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One Man's Trash

I run an online retail business. It’s not big, but it’s mine. I’ve been doing this for a long time–over 17 years. Being in this line of work also allows me to do something that most women (and occasionally a brother-in-law) love to do, and that’s spend money. For me, shopping is all about getting a great deal. I buy something and sell it online, and the less I pay for it the better return I get on my investment. It’s pretty simple math. And it’s kind of fun.

Every once in a while, I find something that I really like, and I buy it from my business to use personally. Sometimes once I get it home, I change my mind (ever done that?) and take it back to the store. Sometimes I wear it once or twice and never again. Occasionally there is an item hanging in my closet with the tags still attached. Sound familiar?

I’m sure you have a few things lying around that have a similar story to those flip flops I bought on clearance last fall. Why is it that we let stuff sit around and take up not only space but potential earnings, especially in today’s technological-advanced world that lets us offer said items to a whole world of people that can’t wait to spend money online? And couldn’t you use the extra cash to reduce or eliminate some unwanted debt (maybe even the initial purchase in the first place!)? There are lots of places online to sell things: Craig’s List, Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, eBay, PoshMark, Mercari, ThredUp…and that’s just off the top of my head. Let me tell you, once you get the rush for trading your stuff for cash, as long as you channel your money and your energy, you’ll be well on your way to debt-freedom before you know it.

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