Go make some money with other people's free stuff

12 May 2009 1 views No Comment

It’s that time of year again – the end of the semester, graduation, and free stuff.

Lots of free stuff.

Take a look at your local Craigslist, especially if you live anywhere near a college or university. If you’re in the City of Boston, for example, you can’t sneeze without hitting a college.

Start looking through all the free listings in the area for items that might be of value to someone – furniture, electronics, etc. You’ll find, especially in larger cities, that there are plenty of students who are moving back home for the summer or after graduation that have large items they just don’t want to ship.

Here’s two ways to earn some money with other people’s stuff.

1. The obvious: find free stuff in good condition – especially smaller stuff – and resell it. You can use eBay, Craigslist, or whatever avenue you want. If you have the ability to store and save stuff, all the better. Take the same goods you’re getting from college students in the spring, hold them over the summer, and resell them to students (you know students need them, obviously) in the fall.

2. If you itemize your tax deductions each year, this is an ongoing opportunity to save yourself a ton of money. With a car or truck and a few gallons of gas, find and collect free stuff like clothes, furniture, and other goods needed by local homeless and transitional shelters in your area. Scoop up the goods, then bring them to your local community centers that accept donations, collect your tax receipts, and save huge on your 2010 taxes. Your community will benefit, the people most in need will benefit, and you’ll benefit.

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