Do You Really Need That? 8 Items to Sell for Extra Cash

I recently sold an awkward picnic backpack I received as a wedding gift five years ago.

I only made $11, but it got me thinking… what else could I sell for cold, hard cash?

Initially, I didn’t think I had anything worth selling. Then I realized I might as well open an eBay store for the amount of stuff lurking in my house and garage.

Here are eight items I’m thinking of selling. If you have any of these lying around your house, why not use these apps to sell them and enjoy a little extra money?

1. Wedding Gifts You’ll Never Use

In pre-marital bliss, you couldn’t imagine life without a trifle bowl and cake stand.

Now, 11 years into your marriage, you’ve never used the trifle bowl (what are they even for?) and you haven’t baked a cake in a decade.

It’s time to sell those babies and buy a slice of cake with the profits.

2. Clothes That Don’t Fit

Someday you’re going to fit in those size 6 pre-pregnancy jeans, you think. Or maybe you worry you’ll pack on 10 pounds this holiday season drinking a gallon of Aunt Hilda’s egg nog and have to bust out your biggest jeans.

But do you really need to save 14 pairs of jeans you can’t wear now? Keep one size up and one size down, if you must, and sell the rest.

3. Sports Equipment You Don’t Use Regularly

Someday you really will get back to golf, skiing or belly dancing. But for now those clubs, skis and cymbals are just sitting in your garage, waiting for their new owners.  

4. Furniture That Doesn’t Work in Your New Space

You moved to a new place and your beloved Papasan chair from college doesn’t fit the space or the décor. Neither does the bookshelf, end table or corner lamp.

Unless you plan to move again soon, it’s time to say goodbye to ill-fitting furniture.

5. Seasonal Items You Don’t Enjoy

One day, you’ll bust out that Zoot suit Halloween costume and it’s going to be epic.

One day, you’ll ditch the real tree and set up that fake white one that lives in the attic.

One day, maybe your kids will have kids and you’ll get to use those Easter baskets again.  

Unused seasonal items not only take up space but also cost you the cash that could be in your wallet. Sell them to someone who will put them to use.

6. Presents From Your Ex

You love that framed Beatles poster your ex-girlfriend gave you when you were 22, but now it doesn’t fit your wall — or your life.

Unless you plan to make that man cave a reality, it’s time to let go of lost love and sell that collectible on eBay. The same goes for jewelry, records and CDs.  

You broke up for a reason, right? Stop looking at reminders.

7. Redundant Appliances

Do you really need an oven, a toaster oven, a toaster and a microwave? How often do you really use that rice cooker and electric wok? Why own the George Foreman if you have a grill right outside your patio door?

Appliances are convenient, but often waste precious counter space while you rarely use them. It’s time to turn those babies into moolah.

8. Big Toys

You bought a camper because you couldn’t wait to hit the mountains every weekend. This summer, you went camping once.  

You had visions of riding that ATV with mud slinging behind the tires and your hair blowing in the wind. Instead, you stayed home and drank beer while having a Netflix marathon.  

Instead of paying for licenses, insurance and storage, rent big toys once or twice a year when you actually need them.

Once you’ve determined what you should sell, consider the best place to market your items.

• Facebook garage sale groups: If these are popular in your area, they’re a great way to sell a variety of items in different price ranges. One reader made more than $600!

• Craigslist: The site is a great option for those bigger ticket items, like furniture and big toys.

• eBay: The auction site is your go-to for collectable or hard-to-find items, especially those you can easily ship.

• Garage sale: This good, old-fashioned option is a quick and easy way to sell lots of items in a single weekend.

Your Turn: What other items would you add to this list?

Eva Daniel is a radio producer and lives with her husband, two boys and puppy in Colorado Springs. She has a passion for saving money and loves to scrimp on clothes by shopping at thrift stores so that she can splurge on overpriced lattes.