Remember when the phrase “manage your money” meant balancing our checkbooks? That is a thing of the past now. Unless you own your own business, you probably do not even have a checkbook anymore and why should you? Technology has taken over and offers simpler and quicker solutions. Computers and phone apps allow you to transfer money immediately to anyone in the blink of an eye.
However, even as our society goes paperless, it is still vital to balance your books and stay on top of your financial affairs in general.
Similar to taxes, managing your finances is unavoidable, time consuming and absolutely necessary. Although it should be done much more frequently than tax preparation, FYI.
We know the independent woman that you are. You naturally take the lead on most things in your life. Your finances should not be any different. It can easily be pushed to the bottom of the to-do list but it is important that you are aware of your finances so that you don’t overspend and get yourself into a bad situation.
Debt is a four letter word that you do not want to meet. That’s why we are giving you some tips to gain a little financial freedom.
Keep reading for the what, the why and the how to manage money the easy way by selling things around your house.
How to Manage Money: Sell Unused Items!
What do you sell?
The quick answer to that is: everything and anything.
Don’t panic. We aren’t suggesting you sell your prized possessions for a quick $20. But perhaps you have some things that you rarely use that could go to a better home, right?
Are you more at ease now?
Everything from clothes, shoes and handbags to furniture, appliances and kitchenware will sell. What is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Selling locally is a great way to get rid of things that you no longer use or want while making a little extra money.
Why Sell Your Things?
There are a number of reasons why selling your belongings is a win-win.
For starters, you are offering buyers something that the big brick-and-mortar stores cannot and that is character. You may have a piece of furniture that has been handmade and loved for centuries. If it no longer fits in your house or your style has changed, sell it to someone who will continue to take care of it.
Secondhand things are highly sought after in the community right now. Often times they are less expensive than buying new.
It gives other people the opportunity to buy something of higher value that they could not afford brand new. Isn’t that the appeal to used cars? You get more car for less money if you don’t mind the (often trivial) updates the manufacturer has made in the past year. The same concept pertains to other pre-owned items.
Selling and buying pre-owned items also promotes a healthier environment. The manufacturing process for new products takes a toll on the earth. From textiles to furniture to cars, it takes a lot of energy and resources to produce the things that we see on display in the shops.
According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), it takes just under 3,000 liters of water to produce one cotton t-shirt. Just one. That water usage is equal to what the average person needs to drinks for 2.5 years.
Remember that the next time you see a cheap t-shirt. It may seem like a good price but it comes with a serious cost to the environment.
We call it “fast-fashion”, the quick and cheap access to clothing. We, as consumers, are inundated with it from street shopping to online shopping. The WRI reports that the non-biodegradable fabrics can sit in landfills for up to 200 years.
That is shameful and one of the reasons why we, at Mercury Clothiers, are choosing to use natural fabrics to produce our clothing pieces. Better for the body and the world.
How to Manage Money: How to Sell it
Alright, so you have a pile of things you no longer want. Now it’s time to sell them. There are websites and apps that provide the platform to sell your things very easily.
Once you have downloaded the apps, you can post a photograph, a description of the item(s) and the dollar amount(s) all within minutes and all from your smartphone. In fact, you have to use a smartphone or tablet to post the initial listing. Once it’s live, you can manage the account from a computer, if you’d like.
If someone is in the market for the item you are selling, they will find you through these apps and either ask questions or purchase it outright. It has never been easier to sell things as it is now. Think of it as a virtual yard sale, without the setup, long days, and bargaining.
Here are a few of our favorite apps and sites to get you started:
- Poshmark — Founded in 2011. It is a platform for selling clothes, handbags, accessories, and shoes.
- OfferUp — Founded in 2011. It is a platform for selling anything.
- LetGo — Founded in 2015. It is a platform for selling anything.
- Craigslist — Founded in 1995. It is one of the original online platforms on which you can sell anything.
How to Manage Money: Reflect & Respect
Once you have cleared your home of the unused items and added a little more cash to your purse, it is time to reflect on our habits in this consumerist society. We, as human beings, are encouraged to acquire more, more, more, all the time.
The consumer-to-consumer business model that we proposed here is great to lessen the strain that the initial production and purchasing put on the environment but it certainly isn’t a fix.
When you find yourself in need of something, be it a sprinkler for your backyard or a new skirt for work, invest in something that lasts longer than a season. It is only through conscious buying that we can make a difference.
As we mentioned once already, at Mercury Clothiers, we are using natural fibers to craft our pieces. We are also committed to working with textile factories within the United States to ensure that the production is fair and true to what we believe in.
It is our responsibility to take care of our world. So we at Mercury Clothiers are doing everything to make sure our brand is dependable and trustworthy in that respect.
Be sure to follow our journey by signing up for our newsletter. If you are on a roll and want to organize more of your life, read our post on how to clean your mind, closet, and workspace.
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