eaglei Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 . . . selling, in order to help with financial situation - whether online, craigslist, yard sale, etc.? Would you consider *special memory* items, like a wedding gown, or some gift whose *specialness* lies in who gave it (a piece of jewelry or a music box, for example), or some basically unused item that became yours upon death of a relative, or - whatever. I can't really come up with good examples - just looking for more ideas and wondering what you would part with. Am in the middle of a deep-cleaning project, so will check back later - I just took a quick minute to post this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolfromIL Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 . . . selling, in order to help with financial situation - whether online, craigslist, yard sale, etc.? Would you consider *special memory* items, like a wedding gown, or some gift whose *specialness* lies in who gave it (a piece of jewelry or a music box, for example), or some basically unused item that became yours upon death of a relative, or - whatever. I can't really come up with good examples - just looking for more ideas and wondering what you would part with. Am in the middle of a deep-cleaning project, so will check back later - I just took a quick minute to post this! I have kept my entire wedding dress (including bra and thong) from my wedding night---since I waited so long to get married at age 31 to conjugate with my husband. I would consider selling the dress and other items in a pinch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 (edited) I think it all depends on the gravity of the financial situation. If you can't feed your family, anything that isn't a necessity becomes fair game. If it's more of a "we could use some extra cash" situation, I wouldn't sell sentimental items. My best suggestion is to make a list of everything you own (and don't absolutely need,) that would be worth selling, and then organize it in the order of importance. If it's an expensive item but you don't love it, it goes at the top of the list. If it's an expensive item but you love it and it's irreplaceable, it goes at the very bottom of the list, because hopefully you'll have enough money to cover your needs before you reach a point of having to sell the stuff you love most. (In other words, get rid of the stuff you don't care about first, even if it's not worth a lot of money, because you won't miss it and you won't feel deprived. Rather than thinking of what will bring in the most money, think about what means the least to you and start with that.) Obviously though, if you need a ton of money within a few days, this method won't work. Edited April 3, 2012 by Catwoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frugalmama Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I think it all depends on the gravity of the financial situation. If you can't feed your family, anything that isn't a necessity becomes fair game. If it's more of a "we could use some extra cash" situation, I wouldn't sell sentimental items. My best suggestion is to make a list of everything you own (and don't absolutely need,) that would be worth selling, and then organize it in the order of importance. If it's an expensive item but you don't love it, it goes at the top of the list. If it's an expensive item but you love it and it's irreplaceable, it goes at the very bottom of the list, because hopefully you'll have enough money to cover your needs before you reach a point of having to sell the stuff you love most. (In other words, get rid of the stuff you don't care about first, even if it's not worth a lot of money, because you won't miss it and you won't feel deprived. Rather than thinking of what will bring in the most money, think about what means the least to you and start with that.) Obviously though, if you need a ton of money within a few days, this method won't work. :iagree: I've been in this position twice in the last 5 years. I will sell just about anything if we need the cash badly enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I've started listing unneeded baby items and maternity clothes on eBay. Not a fortune but a little extra. I would start with extra items lying around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professormom Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 When our youngest was a newborn, he had a stroke and because my husband is self-employed and we self-inside, we owed close to $50k for the medical bills. I was looking for anything to see at that point. I ended up selling my wedding china because we only used it about once per year and I could get a good chunk of money for it because of the brand. I thought I would regret it, but it's about 8 years later and I don't. It helped get us to a place where we are very stable financially (obviously this isn't the not thing we did... The china wasn't made of diamonds:tongue_smilie:). But the peace of mind that came with the financial stability was worth a great deal. I did that with a lot of things. Basically, I looked at whether I would use it much, or ever, who gave it to us and whether a picture would be just as good as the real thing (wedding dress). My personality is a little less memory-focused than others though... I am not sure why. So if your memories are really what ground you in life, it may be harder to make those decisions and not regret them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Also, you can photograph some momentos to help keep the memory alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamajo Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 BTDT...3 years ago we lost our business and consequently our house and relocated to rebuild. In the process to come up with cash we sold: a pick up truck we owned out right a dining set worth $2500 we listed our living room set as well but it didn't sell. Now I'm glad it didn't. I love that set. But at the time the $$ was more important to rebuild. Of course all of these things are replaceable. I'm not looking to raise extra cash but I've been thinking of listing my wedding dress 'cause it's just sitting there collecting dust. I probably wouldn't sell family heirlooms but anything I purchased that I can re-purchase later I would sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyWImom Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 We had some jewelry that was pretty sentimental-stuff bought on our honeymoon, special vacations, etc.... We recently sold it, and it helped pay part of our mortgage pymt! I kept telling myself "They are only things", and we have the memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briartell Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I would sell everything but photos and our ornaments, leaving necessities for last, like couches and a table. I watched my friend do this very thing and they said it was completely worth it. They have been able to rebuild their lives completely without debt and they are so much happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 Thanks everyone for sharing. It's actually a *comfort* to know that I'm not the only one who would think of selling certain items. In my cleaning today, I came upon some jewelry that I am going to check into tomorrow with the local jeweler. I also set aside some things for ebay. I am relatively new to ebay but so far have been able to sell some books. To the one who mentioned ebay - yes, every little bit helps! My ebay sales have been small, and of course not everything sells - but I am so grateful for everything that does sell. We have been going through an increasingly difficult time for more years than I care to calculate right now. We've had several major setbacks of the "you-can't-possibly-see-them-coming" variety. The hardest thing of all has been the medical because it not only is expensive but, more importantly, children just shouldn't get cancer, much less twice. I'm hoping others will post either things they've sold, or ideas of what they would sell. I think about this so much that my brain is tired! I suspect you-all will give me ideas I haven't thought of yet! By the way, where would you recommend selling china? Dh was prepared to sell his mother's a few years ago, then changed his mind. He might change it again . . . It is lovely china - a pattern that I really like - but we are not *china* people! So, best place for selling it (if dh agrees)??? Also, best place for selling a wedding gown? I'll check back later! Thanks, again, everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starwarsmomma Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I sold my wedding dress and do not regret it one bit. I have 3 boys. their wives will not be interested in it at all anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I'm so sad to hear about your experiences with cancer. We went through a rough patch that lasted around 18 months. I sold my vintage Strawberry Shortcake dolls. They went for $12-$20 EACH. I have 2 boys. They don't want them. :) I sold heaps of books and nicknacks. I also sold my vintage Fisher Price Sesame Street Peoples. They were just the extras and some furniture. I made $75 on them. (Shocking!) Dh sold his congas. I made a list of stuff I was willing to let go from least important to most. We started getting rid of them in order. The last on my list was my antique books. I still have them. But, I would have sold them if I needed to. We were very lucky. While dh was laid off, we were hired through one of my cleaning clients to liquidate her friend's estate. It was small but we were paid to clean out the trailer and we kept anything we could sell and had a banner yard sale. There were a few things I was sad to see go, like her beautiful Lane hopechest (we got $250 for it), but was happy with the extra cash. As for my things that are not for sale which other people would by, in other words, not family pics, etc.: My mom's hope chest. My antique cigar stand. A small music box my grandmother gave me. I say, whatever you got that you can part with, sell if it helps. Look at amazon for book selling. I hear it is more friendly than ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Anything and everything. The only thing I would never sell is my wedding ring. I've sold an anniversary band, an emerald ring my DH gave me one year, and he's sold his electric guitar, a car, a drum set, and other things that I know were important to him, but I can't remember :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Since you're looking for ideas, I thought I'd specify some.:D We sold a living room set and lived with a futon for a while. Then, when we re-bought living room furniture, we bought it off Craigslist for dirt cheap. A Gun An electric guitar An Amp Movies A Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer collectors set :lol: Other nicknacks books/curriculum - most years (this one included) I have to sell to buy, even with another child waiting in the wings An armoire - it was given to us, we sold it for $300 Toys scads and scads of toys A Nintendo 64 - if I was struggling, I would sell our Wii. As a matter of fact, someone gave us an old Xbox, and we were discussing just this weekend why we hadn't sold it yet:lol: Old Barbies Skis Cars Yard stuff (we moved into an apt) If Garage sales, Craig's list and ebay don't work for you, try consignment shops. One of my rings is at a consignment shop and we're just patiently waiting. It seems that when we need the money, it will come in:001_smile: Blessings! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 My parents thought that if someone had given it to you or you'd inherited it, you could NOT get rid of it...well maybe to another relative. My grandma moved in with us. Our house was full of our stuff, plus hers, plus things from a deceased aunt, and many, many gifts people had given them. I think my mother should have sold or given away most of it. Now she is gone and my dad is swimming in stuff so I'm the one to deal with it. It's just stuff. If you need the money, sell it. If you're not sure, put questionable items away in a box and after a certain time (a few weeks or months?) you can decide if you're okay parting with it. Take photos of anything you want to remember. Detachment...it's not a bad word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I am not very sentimental about things so I would sell whatever needed to be sold to keep my family solvent. I don't know that we have much that would bring in a lot of money but I do have some jewelry that I don't wear (I don't wear much more than my wedding band and engagement ring), some books I could clear out, furniture if we needed to, and some antiques. I would part with any of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBear Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 A friend of mine was recently in such a position where she had to consider selling stuff while in the middle of a divorce. My advice to her was that if it could be replaced, it could be sold immediately - once back on her feet, she could buy it again or choose something better - but getting over the hump was more important than the stuff. She sold her jewelry, most of her furniture, a ton of clothes, and lots of knick-nacks.....says it was the best thing she did, it purged her of things she didn't need (that at the time she thought she did) and really gave her the financial boost she needed to start again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I sold some random pieces to a gold buyer before Christmas (because they were broken and I wasnt going to fix them), and got $300.00. I'd go sell any gold I could first (obviously stuff you won't ever wear). You might be surprised at how much you get. Gold is high right now. Another thing - use Craigslist over ebay when possible. Between listing fees and selling fees and paypal fees, you often lose a good bit, and you have the hassles of shipping. Craigslist is often quicker and there are no additional fees involved so you can sell for a slightly lower price and still come out ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I'm hoping others will post either things they've sold, or ideas of what they would sell. I think about this so much that my brain is tired! I suspect you-all will give me ideas I haven't thought of yet! By the way, where would you recommend selling china? Dh was prepared to sell his mother's a few years ago, then changed his mind. He might change it again . . . It is lovely china - a pattern that I really like - but we are not *china* people! So, best place for selling it (if dh agrees)??? Also, best place for selling a wedding gown? I'll check back later! Thanks, again, everyone! :grouphug: Craigslist is excellent, but don't sell jewelry there, too many horror stories. Sell that at a consignment or directly to a jeweler. I think Wedding Dresses could go on consignment, Craigslist or even ebay. As for China, I've TRIED AND TRIED to sell mine, but it's not out of circulation so no one wants it. You can try this website: http://www.replacements.com/ I check in with them every couple of years, but like I said, no luck. You might have a better time. If nothing else, it's a good way to price your china on Ebay. I've bought replacements for my china on Ebay so there IS a market, I just don't know how much you'll get. Blessings! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I would sell everything except those things with sentimental value (like cute homemade gifts from my kids), pictures, and my wedding ring. Everything else is fair game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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