GET RID OF OLD OR UNNEEDED STUFF FOR PROFIT

by Jamie Gold
5/6/2006

Do you ever wonder about what to do with that fragrance that you got for Christmas but have no intention of using since it’s “not your scent”? Do you ever wish you could do something constructive with all that clothes that you haven’t worn in years but couldn’t throw away? Do you actually throw away old TVs, DVD players, CDs, and books?

There is an answer to all your worries! Nowadays, you can either sell those items for money or donate for a tax deduction. Below, I’ll talk about organizations that are out there and should be used for your advantage.

Where to sell?

Get rid of old or unneeded stuff FOR PROFIT -- Sell on Ebay
The first one on the list is E-bay. It’s an action. You can sell anything and everything there from new to old, except for illegal items. Make sure to read site’s instructions carefully before posting. You will have to pay a small fee even if the item does not sell.

Get rid of old or unneeded stuff FOR PROFIT -- Sell on Craigslist
You can post free on craigslist. There is a whole section on selling items. All you need to do is type in your city and post. The rest is pretty much self-explanatory.

Get rid of old or unneeded stuff FOR PROFIT -- Sell on Livejournal
livejournal has many communities which all you to make posts about selling items in your area. For example nyc_for_free community allows doing so.

Get rid of old or unneeded stuff FOR PROFIT -- Sell books
Do you have a bunch of old books and textbooks that you don’t need anymore? barnes and noble as well as amazon.com is buying some of them. There are restrictions so you need to check if what you have is acceptable. Another great site is paperbackswap.com. You can actually swap books there!

Where to donate?

Making donations not only helps the less fortunate get the things you don’t need anymore, but also allows you to write your donations off taxes. For that you need to donate to the charity organization which is on the “official list”.

Get rid of old or unneeded stuff FOR PROFIT -- Donate
Examples of such are Salvation Army and Goodwill. You can also find Battered Women’s Shelters, Community Centers, Student Organizations, Vietnam Veterans, and other charity organizations. First search for them on the net and find out what each of them accepts. Some of them will even come to your house and pick up the stuff. You can also go on housingworksauctions.com and donate.

Just remember that for a tax write-off of over $500, the articles have to be in “good” condition. Also, make sure to keep your receipts for the items you are donating and the paperwork that you are given from the organizations you donated to.

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