buying and selling

After going through the "new" budget and finding quite a large deficit, I made a quick brainstorm list of some things we might try to ease the large gap a little.

I know we have some returns to make and a few rebates that are still being processed so there's a little help coming. My main focus last week was saving the money we have, but this week I was looking into increasing the actual bottom line a little.

I've had a pile of clothes to be sold to a consignment store in the area, set aside for over 6 months. I had intended to do so before we moved so there would be less to take over to the new house. Eric added a few items since, and it's been sitting in the living room for way too long.

Additionally, there were a few items that we got as handmedowns from my friend for the new baby that are either the wrong size and season, or just not my style that were ALSO sitting in a box in the living room.

Yesterday was the day. We took them over (the stores are right next to each other) and I got $17.40 for just a handful of items. I'll keep the rest in the garage because
1) some are fall/winter that they aren't interested in stocking right now
2) the toys she said they just have a lot of currently but when the inventory runs low they would be interested
3) We can have a garage sale later in the year with more baby stuff she's done with, more of Eric's clothes and some things in the garage we aren't going to use in this house (a microwave stand and a chair, and possibly some other things).

So I'm limiting what I donate, which was always my go-to de-clutter method, and trying to exhaust any possible selling options first. I had a roommate in VA who sold her clothes and stuff online when she moved across the country. I thought it was a little presumptuous on her part initially, but really, why not try, right? I know she made quite a bit at the yard sale we had and she didn't stop there. So don't give up, and don't give it away quite yet.

This is an opportunity cost we can currently afford due to the extra storage space we have in the garage. Last year this wouldn't have been possible because we had nowhere to put it all.

And the best part of this story is that we walked into the paint store to get our pricing and make sure the color we want is actually still available, and were sold 4 paint rollers for less than the price of ONE at the usual price, and the total came to EXACTLY the amount I had gotten for my clothes at the women's consignment shop. To the penny. Crazy.

We have a 15$ off coupon, they are doing 30% off the kind of paint we want right now, and we have allotted some of our tax return for this project so whether I believe it or not, we might actually get this house painted this year! Again, it's all about waiting it out until the timing is optimal.