Money Matters: Simple Ways to boost your income
Wrekin's Debt & Energy Manager Dan Bebbington looks at some quick tips to help you put more money in your pocket
With the rising cost of living hitting us all hard, many of us will be looking at different ways to put more money in our pocket. Whether selling stuff, working from home or using the web. Here’s a few quick wins:
Get quick cash for old CDs, games & more
Several sites, such as Music Magpie and CEX let you trade in old CDs, DVDs and computer games – or even laptops, phones and games consoles – for cash.
You'll usually get more selling on eBay, but the advantage of these sites is speed and ease. Type in the barcode or product name on the site to get an instant valuation. Even better, most sites now also have apps that allow you to scan barcodes using your phone's camera, speeding the process up.
Flog tech 'leftovers'
With the pace technology moves at these days, most of us have unused boxes, cables, remote controls and so on stuffed in drawers or packed away in lofts. Yet you can earn money as well as declutter your home by selling these 'tech leftovers' online, via sites such as eBay & Facebook Marketplace.
Who'd want them? Some people need replacement accessories for older gadgets. Others buy boxes and manuals for devices they want to sell so they can raise the asking price.
Bear in mind that what you can earn for these kinds of items depends on their condition, demand and how scarce they are. You'll also need to factor in any the fees on the sites where you sell them.
Cash for old books
One of the best options for selling old books is Amazon Marketplace*, as you need only search for the book and write a short description. Your listing stays up till it sells.
Amazon provides full reviews of most from its database – if you're listing a few in one go, this saves time. Check your sale price covers postage if it's a heavy book you're listing.
Sell old Lego by the kilo
If you've mountains of unmatched Lego bricks sitting somewhere – perhaps your children have grown out of them or they were a hobby you're no longer into – you can now turn them into cash and sell them online to Music Magpie by the kilo (or half kilo).
How much can I make? Music Magpie pays £3 a kilo. You'll need to sell a minimum of £5's worth.
Music Magpie pays you by bank transfer or PayPal (or one of its named charities) as soon as it's received.
Spot and flog from car boot/garage sales
If you've an eye for car booty, buy items cheaply and sell them at a profit on eBay or other auction sites. Be sure to arrive early to beat other bargain hunters. You can use Car Boot Junction or Carbootsales.org to find your nearest car boot sale.
15th May 2022