4 ms·
Just remember guys: useful for small footprint, high value line items that are mass-produced. (Conversely, not so useful for old items with low resale like clo
by binarysolo 13y ago
Just remember guys: useful for small footprint, high value line items that are mass-produced. (Conversely, not so useful for old items with low resale like clothes, or craft one-off items, or big things like furniture.)
When your object of question hits a low-enough dollar value that your opportunity cost for making a buck off it exceeds your time value, why not donate it to a Goodwill instead. :)
- wikwocket 13y agoDonating it is often a great idea. Don't forget the tax writeoff, which depending on your bracket is kind of like gaining 25% of the "retail value" of the item!
- wffurr 13y agoIt takes a lot for itemizing to work out. You either have to give more than ten percent to charity, or have other sources of itemizable expenses.
- sparky 13y ago> other sources of itemizable expenses The interest payments in the first half of most mortgages get you close to the standard deduction. Only works for owners, but it's still a relatively common one.
- sokoloff 13y agoAnd your choice of state income tax or state sales tax. (for most people state income tax is far higher, and f easier to determine/prove.)
- wikwocket 13y agoYes, if you pay a mortgage and property tax, you should probably itemize. And/or if you have a lot of medical expenses. Or, if one has a corporation (for freelancing, a SAAS, whatever), maybe the corporation could donate the stuff instead? I'm not sure how charitable donations work for corps, but might be worth exploring.
- covercash 13y agoI've recently started testing something along those lines in order to fund patients on watsi.org. It's like Goodwill and Gazelle.com having a baby - you send us your used electronics and get a tax write off, we sell them and give the money to the nonprofit of your choosing. If anyone is interested, http://blog.give3.org http://blog.give3.org has a few of the items I've sold so far.
- ghaff 13y agoYeah, at one point I did a modest eBay selling campaign of stuff I owned that wasn't exactly high value but was easy to photograph and describe and had some value. I doubt I made minimum wage. I keep selling on eBay as an option for the odd item here and there but it's hard for me to see it being worth my effort for the general case. I suppose I could investigate a local eBay packager (or whatever the term is) but, as you say, for most stuff I just give it to a local charity and take a few bucks off my taxes.
- sliverstorm 13y agoI typically use craigslist for that sort of thing. Compared to the cut eBay takes, I can get the same money while offering a smoking price, which motivates the buyer to do all the legwork. I get a phonecall Thursday afternoon, they show up at my door twenty minutes later, and they are gone in five minutes. Only works for certain items though.
- aestra 13y agoWhat type of items have you had success doing this with?
- sliverstorm 13y agoUsually electronics. It doesn't work for super niche appeal items like a special textbook or replacement parts.
- pmorici 13y agoI've had a similar experience with eBay half the hassle with eBay for me is putting up the listings because their listing tool is so darn complicated.
- 72deluxe 13y agoTry using their mobile app - it is significantly easier than sitting with your laptop and messing around with uploading photos. I found the Android app easier - photograph items with your mobile/tablet and upload from there. You might want a bluetooth keyboard though because I found writing my lengthy descriptions tedious on a mobile. (Or you could just do whatever everyone else does, and write practically nothing, kissing sales goodbye)