Instead of throwing out these unwanted household items, sell them instead. You’ll be surprised at just how much money you can get for some of these items!
10. Electronics
Don’t throw away that old computer or cell phone just yet. Instead, sell them online. There are a lot of websites you can do that through, including Amazon.
Brick-and-mortar chains will buy some used electronics as well. Just make sure they’re in good condition, or you might not be able to get anything for them at all.
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s see what you can get:
- You can get a lot for an Apple 1 or Apple II computer. In 2019, an Apple 1 sold for more than $470,000!
- Old cell phones (including those big, bulky ones and the first iPhone) can be worth thousands of dollars in the collectible market.
9. Calculators
Believe it or not, there are people out there who still use calculators. After all, they are still necessary for folks working in certain industries, such as engineering and economics. So, as it turns out, there really is a market for calculators.
And, according to an article published by Money Talks News, you can sell yours on CalculatorSource.com. All you have to do is check the website to see how much they will pay for it. You can do this by entering the calculator model and condition.
After this, they’ll instantly give you a buyback offer. If the offer sounds good to you, you will need to enter your contact information and how you want to receive the money (e.g., PayPal, store credit, or check by mail). Payments send within five business days of item acceptance. Store credit bonus is added after submission.
8. Gift Cards
If you have any gift cards lying around that you don’t plan on using, you can sell them for some cash instead of throwing (or giving) them away. You can do so through online marketplaces such as eBay and Raise.
You will likely have to sell them at a discount, but at least you’ll get something out of it. And, the discount doesn’t have to be steep either. For example, you could sell a $50 gift card for $40 or $45. Not too bad, huh?
7. Books
Yes, you could donate your used books to libraries or charities. But, if you need to make a quick buck, you’d be better off selling those books.
This is especially true for textbooks, vintage cookbooks, signed copies, volumes from popular authors, and first editions. For example, a first-edition copy of James Joyce’s “Ulysses” is said to be valued at around $8,000! That’s way more than what you would have paid for it when it was first published.
So, where exactly can you sell your used books? You can sell them online or to a local used bookstore. For example, Amazon’s Trade-In program buys books.
And, brick-and-mortar store Half Price Books buys books as well. Of course, there are others. A quick search online can help you find what you’re looking for.
6. Vacuum Cleaners
Depending on the make and model of your vacuum cleaner, it could bring in a lot of money — hundreds of dollars, to be exact! According to an article published by Country Living, there was a Hoover 738 from the 1960s selling on eBay for $499.
If you do a quick search on eBay, you’ll see just how much vacuums are going for. The article says there’s a new, unopened DeWalt DCV581H 20V cordless & corded wet/dry vacuum that’s selling for $349.97. And, get this: the seller has sold 210 of these vacuums so far! That’s a lot of vacuums — and a lot of money, too!
5. Dresses
Vintage dresses going back to the 1980s and earlier are worth a lot of money. And, if it’s a designer dress, it will be even more valuable — provided that it’s in good condition. Don’t believe it? Country Living magazine has proof.
According to an article published by the magazine, gowns from the 1960s can sell for more than $100 on Etsy. But, just how much you’ll get for them will depend on several factors, including the quality of the garment and whether or not people would wear that particular style today.
If you’re unsure that that dress tucked away in a box in your attic or basement is vintage, Fruitcocktail Collectables LLC has a few tips on what to look for:
- Build – Authentic garments from before the 1960s often include metal zippers, side-snap closures, bias hem tape, and pinked seams.
- Feel – There’s a difference in texture between vintage and modern clothing. So if you have something vintage on hand, compare it to something modern, and you’ll be able to notice the difference.
- Color – Popular colors change over the years. For example, the colorful clothing of the 80s and early 90s isn’t popular today. Take a bit of time to do some research online to find out which colors were popular from the 1960s and before.
- Labels – Looking at the label is an easy way to tell if something is vintage. That’s because care instructions typically weren’t included on clothing labels prior to the 1970s. Something else to look for is a union label tag printed in blue text. Recent union tags use a combination of red and blue.
- Country of Origin – Most vintage clothing was made in the U.S. or imported from France, Italy or Hong Kong.
4. Cowboy Hats
If you have a cowboy hat from the “Urban Cowboy” era in your possession, you could get as much as $150 for it on eBay, provided that it’s in good condition and still has its original band.
Now, if you’re not sure what we mean by the “Urban Cowboy” era, just sit back and relax as we explain. “Urban Cowboy” was a 1980 film starring John Travolta and Debra Winger.
It was this film that “ignited an explosion of country music’s popularity,” says an Associated Press article from 1999.
“After the film… bars all over the country transformed themselves into honky-tonks, complete with back-wrenching mechanical bulls. Men who never had been near a horse started dressing like cowboys.” And, of course, this would include wearing the traditional cowboy hat. I mean, no cowboy outfit would be complete without one.
3. Toys
Dolls, board games, trading cards and action figures can be worth a pretty penny. This is especially true if they’re still in the original packaging.
For example, in 2010, a Barbie doll sold for $302,500. Why so much? Well, the doll wore a necklace designed by Stefani Canturi.
The necklace featured emerald-cut pink diamonds. Then, there was the original Monopoly Atlantic City, made in 1933. It sold at an auction for $146,500.
So, as you can see, there’s some serious money to be made from selling your old toys. To see how much someone would be willing to pay for yours, post them for sale on sites like eBay, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, and watch the offers roll in.
2. Costume Jewelry
Most people assume that antique and period jewelry is where the real money is. But don’t let that stop you from selling any costume jewelry you have lying around. That’s because those pieces are also worth a lot of money.
For example, Bruce Treadway, owner of Caring Transitions in Illinois, a company specializing in senior relocation, downsizing and estate sales, said in an article published on Realtor.com that his company sold a collection of costume jewelry in the summer of 2017 for over $8,000!
1. Tools
Stop! Don’t throw away that old hammer or rake just yet. According to the folks at BestLife.com, “classic tools fetch a pretty impressive price, and that’s especially true of a few particularly high-value items.
For example, a Chaplin No. 1 plane recently went for $7,700, while a rare John Deere Wrench (of which just 100 were made) sold for $16,500…” So just make sure your old tools are in good condition, and you should have no trouble at all selling them.
