Your best secret for 'finding' money?

[scottmel]

Every month I set a goal of found money. Around Christmas I sold A LOT of DD's lego sets (I keep the boxes) and this netted around 1k (two of the sets were long retired and went crazy high on ebay!) So I didn't hold much hope for January as what could I sell??

This month I set 600 and ended up with 800. I went thru my closets and found some clothes with tags still on that I never wore. Chicos. Ebayed them made around 100. Went thru the house and anything I either received for the holidays and wasn't nuts about or bought for DH or DD that they weren't nuts about either was returned or sold. This was around 100. Then I start hitting the weird stuff - old light sabers, things without boxes that weren't so hot to me, even used cookware - just to get rid of the clutter more than anything...Craigs List 200

The rest was just returns on things i realize I didnt' really need. I had to have this makeup box set that in reality I could live without. Hadn't opened it yet and hey 75.00. I went thru my house with the mentality of what don't I LOVE...A tiffany bracelet that I wore just a few times I got 200 for on ebay.. It added up sooo quickly.

I was super careful this month on analyzing what I was buying and I think I talked myself out of a good bit of stuff just using this thought process.

I have a completely clutter free house now - I mean I sold a lot in December in terms of Lego, odd bits of furniture, ceramic tile leftovers, clothes I got for DD that for whatever reason went unworn, etc. You get the picture! It is AMAZING what I have netted. I easily easily hit $2500 since I started this rampage back in October? Granted a nice part was lego retired sets but the other stuff which I didn't value much really added up......In fact I totally avoided the CHico red line sale b/c I had 6 pieces in my closet tags still on from the LAST big sale. That is what I ebay'ed!!!

 

[kkmcan]

Every month I set a goal of found money. Around Christmas I sold A LOT of DD's lego sets (I keep the boxes) and this netted around 1k (two of the sets were long retired and went crazy high on ebay!) So I didn't hold much hope for January as what could I sell??

This month I set 600 and ended up with 800. I went thru my closets and found some clothes with tags still on that I never wore. Chicos. Ebayed them made around 100. Went thru the house and anything I either received for the holidays and wasn't nuts about or bought for DH or DD that they weren't nuts about either was returned or sold. This was around 100. Then I start hitting the weird stuff - old light sabers, things without boxes that weren't so hot to me, even used cookware - just to get rid of the clutter more than anything...Craigs List 200

The rest was just returns on things i realize I didnt' really need. I had to have this makeup box set that in reality I could live without. Hadn't opened it yet and hey 75.00. I went thru my house with the mentality of what don't I LOVE...A tiffany bracelet that I wore just a few times I got 200 for on ebay.. It added up sooo quickly.

I was super careful this month on analyzing what I was buying and I think I talked myself out of a good bit of stuff just using this thought process.

I have a completely clutter free house now - I mean I sold a lot in December in terms of Lego, odd bits of furniture, ceramic tile leftovers, clothes I got for DD that for whatever reason went unworn, etc. You get the picture! It is AMAZING what I have netted. I easily easily hit $2500 since I started this rampage back in October? Granted a nice part was lego retired sets but the other stuff which I didn't value much really added up......In fact I totally avoided the CHico red line sale b/c I had 6 pieces in my closet tags still on from the LAST big sale. That is what I ebay'ed!!!

Nice job! I do ebay but I tend to forget about all the stuff we have that either I never got around to using or that I don't really care about anymore that I should list on ebay.

I got the Zumba game for xbox for Christmas that I don't really care for so I could get some money out of that. Old Wii games that the kids don't play anymore, toys that are my sons that he's been keeping but doesn't play with anymore. He'd probably be willing to sell them if the price was right.

 

[Lauralooneyfordisney]

I really need to sell stuff on ebay and craiglist but it does take time and my time is almost nill right now.
We save all of our aluminum cans and cash them in before vacation. I also send off for rebates when I see them of stuff I buy and put that in the fund. I am selling some nicer clothes at a consignment shop which will go to the fund. Any money we get for Christmas, birthday etc go in as well as any money we get back from unexpected things like overpaid medical bills. We got $60 this month from that. I save all change and put it in a jar too but there isn't much in there because I usually use the debit card.
Just remember that every penny counts so do whatever you feel like you can no matter how little it may be.

 

[disneychic2]

OP, you got a lot of good suggestions and hopefully they will help you. In the kindest way possible, I want to caution you about planning elaborate vacations when you have lots of bills. I know some pp were offended on your behalf about the edict on not being allowed to use your credit card, but I suspect it came about because it had been a bit over-used. Easy to do. If you can get to the library and get any of Dave Ramsey's book on finances, I think in the long run, that may be the most helpful for you. Good luck to you, and I hope you can make your Disney dream a reality.

 

[Marionnette]

look at missingmoney.com or the state treasurer's office of every state you have lived in and under every name you have used. Sell stuff on craigslist.

I hope "refusing to let you" is not literal as I assume you are a grown woman.

I agree with checking into unclaimed property. It could be anything from a deposit refund to an insurance check that never reached you. In PA (which is where you're located according to your avatar) you can check online, print the forms and mail them in. It costs you nothing more than a stamp unless the property is worth more than $100. If it's more, then you need a notary seal on the claim.

We had a considerable amount of money that was sitting in unclaimed property due to my husband changing work locations early in his career. Some payments never reached him at his new location and he was had eventually forgotten about them. It was a very nice chunk of change that only took a little effort to get.

Here's the PA State Treasurer's website for searching and printing claim forms:
http://www.patreasury.gov/Unclaimed/Search.html

 

[mrsboz]

Are you a buzz agent? This is a great way to buy gift cards to use pretty much where ever. I am going to buzz my heart out and get gift cards so that we can eat at the Rainforest for free. Buzz agent is awesome. you get free products and every time you tell someone about them you write a report and get points toward gift certificates from My Points. You can "work" as much or as little as you want and it's fun. I love it.