The eBay Sellers’ Supermarket

Walk through any thrift or consignment store and you’re bound to bump into an eBay Powerseller or two replenishing their eBay inventory. The truth is there are still good bargains available at brick and mortar or online thrift stores for resale on eBay if you’re astute enough to spot them.

While it’s true you’ll probably pay more at a brick and mortar store than you would at a garage sale, the prices for some items are still low enough for you to make a decent profit. The key, of course, is to do enough research on eBay to know what types of used items are hot sellers.

For example, if you’re interested in buying and selling used men’s shirts, go to eBay and perform searches for “used men’s shirt,” “nearly new shirt,” “gently worn” and all the other synonyms you can find for “used.” Go through the “vintage” category and the “collectibles – cultures, ethnicities” for Hawaiian shirts. Research the labels. Note any patterns and colors. Do some sizes sell better than others? (For example, it’s often harder to sell men’s shirts in size small).

Do the same type of research with all the used items you may find at a store: clothing, shoes, boots (especially used cowboy boots), purses, books (don’t ignore cookbooks – they can sometimes sell very well, especially the Betty Crocker Pie Cover cookbook).

When you find a store or two (or, hopefully, more) that offer good quality used products go back often as new items are added every day.

With used clothing it’s very important to thoroughly check for any tears or stains, because once you buy it, it’s yours, you can’t take it back. Remember the story of the novice seller that bought several collectible Hawaiian shirts they had checked for tears and stains, but failed to check the collars. When they got them home, the shirts all had a bad case of “ring around the collar” which didn’t come out in the wash. Of course, that had to be disclosed in the descriptions on eBay. The shirts sold, but for less than what they could have sold for in better condition. Also, check for any odors that may be tough to get out with washing or dry cleaning. (Do make sure you wash or dry clean all used clothing you list on eBay.)

While it’s true that used clothing and other items do sell well on eBay, your research will help you spot items with which you’ll actually make a profit. There’s a thought out there among some that you can slap anything on eBay and make money. Not true. If you don’t do your research you may find yourself losing money. Don’t just assume there’s a sucker born every minute and that anything will sell on eBay. Without proper research you might end up finding out the sucker is you.

eBay is just one of many resources for selling second hand items online. Many have turned to web sites such as online consignment shops or Craigslist for their selling needs.

Do It Yourself Home Decor Made Easy

Most people think that redecorating their homes should be left up to the professionals and their highly expensive salaries in order for the project to be done right or look good. But this simply is not true.

Homeowners don’t need to have a remodel job straight out of the magazines. Any ambitious do it yourself-er can have a room looking sleek and chic for under $1,000. Remodeling with a budget in mind saves money, but also increases the value of your home.

One cost effective way to freshen up a room is to use wallpaper instead of paint. Wallpaper can suit anyone’s need and budget, setting a mood and adding elegance to a room. Choosing the right wallpaper can make a room appear larger or smaller, providing an illusion of height for a room with low ceilings.

Wallpapering can also add a design and pattern that is difficult to replicate with paint. The average cost of a single roll of wall covering is about $12.

Check out your local or online discount and thrift stores for accent pieces and furniture. You would be surprised at all of the inexpensive but beautiful things you can find. With $100 and a little imagination you can completely transform a room.

You may be lusting after that designer furniture you see in decorating magazines. Look for old, beat-up, pieces of solid wood and with a little time and a little effort, you could turn them into real “show stoppers”.

Just check and see how sturdy they are. If they are sturdy, you can work wanders with them. If you are looking for coffee tables, kitchen tables, or night stands, be careful not to buy things made of particle board. These are usually not worth the time and effort of refinishing. With real wood, you can sand it down smooth and finish it. You’ll be glad that you did.

To get great ideas, go to the bookstore or your local library and look for any decoration or home decorating books. Let your imagination roam and soon you’ll have a room to be proud to show off.

Do you have any other ideas on how to decorate on a budget? Share your comments below.

Top Gifts for Valentine’s Day

Valentines Day is a day for lovers. And, there is no better way to show your love than thorough the gift you select for your lover. For this reason, your Valentines Day gift should be well thought out and hand picked by you to match the person it is for. While candy or flowers work for some people, they are not always the best or most creative gift choices. If you are stuck for ideas, here is a list of gifts you might want to consider getting your love this Valentines Day:

Valentines Day Gift Suggestion #1 - If you would like to send your lover a message in a bottle, you can take an empty vintage bottle, remove the label, print up a new one on your computer, and fill it with hand-written love notes written especially for your lover.

Valentines Day Gift Suggestion #2 - Fine jewelry is always a great gift choice. Not the cheap stuff at your local Walmart, but the good stuff. You can often find unique, quality jewelry pieces at your local and online consignment store.

Valentines Day Gift Suggestion #3 - Whether your lover is a man or a woman, a gift of sexy boxers or lingerie can be a wonderful choice which you can both enjoy for many nights to come.

Valentines Day Gift Suggestion #4 - If you are buying for a woman, consider buying her a designer bag which she has been coveting but won’t purchase for herself. Women often put others first and will do so to their own detriment. Show her you care about her and want to indulge her a bit through your gift. Again, check your local and online consignment store. They often have barely used designer purses.

Valentines Day Gift Suggestion #5 - If your lover has precious items such as jewelry, it is always nice to present them with a nice jewelry box to keep them in. This idea can even work for the men in your life if you stick to a nice quality wood box.

Valentines Day Gift Suggestion #6 - If you want to do flowers and candy then make sure you stick to high-quality in both areas. For an added special touch, find a unique, vintage vase at your local or online thrift store to put the flowers in.

Hopefully these suggestions will give you something to think about while picking the perfect gift for your lover this Valentines Day.

Shop Mindfully

Each day, from telemarketers to mail order catalogs and commercials we get to read and hear these wonderful words such as clearance sales, zero interest payments and discount coupons. All geared to stop us from saving and makes us to spend on items that we really don’t need. January is a month when the holiday bills come due and people start to think about their spending habits.

How can you spend wisely and have more savings? You should teach yourself to be a disciplined and intelligent buyer whereby you can accumulate savings instead of credit card debts. When shopping for any item, ask yourself:

Is this item something I can’t do without?
Do I have something at home similar to this which I can use instead?
How long will I need to work to pay for this?
Do I just want this or really need this?

These are some simple every day strategies that can help you in saving.

When you buy on sale you save more so ask the store when the item will be on sale. Schedule your purchase of items during the time when the store has annual sales. This will generate you a saving of as much as 60% off the regular prices. Another way to save when you shop online is to look for “Free Shipping” offers. Many online merchants now have free shipping or discounted shipping offers which could save you even more.

Shop your local or online consignment stores first. Often the items you need are one’s that someone else does not. You can stretch your budget considerably further at these stores.

Cut out discount coupons from your local newspaper, magazine or search for coupons online and use them when they are available.
When there is a sale on staple items at the grocery store, stock up.
Ask your favorite local or online thrift store if they will consider trading a item you don’t need anymore for something that you do. This works great for children’s clothes, as we all know how fast children grow out of their clothes.
Many consignment shops (brick and mortar or online) will have a markdown policy on their items, which could bring you savings of up to 75%.
Use frequent shopper cards or rewards programs if they are available at the stores you shop the most. These may entitle you to rebates, freebies and discounts.
Always prepare a shopping list before you buy or you may end up making duplicate purchases. Remember the phrase “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

Do you know another way to save? Share your ideas and comments below.

New Year Stress: Money and Finance

I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living. –John D. Rockefeller

Money, or more appropriately, the lack of money is one of the main reasons for stress and anxiety in marriage. In the United States, the average household has at least $9,200 in credit card debt. The Bens and Marthas hardly know about the strategies and techniques to gain financial success. A common mistake among hard-pressed couples is spending more than they make. Lack of discipline in the use of credit cards may also leave many people enslaved to making payments to settle both the principal loan and interest fees.

We all face different challenges and pressures about money. It can be really overwhelming to face these financial problems if nothing is done about them early on. Because of the constant demands to meet our day-to-day living expenses, it also becomes the leading cause of stress and anxiety that can eventually ruin a person’s emotional and physical well-being.

But money should really help us improve our lot and not make our lives miserable. In order to lessen the pressure brought about by financial problems, it may be helpful to consider the following financial management advice:

First, develop a realistic budget. This is the very first step you need to take to regain control over your finances . Make a list of all the money you owe or bills to pay — then decide to pay them one by one based on your fixed paying capacity. Also, it is good to make a list of all other sources of income. The next step is to write down all your “fixed” expenses like mortgage, rent, car payments, electricity, credit cards, and insurance premiums. After that, determine just how much money you have left to know exactly how much you have to spend on other things. It is important to stick to your payment schedule and not create other payables before you finish paying for the priority accounts. It is highly recommended to keep a small notebook that you can use to list down all your expenses. With the small notebook, you can track where your money goes. In addition, using a computer budgeting program can be a helpful tool for balancing your checkbook.

The second step is to teach your kids about money matters. Children nowadays are easily lured by commercials and advertising gimmicks. With peer pressure and the constant barrage of fads, children may end up losing their allowance to some things that they don’t really need. It is never too late to teach kids about money matters. They must be told how hard it is to earn money and that not everything they see in the toy store or on television should or can be bought for them. Children around eight years old can already be trained to manage their allowances and to start their savings.

Another step towards financial freedom — believe or not — is to contact your creditors. Explain your situation to them and ask them to restructure your loans. Ask them to present an option for debt consolidation but make sure that the interest rates are manageable and the monthly payments are withing your capacity to pay. Also, try to convince your creditors to design a modified payment scheme that will lead to a win-win financial situation.

Cost-cutting measures should also be an automatic undertaking if you want to regain financial freedom. You can save money by doing simple things like turning off the lights when leaving a room… shopping at consignment stores …scheduling your trips or errands to the grocery stores… or simply cutting down on junk food purchases. All these will help in lowering your monthly expenses. One sure way to cut down costs is to lessen your spending on entertainment. For example, you can stop that magazine subscription or choose a cheaper cable program with less channels.

After you have enough savings, you may choose to consult a financial advisor regarding investment options and instruments such as mutual bonds and stocks.

Your financial situation shouldn’t go from bad to worse. You have options and you can take control of your money. But regaining your financial freedom will depend on your goals and how disciplined you are in achieving those goals.

The key to financial freedom and debt-free living rests entirely on you. Being free from debt is, after all, a big stress relief.