Less...stuff
I have definitely been successful in getting rid of stuff. I've been ebaying quite a bit lately, with mixed results. But it's been heartbreaking in a way because I'm seeing how little money I'm making on things that were quite expensive. In fact, I'm actually glad it hurts so much. For some reason when I give things to the thrift shop I don't feel so bad about how much money I've wasted. I suppose it's the endorphins from being charitable. Here's what I sold. |
| Pair of Coach loafers. Didn't quite fit. Cost $75, made $15 off of them. Total loss: $60. |
 | |
| Victoria's Secret bra. Purchased on a whim the night of our first anniversary when I decided that I wanted to wear a strapless dress to dinner. I should've just picked a different dress and saved myself the $45. I sold this for $6 but it cost that much to ship -- a complete loss of $45. |
 |
| Sorry he's pixelated -- but this little Bo Obama plush I bought the night I went to see the National Christmas Tree after Obama was elected. I'm allergic to dogs. Why did I spend $11 on this? I only made $1 after shipping and ebay took their cut. |
This item was the worst heartbreaker. I spent $75 on it because I *had* to have a purple bag. I sold it for $45, but the customer thought that it was too stained, and claimed that it had a tear that I know it didn't have. I just wasn't willing to fight -- I gave her a partial refund, enough to cover my shipping costs and ebay's cut, and she went away happy. Of course she did. I ended up financially no worse off than I would have if I'd just taken it to the thrift shop. But this felt much, much worse, like I'd lost $45. The $77 I paid for it originally really stung.These all really hurt. I spent a lot of time and energy in packing this stuff up to get rid of it, and I ended up making a mere $16. All of which went to pay off my student loan, but I'm just furious at myself. Perhaps I've finally learned my lesson though, about how much energy, time, and money really goes into our possessions. We'll see when I present this month's spending in my post this weekend.
All told, four more items are gone.
The Reckoning
Items 188-191
Worth $208, sold for $16.
Loss: $192
Total money wasted on junk I never should've bought: $2250.99
As for less...spending, stay tuned for this weekend's post...fun with my budget spreadsheet! Sounds so exciting, doesn't it? ;oD
I definitely prefer the 'donating to charity' method of getting rid of stuff...probably for the reasons you describe here! The only thing I have discovered to be worth selling is old text books/specialist history books...I think because I bought them a good 7 years ago and can't actually remember what they cost me, I look at them as 'new money', rather than something I need to reclaim cash on. I currently have a pile sitting in the sideboard, waiting for someone to buy them on Amazon! I found checking how much they would sell for made me much more willing to sell things that I was umming and ahhing about...
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are doing well... Look forward to your spreadsheet ;)
good luck selling your books!
ReplyDeleteWhoa! I haven't visited in forever. I think ebay would be too heart breaking to do... and too much effort. I am a rubber stamp card maker and as such have waaaaaay too much stuff in that area. I downsize a little bit here and there, usually selling to fellow paper crafters. Things just do not sell for much. Like you are finding out here. Things I spent $15 on that are still in great, useable condition I get a buck or two. I'm not quite willing to outright give it away though. I can do that with household stuff but not the crafting stuff.
ReplyDelete