How to Make $200 Fast
This blog post was originally written on September 14, 2018. I updated it on December 27, 2020 (the year of Covid) because I thought someone might need this right now.
Today I am sharing with you how I have made literally over $10,000 over the past few years. Simply by selling stuff I already owned.
Selling used items (that you already own) is unquestionably the fastest way to get cash when you need it fast! In this article, I will teach you 4 ways to sell used items to make quick cash, how to safely sell them, while helping people.
This is also a heartwarming tale about a 13 year old girl who got her birthday wish. Read on to see how I was able to help an unemployed mom give her daughter the perfect birthday present. I helped bring joy to a single mother and her daughter while making a quick $200 cash.
How to Make Quick Cash and Help Someone in Need
It all started with a pair of silver shoes. Buying kids’ shoes can get expensive. Especially when you have no clue when the next growth spurt will be. One year my youngest daughter picked out a perfect pair of sparkly silver shoes to wear on her birthday. She only wore them once or twice (and only for a couple of hours) before they were too small. They were a women’s size 5 and I honestly didn’t know if anyone would buy them.
I listed the shoes along with other items on Letgo and OfferUp. Two apps designed specifically for buying and selling used items. I have made several thousand dollars over the last couple of years selling things I didn’t need anymore.
Four Ways to Sell Used Items
The places I have had the most success selling used items are OfferUp, Letgo, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace. If you decide to sell on Facebook you can join and list your items in multiple selling groups. You should find many groups like Virtual Garage Sale, Biggest Yard Sale, or Kids Closet. Facebook will allow you to post your items in up to 20 Marketplace groups. Make sure to add your listings to groups that are specifically for the items you are selling. Like furniture or stuff for kids.
At the time I had several items listed including a $400 Apple iPad Mini. It was like new with a fancy Zagg Bluetooth Keyboard case. It was almost like a little mini touchscreen laptop. I had gotten it as a holiday present and barely used it.
Typically, when selling a used item, you will get anywhere from 30% to 50% of the original purchase price. Depending on the condition of your item.
The iPad was like new so I listed it for $200. It didn’t have a single scratch and worked perfectly. I included the keyboard case (retail value $130) for free. I probably could have gotten more if I listed it higher (or sold them separately) but I wanted to sell it quickly – and it did!
I was asking $15 for the shoes since they were also like new. They even had the price sticker still on the bottom of the shoes.
A woman contacted me through OfferUp and wanted to buy the shoes. Then she inquired about the iPad. I told her about the iPad. How it was a gift and that it was like new. She said her daughter was counting her change to collect enough money to buy the iPad. She had just gotten birthday money from friends and family and really wanted it.
I patiently waited for her response. She got back to me later that day saying that she only had $200 total. Since she really needed the shoes (for her graduation) she didn’t have enough for both.
Seriously? Like I’m going to turn away a 13 year old girl on her birthday, over $15. I told her she could have both for $200. They were elated.
How to Safely Sell Used Items
At the time, I was new to selling used items and admittedly was a little overly cautious. So I met the mom in a drugstore parking lot in the middle of the day when it was still light out.
Since Banks and drugstores both have security cameras they make for a good meeting place for selling and buying used items. But even if you meet after dark, the parking lots are usually well lit. But I still recommend meeting while the store is still open.
When we met, she told me that it was exactly what her daughter wanted for her birthday. All of her friends had iPads. But she couldn’t afford to buy her one since she had been out of work.
The day after we made the exchange, the mom sent me another message via the app. She said her daughter absolutely loved the iPad.
And the shoes? They fit perfectly!
As for me? I made a quick $200. But the best part was the great feeling I had making a mom and her daughter happy. Talk about a win/win.
Since writing this, I have made thousands of dollars by selling used items, blogging, through affiliate sales, freelance writing, side hustles, writing books, and creating and selling online courses (among other things).
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