardin]

eBay. I consistently make $500-$1,000/month reselling things I buy mostly at estate sales but also yard sales, occasionally thrift shops, and stuff I get for free. It’s super flexible.

Just yesterday I went to a garage sale in my development, paid $10 for a piece of Fenton glass, and sold it on eBay last night for $125. Most sales aren’t that fast or dramatic but I do routinely sell things for 5-10 times what I paid. Year to date I’m averaging about 4.6 times cost.

There are many places to find free items so you don’t even need any upfront money to get started.

That's my side gig too. I mostly just sell clothes and shoes. I pay for our vacations with the eBay money.

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

I have a toddler at home so I'm really looking for something I could do from like 8-11 or so when he's gone to bed

So I popped into this thread myself for some ideas, but I have one very minimal effort idea to add:

Not sure if you're planning on more kids and wanting to save most things, but one of my sides hustles has been consigning my son's outgrown clothing, books, toys, etc. Definitely check to see if your city has any big kid's consignment tent sales you can become a consignor at. I'm not talking about taking a bushel to Once Upon a Child and getting $20- I'm talking about 2 rubbermaid bins full for $350. It's definitely not going to hit the goals you're hoping to reach, but it's something you could add on to one of the other idea here for very little effort. You literally just have to tag your items and bring them to a hall at my local sale. It runs one weekend, Friday to Sunday, and they do it 3-4 times a year. And I just keep whatever doesn't sell and it's ready inventory for the next one. Even if you think you'll have more kids, there's probably some onesies with snaps you found irritating, etc. that you can part with. We're going to Disneyland next year, and by then I'll have about 4 consignment sales since I started my most recent savings goal (last round of sales helped fund a Disney Cruise). I'll hopefully have made about $1200 on things I was getting rid of anyway. No dealing with shipping, packing, eBay, feedback, etc. (although I do love selling things on eBay and have been reselling since I was 15). You just show up on Thursday to drop off and again on Sunday to pick up, and get paid about a week later. I'm a single mom, so I need the extra income to be able to do the trips I do, BUT I also have a 5 year old so I can't just go get a second job very easily (though when he's older I probably will). I am considering a seasonal evening job this year if my ex can watch him consistently a few nights a week, but I'm not holding my breath, so I'm hoping there's more good ideas on this thread! Definitely checking into transcribing.

 

[disneysteve]

That's my side gig too. I mostly just sell clothes and shoes. I pay for our vacations with the eBay money.

I sell almost everything except clothing and shoes . Some recent examples of things I've sold: a flask, a Corning Visions bowl, a Fenton glass vase, 2 Longaberger mugs, a Coca-Cola hat (I guess that's clothing), a boxed DVD set, some old Disney World resort soap, a pack of whole house water filters, a Snoopy mug, vintage Band-Aid tins, an old boat dealer catalog, an Agatha Christie book, some Yankee Candle car air fresheners, a car magazine, some cross stitch fabric, a LEGO set, some charm bracelets. As you can see, everything and anything that I can make a decent profit on. Virtually anything legal can be sold on ebay. If you can get it cheap enough to make reselling worth it, go for it.

I had 38 sales in July ranging from $4.95 to $70.00. So far in August, I've made 9 sales ranging from $7.25 to $125.00. You'd be surprised how quickly even those lower end sales start adding up to a significant amount. And only 2 items I've sold since July 1 cost me over $10 so my upfront investment has been quite small.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I sell almost everything except clothing and shoes . Some recent examples of things I've sold: a flask, a Corning Visions bowl, a Fenton glass vase, 2 Longaberger mugs, a Coca-Cola hat (I guess that's clothing), a boxed DVD set, some old Disney World resort soap, a pack of whole house water filters, a Snoopy mug, vintage Band-Aid tins, an old boat dealer catalog, an Agatha Christie book, some Yankee Candle car air fresheners, a car magazine, some cross stitch fabric, a LEGO set, some charm bracelets. As you can see, everything and anything that I can make a decent profit on. Virtually anything legal can be sold on ebay. If you can get it cheap enough to make reselling worth it, go for it.

I had 38 sales in July ranging from $4.95 to $70.00. So far in August, I've made 9 sales ranging from $7.25 to $125.00. You'd be surprised how quickly even those lower end sales start adding up to a significant amount. And only 2 items I've sold since July 1 cost me over $10 so my upfront investment has been quite small.

Our numbers are almost exactly the same. I have sold 9 things so far in August and had 34 sales in July. Usually my sales are higher for a month, but we were out of town for the first 2 weeks of July.

 

[Rogue1677x]

So I popped into this thread myself for some ideas, but I have one very minimal effort idea to add:

Not sure if you're planning on more kids and wanting to save most things, but one of my sides hustles has been consigning my son's outgrown clothing, books, toys, etc. Definitely check to see if your city has any big kid's consignment tent sales you can become a consignor at. I'm not talking about taking a bushel to Once Upon a Child and getting $20- I'm talking about 2 rubbermaid bins full for $350. It's definitely not going to hit the goals you're hoping to reach, but it's something you could add on to one of the other idea here for very little effort. You literally just have to tag your items and bring them to a hall at my local sale. It runs one weekend, Friday to Sunday, and they do it 3-4 times a year. And I just keep whatever doesn't sell and it's ready inventory for the next one. Even if you think you'll have more kids, there's probably some onesies with snaps you found irritating, etc. that you can part with. We're going to Disneyland next year, and by then I'll have about 4 consignment sales since I started my most recent savings goal (last round of sales helped fund a Disney Cruise). I'll hopefully have made about $1200 on things I was getting rid of anyway. No dealing with shipping, packing, eBay, feedback, etc. (although I do love selling things on eBay and have been reselling since I was 15). You just show up on Thursday to drop off and again on Sunday to pick up, and get paid about a week later. I'm a single mom, so I need the extra income to be able to do the trips I do, BUT I also have a 5 year old so I can't just go get a second job very easily (though when he's older I probably will). I am considering a seasonal evening job this year if my ex can watch him consistently a few nights a week, but I'm not holding my breath, so I'm hoping there's more good ideas on this thread! Definitely checking into transcribing.

I've done something like this in the past and it worked really well for bringing in some extra funds.

 

[stitchfan75]

I sell almost everything except clothing and shoes . Some recent examples of things I've sold: a flask, a Corning Visions bowl, a Fenton glass vase, 2 Longaberger mugs, a Coca-Cola hat (I guess that's clothing), a boxed DVD set, some old Disney World resort soap, a pack of whole house water filters, a Snoopy mug, vintage Band-Aid tins, an old boat dealer catalog, an Agatha Christie book, some Yankee Candle car air fresheners, a car magazine, some cross stitch fabric, a LEGO set, some charm bracelets. As you can see, everything and anything that I can make a decent profit on. Virtually anything legal can be sold on ebay. If you can get it cheap enough to make reselling worth it, go for it.

I had 38 sales in July ranging from $4.95 to $70.00. So far in August, I've made 9 sales ranging from $7.25 to $125.00. You'd be surprised how quickly even those lower end sales start adding up to a significant amount. And only 2 items I've sold since July 1 cost me over $10 so my upfront investment has been quite small.

I have boxes upon boxes of Longaberger stuff. Lots of baskets from the 80's, some still in their boxes, Christmas ornaments, etc. It was all left to me by a family member but I only have so much need for a basket. Is the resale pretty good on these?

 

[Princesca]

I have boxes upon boxes of Longaberger stuff. Lots of baskets from the 80's, some still in their boxes, Christmas ornaments, etc. It was all left to me by a family member but I only have so much need for a basket. Is the resale pretty good on these?

I'm curious about this because my mom has a bunch but from my initial research, no, not really. it isn't the IKEA-esque aesthetic most people want anymore.

 

[disneysteve]

I have boxes upon boxes of Longaberger stuff. Lots of baskets from the 80's, some still in their boxes, Christmas ornaments, etc. It was all left to me by a family member but I only have so much need for a basket. Is the resale pretty good on these?

I got $20 for a pair of mugs last week. I just did a quick search and it looks like baskets and ornaments are selling well. The best thing to do is see what you have and search eBay for sold listings for those items to see what they’re going for.

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

I gig drive for Spark (Walmart). I average $20+/hour. I can easily do $200 a week just by 2 orders a day before or after my kids school schedule. I'll sometimes drive on weekends or evenings if we don't have plans and I'm trying to earn extra money for a trip etc.

 

[firefly_ris]

On eBay I sometimes try to time what I'm selling based on the season as well. If I have a bunch of NFL crap I start listing a lot of those around preseason. I start bulking up train set parts closer to the holidays, etc. I am not as consistent of a seller as disneysteve but I have been selling stuff on ebay for years as an extra income. I sell stuff we don't use anymore, toys kids outgrow that I don't want to keep for future grandkids, sports memorabilia my husband picks up all over the place (marshalls and tj maxx used to sell nfl stuff very cheap for teams that were not associated with our area), items my in laws no longer want or need, office supplies, and I used to buy and sell My Little Pony (80s ones). We also sometimes find good flips at garage sales though that has been a little slim around here lately. I print my shipping labels right in ebay (better prices than going directly to my local po), then when I go to the post office everything is done, they just scan the package and hand me a receipt.

My mom sells exclusively antiques but has a breadth of knowledge and experience I don't have. She is retired and makes about $12k to $15k per year on ebay. She has time and decades of experience in buying lots at auction and so on that I don't have the time to do.

Sorry I goofed on my original response earlier in the thread and missed the part where suggestions needed to be at home ideas.

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

TELUS.
I make $14/hr working from home doing quality ratings on websites and ChatGPT responses. It literally pays for all my travel. I just got back from 12 days in Spain and the whole budget was saved working that job.

Would you mind if I PM you?
Curious about this work, I applied and now crickets

 

[bcwife76]

Telus? Like... the mobile company?

Yep. Telus is more than cell phones, they are a major phone, tv and internet provider in western Canada.

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[bcwife76]

I had no idea! I'm on the other side of the country, and here they're only cell phones.

Haha yes I figured, as far as I know, Telus only does tv/phone/internet in BC and AB

 

[MrsPete]

Coming at the question from a different point of view: Instead of bringing in more income, can you spend less? Can you cut your grocery bill? Eat less take-out? Cancel subscriptions (or gym memberships) you aren't actively using? Becoming a one-car family is a huge, huge savings, and it's more possible than you might think.

Ideas:
- If you're looking for extra work, how about tutoring?
- Or babysitting kids after school -- have them get off the bus at your house, feed them a snack and manage their homework, then supervise their play. You'd only have them maybe 3:00-5:30ish, but -- back when my kids were this age -- after school care was almost 50% of what I'd paid for full-time toddler day care.
- Similarly, consider offering day care /day camp for school aged kids on Teacher Workdays & Holidays; elementary school parents are often thrown off schedule by these days.

An important note: If you're picking up extra work, that means less time for you and your family. Don't pick up extra work, then spend all the income on take out because you don't have time to cook.

Last thought: If you go for selling items via ebay (or similar), be honest with yourself about what you're earning. What I mean:
- If you buy your kids' clothes, you're not really earning anything. You're recouping a portion of what you spent for your kids' needs. Example: If you buy your kid a pair of $40 jeans, he wears them for a year, then you sell them for $10, you haven't earned anything. You've clothed your kid for a year, and you've recouped $10.
- On the other hand, if you buy your kid the $10 second-hand jeans, then resell them for $10 a year later, you've broken even and clothed your kid for free. Not income, but still useful to the bottom line.
- If you buy things at Goodwill (or similar), remember that you must deduct your expenses to figure out your profit. Example: You buy a gee-gaw for $5 at Goodwill and sell it for $20. The buyer sends you $25, which includes shipping. Don't tell yourself your profit is $25 -- it's actually $15; you must deduct the purchase price and the shipping.
- The point: Just be honest with yourself about your profit.

If this post had a title, it'd be Consider the Big Picture.

 

[hsmamato2]

I'm gonna chime in here on the ebay sales as a side gig..... I did it for a couple of years (recently stopped) I used pirateship- discounted shipping options- it always saved me $ to use them and print my own labels.
HOWEVER I'm going to toss this out here for the sake of hard reality- it's a tough market out there. And ebay take a straight up 19-20% of all sales ,b/c they charge a final fee on the entire sale, including taxes,and ship costs----
---------------Ex. is I sell a book for $10, with $2 tax and $5 ship fee attached..... ebay then calculates approx 12-13% of ALL of that together (ripoff) which ends up being 19-20% of total amount.....so I don't get charged the seller fee on that $10,($1.20) I get charged approx. $2.xx on that sale, bringing my "profit" down to $6.xx.---------------
So I sourced most of my stuff for free, and I specialized in vintage& antique glass etc, but it takes a LOT of hours and stuff to make anything significant on ebay,b/c of that 19-20% off the top of every sale. (And yes,I know there are tips to get around some of these things) This was in spite of the fun sales like finding a free antique typewriter and reselling it on a quick flip for $150 2 days later (and then packing and shipping it successfully) So it can be done, but it's not as quick and simple as it appears. (not to mention learning item values, ship methods etc)

 

[snowwite]

We are making ends meet on just my salary, but if I could just bring in another $500-$1000 a month, I think we would be golden. I know it's probably a long shot but does anyone know any good ways to bring in extra income working from home? We have already budgeted and cut back everywhere we can cut back without significantly affecting our lives, and already try to sell things we don't need on online marketplaces. Something without set hours, like data entry, is probably the most viable option for us. Thank you!!

What about something like Instacart or Door dash, Uber or Lyft?

 

[snowwite]

eBay. I consistently make $500-$1,000/month reselling things I buy mostly at estate sales but also yard sales, occasionally thrift shops, and stuff I get for free. It’s super flexible.

Just yesterday I went to a garage sale in my development, paid $10 for a piece of Fenton glass, and sold it on eBay last night for $125. Most sales aren’t that fast or dramatic but I do routinely sell things for 5-10 times what I paid. Year to date I’m averaging about 4.6 times cost.

There are many places to find free items so you don’t even need any upfront money to get started.

That’s how my parents retired younger than I will. I don’t have an eye for what is valuable . In fact I’m the only person in my family who is not an antique dealer! I always saw it as other people’s junk. Now I like some of the jewelry and older kitchen and house hold items that are not made as well anymore.