Easy Money Making From Home

Selling on eBay Gets Cheaper!

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 01:23:00 +0000

If you've ever tried selling on eBay, you know that the fees really break the bank.

However, eBay is always changing and of the many changes that they have made the one that I thought might be of interested to those of you looking to make some extra cash from home, is a reduction in listing fees. On eBay a listing fee is the fee eBay charges you to just list an item. The amount of the listing fee is based on your starting price.

It's purpose, besides letting eBay scoop up your money, is to keep poor quality listings from flooding the eBay market. Imagine how easy it would be list each and every item in your waste basket for sale, if you didn't have to worry about paying a listing fee. Then if it sold, yipee! and if it doesn't sell, there's no loss to you. By imposing a listing fee, eBay keep those kinds of garbage listings off the market and improves their buyer's experience.

eBay has since realized that people who only list occasionally are being turned off by listing fees and now offer every seller 5 free listings a month. That mean's no listing fee, regardless of the starting price, for 5 items you list on eBay each month. So with less pressure, why not clean out some of your junk that other people might just pay for! Now just because you get 5 free listings a month, doesn't mean that you should waste them on rubbish items. List things that are in good condition and have a real value to them. Make it worth you time.

If you have things that you're pretty sure won't sell either wait for your next garage sale or think about donating it to a local charity. Of course, your donation to a non-profit charity is tax deductible, so make sure to get a receipt.

Good luck!

Cash4Books Pays You For Your Used Books

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 01:06:00 +0000

Got a bunch of books just sitting around the house? Maybe you've already read them, maybe you bough but now have lost interest in reading them. Turn those books into cash!

Cash4Books.net is a great company that pays you for your books. They even pay the shipping to get your books to their processing center. All you need to do is gather your books and visit their website. Enter your book's ISBNs and they will give you a quote. Then print out their free shipping label and send your books off. Once they receive and process your books, they send you a payment.

Books are typically pretty bad sellers at garage sales, so why not turn those books you don't want anymore into some cold hard cash. This is about as easy at it gets! Good luck!

A Real Paid-Survey Webiste offer Real Money

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:26:00 +0000

If you surf the net looking for ways to make money you have surely come across ads that say "get paid to take surveys." Most of these ads are put up by people who want to sell you a list of websites that will pay you to take surverys. The problem is that most of the sites are bogus. You should never have to pay to sign up. If you're looking for a legitimate place to make some extra money, I've got the site for you.

Cash Crate is a very straight forward website that really allows you to make money by taking surverys. They even give you a dollar just for filling out your profile. It took me less that five minutes to set up my free account and fill out my profile to earn my first dollar. Then they list all of the survey offers and how much you will make on each. It isn't a ton of money, most are between $0.25 and $1.00, but it adds up. The other great thing about Cash Crate is that they tell you which offer will need a credit cards or which offers will require you to pay for something.

You can start making money right now! The great things about Cash Crate is that you control how much money you make. The more time you spend taking surveys the more money you will earn. Best of all Cash Crate is completely free to sign up, no catch, no fine print, just an honest, straight forward company.

You've got nothing to lose!

Monetizing Your Blog: Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:25:00 +0000

This is the first in a series of posts on different ways to monetize your blog or website. Check back for more articles on making money with your blog or website.

Blogging has exploded in recent years. As websites make publishing content more and more simple, everyday web-surfers with limited knowledge of building a website (like myself) are able to blog. Blogging is a good way to get your opinion out there, but if you have good readership the potential for generating from revenue is there.

One of the giants in the world of monetization is Google's Adsense, however I'd like to introduce a few other companies that you should consider.

Chitika

One of the top alternatives to adsense is Chitika. Chikita once offered multiple ad formats, but they have recently combined their formats into what they call Chitika Premium. It still offers you the option of customizing you ad box to match the color scheme on your blog or website and they also have various sizes from which to choose. This is a great place to start earning money with your blog.

AdBrite

AdBrite is another ad compnay that follows the same ad format that Google setup with Adsense. They are fairly simliar to Chitika. I use them more for advertising than for monetizing, but I've used them on a few of my blogs and generated some money. AdBrite is another good place to start.

Just remember not to over monetize your blog because a lot of ad clutter could turn some viewers off, however, under monetizing your blog could result in under performance when it comes to bringing in revenue.

Gazelle Buys Your Electronics

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:17:00 +0000

Need some extra cash? Have unused electronics around the house? Gazelle fuses those two problems together and gives you cash for you electronics. Visit them on the web at http://www.gazelle.com.

GO GREEN! RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRONICS (Or at least trade them in for some dough.)

From Gazelle.com:

What Is Gazelle?

We provide an easy, fast, and safe way for you to sell electronics and recycle electronics. When you sell cell phones, mp3 players, laptops, or other gadgets to us, you'll earn cash and help save the environment by keeping old, used gadgets out of landfills. You get green while being green! The bottom line is you want to sell electronics and we want to buy electronics. A perfect match!

What Happens When I Sell My Electronics?

As soon as we receive your used electronics and gadgets (such as used cell phones, used laptops etc.), we inspect them to be sure their condition matches your evaluation. We'll notify you via email once your item has been received and inspected, and again when your payment has been sent. The whole process takes about a week once we receive a box from you.

What Does Gazelle Do With My Used Electronics?

Gazelle believes that electronics recycling starts with reuse. After we buy electronics and gadgets, we evaluate their condition. When we receive items that are still in working condition, we extend their lives by removing all personal data from them, and selling the electronics through a variety of retail and wholesale outlets. Items without market value are recycled responsibly.

Visit them on the web at http://www.gazelle.com.

More Information on Stock Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:42:00 +0000

Anyone interested in Micro Stock Photography, check out Stock Photographer Resources.

They have information various websites and companies as well as information on contributing and purchasing images.

Microstock Photography Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:42:00 +0000

I compiled a list of my top stock photography sites. They all vary in different features. I recommend checking each one out, however I suggest maximizing your profits by joins more than one if possible. Good Luck!

ShutterStock

ShutterStock is one of the bigger microstock photography sites and has a high sell rate. They do have a very rigid photo review process however, but once accepted you're photos will be well marketed to a large number of buyer.

iStockphoto

iStockphoto is another one of the big sites which has its upside and downside. Thousands of potential buyers browse big sites like this, however they tend to be more picky than the smaller sites. The registration process may take slightly longer than other sites, but once you're in and get some photos accepted you'll see the money start rolling in quickly.

Fotolia

Fotolia is a relatively new site that is causing quite a stir in the stock photography community. They are well organized and have a quick registration process. Although they have a moderately rigid photo review process, they do not penalize you for submitting photos that don't get approved. Fotolia is growing and has a good customer base which translates to a high number of sales.

FeaturePics

FeaturePics has the least rigid photo review process and is your best bet for getting photos accepted. The also have a fairly high commission rate. FeaturePics frequently tried new ways to sell your photos and offer you the option to participate in new projects they have. I recommend taking advantage of their new ideas, it will just boost your revenue.

123rf

123rf is right in the middle when it come to their image review process. They accept more than most other sites on this list, but do reject a good amount as well. I'm not too familiar with their sales volume as I just joined this site, but it won't hurt to give it a try.

Introduction to Microstock Photography: Selling Your Photos Online

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:11:00 +0000

(See Site List Below for Recommended Sites)

Stock photography is a collection of existing photographs that can be licensed for use by someone or a company. Stock photography has been around for ages and usually consisted of huge, professional photography companies with very large budgets. The internet has taken stock photography and created a whole new industry, Microstock Photography. Microstock photography companies operate almost exclusively online and have a wide range of photographers from amateur individuals to professional studios. This gives anyone the chance to collect some dough in exchange from some digital images.

Here's how it works. First, join a stock photography site by filling out their registration form. Registration should be free. If a site is charging you to sign up, skip it. You take your high quality, digital images and upload them to the site. The site reviews and either accepts or rejects your photos based on their criteria. Once accepted, your images are stored in their database. Buyers then browse the database and when they want to use your image for a publication or website they buy a license for your image. Once your image is paid for, the site allows the buyer to download your image. As the photographer you receive a commission. Your cut varies by site and can range from 30-70% of the selling price.

Although open to everyone, not all pictures will make the cut. These companies are looking for photos that are of high quality (usually more than 5 mega pixels) and are in demand by their customers. Most sites offer tips on how to make sure your photos meet their criteria. At the end of this article I list some sites to get you started.

A few things to keep in mind when submitting photos. All recognizable people, faces, and property (i.e. a particular high rise building) must be accompanied by a "Model Release" or "Property Release" which most sites provide for you in a downloadable file. Company logo and trademarks are not permitted (i.e. The MacIntosh Apple, McDonald's Golden Arches, etc.). Poor lighting is the number one reason your photo will be rejected so get lots of light, if you don't have professional lighting I suggesting using the radiant sunshine, it provides the best light for free, just make sure your wear sunscreen.

There are a variety of sites out there. Some are very rigid about which photos they accept. Some sites even go as far as to suspend you if you fail to submit enough quality images. Don't be discouraged though, there are a number of sites out there that give you a chance to get started. Here are a few with which I suggest starting.

Sites To Get Your Started

Fotolia

Fotolia.com is a relatively new site but is already creating a lot of buzz. They are the most rigid is accepting photos that I have on this list, but there is no penalty for submitted photos that don't make the cut. So, submit away!

FeaturePics

FeaturePics.com has the least rigid photo review process and is your best bet for getting photos accepted. They also have a higher commission rate than most.

123rf

123rf.com is in the middle when it come to photo acceptance. About 50% of my photos were accepted here. You may have better luck if you have really high quality images. Like the rest on this list, there is no penalty for submitted photos that don't get accepted.

I'll will follow up with more sites in a later article. Good Luck!

Garage Sale Tips: Price Tagging

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:35:00 +0000

To Tag or Not To Tag

Growing up with parents who would cross over three lanes of traffic without checking a mirror because they just saw a small garage sale sign at the turn we were about to pass, I've been to my share of "junk" sales. I was a timid child, quietly browsing the merchandise. I was never brave enough to ask the sale owners for their asking price of an item, so sales with affixed price tags "tickled my pickle." For that reason I suggest tagging all items if you have the time, or just some if you don't.

Tagging: The Bad

Before I dive into the many benefits of tagging your items I should mention that there are some drawbacks. Lets discuss a couple. Almost all of your garage sale patrons will be on the hunt for a bargain, that's why people go to garage sales. Price tags have the potential to scare off these frugal buyers, by expressing a form of rigidity in price. To prevent this from driving off potential buyers, place someone in charge of your cash box (who won't walk off with it and is well versed in arithmetic) and mingle with the crowd taking note of interested buyers. If you see someone eyeing an item with some uncertainty, interrupt and get a feel for their thoughts. If they express concern about the price consider negotiating, especially if your sale is past its half way mark. If you truly are trying to get rid of things, bargaining is a must.

Tagging your times is also very time consuming. It is much easier to just lay it all out there and come up with a reasonable price as people ask. If time is factor, I suggest setting up a little early and tagging items as you wait for customers to arrive. Grab a roll of masking tape and a permanent marker and start with your larger items, such as furniture or toys. This will allow you to concentrate you price "barking" in an area where you can consolidate your smaller items. (Price "Barking": Shouting split decision prices to multiple customers asking about the price of item.)

Tagging: The Good

Price "barking" is one of the main reason I believe tagging your items is a smart idea. Especially if you don't have a lot of help, the constant query for prices can be very stressful. You have to decide on a price on the spot and usually you will end up shouting out a price that will make your customer extra happy and not necessarily the price you think would be reasonable. Taking some time beforehand to look at your items and make a calm, rational decision about how you will price them, will make your big day a lot less stressful and make sure your items are priced accurately.

If you are employing help at your garage sale I highly recommend tagging. Tagging your items makes checkout by someone who does have all the prices in his head, like you do, as simple as adding it all up. This will allow quick and easy checkout which your customers will appreciate. You know those garage sale hunters, there's too little daylight to hit all them sales.

A coworker of mine would always ask me if I had anything I wanted to contribute to her yard sale. All the while I was thinking, "Why would I let you make money off my junk, when I could sell it myself? Get away from me!" I didn't know that she was going to give me the income generated from my "junk" through a carefully designed processes that she had perfected over her many years of yard-saling. She used different color tags for each person's items which allows the merchandise to be mixed up without worrying about ownership, and customers could checkout with all their items at one time. She then collected the tags as she rang them up, marking any discounts that she may have negotiated. At the end of the day she would use her color coded system to determine everyone's cut of the earnings. I suggest using this system for multi-family sales as it allows your customers much more freedom to shop without worrying about keep track of who's items they are picking up.

Tagging Tips

Tagging Furniture/ Large Items

Use masking tape and a permanent marker. Masking tape will easily peel off most hard surfaces and is considerably cheaper prepared labels or sticker tags.

Glassware

The cheapest way to tag items like mugs or glass cups is with a grease pen. This can get messy, so you may want to use masking tape as well, but I've seen grease pens work well at thrift stores.

Clothing

Office supply stores are now selling tagging guns that most retail clothing stores use to tag their items. It uses a needle which pushed a double sided T-shaped plastic fastener which secures a paper tag to almost any article of clothing (or fabric for that matter). These guns and supplies can get pricey averaging $50 for a starter kit. If you want a cheaper way to secure a tag to clothing you could use a regular office stapler and staple your tag directly to your garments. Keep in mind that staples can cause a little more damage than a tagging gun, however, stapling works just as well for me.

Garage Sale Tips

Selling on Criagslist

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:36:00 +0000

Craigslist (http://www.craigslist.org) is an online classifieds service that is basically free for everyone. Craigslist does generate some income by charging fees for businesses and related listing in certain areas. I first started using Craigslist when I was looking for used cars or boats. However, the potential of Craigslist should not be overlooked. Anyone who isn't locked in a cave underground will have heard of the huge auction site eBay.

Ebay is an online giant and attracts millions of visitors in traffic which makes it look very attractive to sellers. However, you should keep in mind that eBay charges sellers not just to list an item, but they also take a percentage of your final winning bid. Therefore some may find eBay's fee cut too far in to their profits that listing items there may not be worth it. That's where Craigslist comes to rescue.

Although Craigslist does not generate the kind of traffic eBay does, it is gaining popularity around the world. If you have things at home you are trying to get rid of, such as furniture or baby clothes or even tupperware, you can list it all for free on Craigslist. My mother has also done well for herself selling her crafts she sews at home. Craigslist has great categories and search option that make finding your item easier than you think. Also, Craigslist sorts listing by area or region, therefore you will target local customers that will most likely be able to pick up your item, alleviating the need to ship you item. (However, this also limits your customer base.) Craigslist is great for larger items especially like furniture that would otherwise be unpractical to sell online due to the enormous cost of shipping such a large item.

Craigslist PROS
-Absolutely free
-Good for listing large, unshippable items
-Listings by category
-No registration or sign-up
-No need to give financial information

Craigslist CONS
-Local listing only
-Limited traffic
-No online order form

Craigslist TIPS
-Add at least one picture to every listing
-Use an email rather than a phone number for contact
-If you are unsure about a category do a search for your item on Craigslist and see where everyone else is listing similar items.
-People are looking for bargains, put up a reasonable price but be willing to negotiate by placing "or offer" next to your price.
-List similar items in one listing, this may help you sell a bunch of items to one person.

Trade Your Electronics For CASH!

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:01:00 +0000

A new business has sprung up almost over night to take advantage of how quickly people buy new electronics. We're upgrading to that hot new phone every year, getting the lastest, smallest, coolest mp3 player. All that upgrading leaves perfectly good, unused electronics lying around. Gather them up and head to your computer cause someone is ready to give you cash for your unused electronics. BuyMyTronics is a small company that buys back cell phones, PDAs, iphones, ipods, and game consoles for top dollar. All you need to do is visit their website, plug in your info and they will give you a quote in no time. Simple and easy. Then all you do is mail in your item(s) and they send you MONEY! Get your free estimate now with no obligation on their website (http://www.buymytronics.com). They accept electronics worldwide. A great way to turn those unused electronics in to cold hard cash!

Garage Sale Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Po) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:58:00 +0000

Everyone has heard about the good old fashion garage sale, but in my experience there are a few things that will make or break your earning. Here are a few of my tips for creating a winning "sale of stuff."

1. Gathering your "stuff"
It may sound simple enough, but it's important that not only do you have the items you want to sell ready to be displayed, but you also have enough stuff. You should gather your items so you can see just how much space it takes up. Some buyers are turned off by small sales and leave before even looking at any of the items for sale. If you don't have enough stuff, consider asking someone to join you like a neighbor or relative.

2. Pick a date and advertise
Weekends work best, some holidays may be appropriate. Once you have your date set it's a good idea to advertise. Placing an ad in a local newpaper and free online advertisement at websites such as CraigsList will help boost traffic to your little sale and in turn boost your profits. Another easy way of advertising is well made, large lettered signs directing sale-seekers to your home. Don't forget a sign at your house so people know where to stop. Make it easy for buyers to find your sale with ballons or bright signs nearby.

3. Tag your items
Some sellers are weary of price tagging their items because they feel it somehow makes bargining impossible. Not at all. Tagging lets you communicate to your buyers how much you are asking for an item without having to ask you anything. Don't worry, if buyers wants to negotiate, a little sticker is not going to hold them back. Tags also help when you have people helping you at your sale. It makes it easy for others to make sales for you without the need to refer back to you each time some makes an inquiry about price. Timid buyers, they're out there, and they like to see a price without having to find someone to ask.

Supplies to have on hand:

Plastic bags (i.e. grocery bags) for bagging smaller items
Extra money in change for buyer with larger bills
Tables make displaying more convenient for your buyer
Tarps or plastic to cover items in the event of rain
Money storage container
Calculator
Something to drink
A hand truck or cart for heavier items

Related articles:
Garage Sale Tips: Price Tagging