Clean Up, Make Extra Money

Looking for extra cash?  No better place to start than in your very own home. 

Perhaps you have a pair of butterfly walking wings that were left unused when your child learned to walk long before meeting the size requirement.  Or maybe you have a pair of brand new, branded, ultra expensive baby shoes that your toddler fitted perfectly, but refused to wear the moment you got home - and hasn't touched since.  You may be an avid reader with oodles of old, aging books stocked on the bookshelves.  And so on.

Clean up your house and earn some money by selling your used books, electronics, knick-knacks, and whatnot online.  With the scores of Free Classfied Ads sites to choose from (I use sulit and olx myself :)), your modest garage sale can now reach out to millions of homes across the country.

Selling online is a tad different from dealing with a customer face-to-face in your own backyard.  If this is your first attempt at this sort of transaction, here are some tips to see you through:

(1) Sell only items that are actually usable.  Old is OK (it is secondhand stuff, after all), but it's main function/purpose should still hold.  Books with worn covers and colored pages, for example, are still worthwhile so long as all the pages are intact (no torn or missing text).  Selling quality items will increase your chances of getting good feedback/reviews, which, in turn, will help you get more customers in the long run.

(2) Take good photos of your products as this will be the main means for potential customers to inspect the quality of items for sale.  In addition, most ad sites prioritize ads with photos.

(3) Be prepared to handle transactions remotely as you can get customers from any part of the Philippines.  This means finding a reliable courier and knowing the corresponding fees.  You also need to consider payment options such as GCASH, deposit to your bank account, or remittance via M Lhuillier, Cebuana Lhuillier, LBC, or the like.  Note that M Lhuillier and Cebuana Lhuillier are not related and/or interchangeable (i.e., payment made through ML Kwarta Padala can't be received through a Cebuana Lhuillier branch)

(4) As in all situations, especially in dealings over the Internet, always have your security in mind.  Do not divuge too much information about yourself, only what's necessary to close your sale.  When arranging meet ups, be sure it will be in a safe or public area.  Having a companion along may be best.  Think of your customer as well.  Consistency between your given name and payment details (i.e., account name) will help convince your client that you're a legitimate seller. 

(5) As exciting as it is to close a sale and gain some extra cash, know your limits in choosing items to sell. ;)  Don't go overboard in trying to sell every little thing in your house.  I know it's tempting to be rid of the knick knacks your packrat of a husband stocks in your house, but it's always prudent to ask first :)