Here’s A Fun Way To Make Some Extra Money

The way things are today, when people say they do not have the money to do something they want to do it really surprises me because there is always a way to make money. I could sit here and write on for days about the poor financial decisions most people in their early 20s make (buying a cool car to show off, credit card spending sprees, major student debt) but those are in the past, and chances are there is nothing you can do to correct those well learned mistakes.

At this point you probably have a job, with some debt, and a limited amount of free time that you do not want to spend your time working. Being very understanding of the fact that when you get home from your job, you do not want to spend any more time doing work-work, but there is a way you can make some extra money, while also having some nostalgic fun.

Go Back In The Day

At some point in your childhood, I am guessing you collected or thoroughly enjoyed some sort of toy or hobby. Whether you liked baseball cards, video games, Barbies, or even Cabbage Patch Kids, I’m willing to be there is something you used to enjoy that now holds some significant value. Make a list of those things you enjoyed, and then do some serious Google searching.

Do A Little Research

Look up the prices of things you used to collect on eBay; you’ll be able to tell real quick if it is going to make a viable and fun side business for you. If the going rate for one of your favorite old toys is between 5-10 dollars, chances are you won’t be able to make a ton of money doing it easily, since there won’t be a ton of room to negotiate (but you can make anything happen if you buy it at the right price). Keep an eye out for things $20 and up, because that generally gives you more room to negotiate when you find someone who is selling them.

Go Find Some

You’d be surprised how many places you can find your old favorite toys or collectibles. Craigslist, eBay, garage sales, estate sales, you can track them down almost anywhere, and this is really where the fun comes in. Spending a Saturday going to an estate sale looking for something you used to collect as a kid is a lot of fun. It is like a modern day nostalgia treasure hunt for you, and when you find a great deal, it’s even better.

Negotiating Practice

You do not need me to tell you how important negotiating is, whether it is for your current salary, days off, buying a car, etc. Most of us only negotiate when it comes to VERY important financial decisions, so we get very little practice. When you find a collection of your childhood favorite collectible, you can try a ton of different ways to negotiate, because you can always find another collection.

Letting Go And Selling

It is fun to hunt down your favorite collectibles as a kid, but don’t get attached. The point of you doing this way to make a little extra cash, not to become an 80s child-toy hoarder. Enjoy the experience of finding a deal, negotiating the purchase price, and also making money when selling! This is a great way to make some extra cash, but also have a ton of fun in the process. You will be tempted to keep a lot of what you buy, but just keep one or two of your old favorites, not the 200+ that you will eventually buy and resell.