5 Ways to Make Extra Cash Around The House
Everybody is looking for ways to make extra cash, and doing so with everyday items in your home is easier than you think. Online companies have made it easier than ever to earn money through websites and apps, so it’s never been simpler to make a few hundred to a few thousand dollars from home.
Many of the most common ways to make money from home are part of a circular economy. That means these platforms help you sell personal items that no longer fit your lifestyle, whether that’s clothes, home goods, jewelry, or countless other items. Instead of sending things to the landfill, people are giving their belongings a second life while padding their wallets.
Sometimes people buy items to use as-is, but others buy them to repurpose. For example, knitters often buy old sweaters made of expensive yarn to unravel and knit into something new. Refiners can melt down old jewelry made from real gold, platinum, or silver and make it into new jewelry, or use it in industries such as healthcare, electronics, and transportation. Because it’s recycled, it puts far less strain on the environment than mining and refining precious metals.
The Alloy Takeaway
From old jewelry and designer handbags to unused electronics, clothing, and books, your home could be full of opportunities to make extra cash. Online resale platforms and buyback services make it easier than ever to turn unwanted items into money, often without leaving your house.
Sell Your Unused Jewelry Online for Cash
You can sell old jewelry in many ways, but some are more cumbersome than others. Take selling on eBay, for example. eBay’s reach is significant, putting your jewelry in front of thousands, probably millions of buyers. But you have to handle the entire transaction from start to finish. You must take good photos, create a listing with as much detail as possible, answer customer questions, handle shipping and possible returns, and, at certain price points, have the piece authenticated. On top of that, eBay charges fees that eat into your profit. Not to mention, jewelry can sit for literal years before selling.
On the other hand, The Alloy Market makes selling your fine jewelry from home simple. Just request a free evaluation kit on their website to get started. They ship it directly to you and provide free, insured shipping for your jewelry. Once it arrives, their team uses X-ray fluorescence technology to verify the piece’s purity and state-certified scales to weigh it. They send you a detailed, itemized offer that you can accept or decline. They pay the same day you accept, and if it doesn’t work out, they’ll ship your items back at no cost. The average customer receives a $1,700 payout for their jewelry; there are no selling fees, and you keep 100% of the offer.
Sell Your Unworn Clothes
Many sites have popped up for selling clothes you no longer wear, each with different levels of ease and different take-home amounts.
If you’re hands-on and don’t mind managing listings, sites like Poshmark, Depop, and Mercari are great options for selling your pre-loved clothing. Each platform lets you post photos and set prices. You’ll handle customer interactions and ship items yourself. Payouts vary by site, so check the terms and conditions before choosing one.
Other platforms offer a more concierge service for those who don’t want to deal with the ins and outs of selling, but would rather just get paid. The RealReal and Vestiaire Collective offer options for a strict list of designer clothing, while ThredUp accepts most mainstream brands in still wearable condition. Just send your items in, and they will handle the rest for a substantial fee.
Sell Designer Bags
When selling designer bags, the market splits into two models: direct buyout/consignment services or peer-to-peer luxury marketplaces. Sites like Fashionphile and Rebag provide upfront buyout quotes based on photos you send. Once you accept an offer, they will provide a prepaid shipping label to send your item in for inspection and payout. Depending on the platform, payouts come as direct bank transfers, store credit (with a bonus), or consignment payouts once the item sells.
Other platforms such as StockX do not offer upfront quotes. Instead, you list your bag directly against a standard catalog item, either matching an active buyer’s bid or waiting for a buyer to accept your asking price. You send the bag using a provided shipping label only after it sells; then it goes to their team for authentication before they release your payment.
Sell Old Books
You won’t make much from most books people have lying around, but most would agree it’s better to sell them than send them to the landfill. For instant book buyback services, check out BookScouter & BookFinder. You can enter a book’s ISBN and compare prices across 30+ buyback vendors to see who is paying the most.
If you have trendy or niche books, peer-to-peer marketplaces are a good go-to for selling paperbacks or books that buyback vendors offer pennies for. Try PangoBooks, a community marketplace specifically for book lovers. Connect with buyers and ship through the platform, and Pango takes a small fee.
Have high-demand textbooks or current bestsellers? Try Amazon Seller Central. As an individual seller, you can set up an account and sell with only slightly more effort than on other platforms.
Sell Your Unused or Obsolete Tech
If you’ve got old smartphones, tablets, or MacBooks, several direct buyback services will pay you fast and hassle-free. Gazelle, BuyBackWorld, and SmartphonesPLUS offer competitive buyback rates and can get you some fast cash for things you will never use again.
For those who want to get the highest payout for their old gear, Swappa is the industry standard. You can sell directly to other consumers who value device verification, which helps reduce fraudulent listings. Sellers also pay lower transaction fees, so they keep more of the money.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, we all have something lying around our homes that we can sell for money. As they say, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and that couldn’t be truer today. As prices keep rising, more people look for a good deal, and they often turn to used, pre-loved items. With a little time, you can easily capture a share of that market by giving them something to buy. Some items may only fetch $20, but they add up as you list more. For a quick boost, focus on big-ticket items like old jewelry.
The Alloy Market doesn’t care about the condition of your gold or precious metals; even the most tangled chain or dinged-up ring still retains its inherent value and can fetch a pretty price when sold for scrap. Items still in wearable condition can even earn a place on the marketplace and, if sold, earn you a bonus through the Double Pay program. Get started today by requesting a free kit today.
