Springtime is the time of year I generally tend to have a clear out and sort, and I know I am not alone. With Christmas in the rear-view mirror and the warmer weather on the horizon clearing out the old and reorganising what you have is a super smart move.
Secondhand Economy
Do you know anything about the second hand economy? It is a multi billion pound sub-industry which helps to reduce waste from landfill and bring communities together. Do you sell or swap online? Do you buy used items from others or donate your old items? I do, in fact I have been a massive supporter of the second hand economy for many years. As both a buyer and seller and even gift of unwanted items. Gumtree have written a great report about the second hand economy which you can read here.
There are plenty of people who have unwanted items in their homes – it is just a case of doing something about those items. It may be tempting to leave them but wouldn’t you like the space and know you are doing something to help the economy too? Whether you choose to donate or sell, if you were to go around your house you would undoubtedly find a wide variety of items you could get rid of. So how can you help contribute to the second hand economy?
Selling Unwanted Items
You have probably seen people online selling their old baby clothes that their child has grown out of or an old piece of furniture as they have bought a new piece. In Australia, savvy Aussies stand to make $4200 per household from their unwanted items – why wouldn’t you try your hand first at selling them? You can choose to use that money for whatever you want – to help with bills, to put away in savings or even for a nice little treat.
But if you don’t find things to sell, you won’t have the potential to get that money and here in the UK its no different there is a mass of people who prefer to buy second hand than buy brand new for every purchase so why not make the most of it i! Australia’s second hand economy has recently been revealed to be worth $34 billion, how incredible is that?
Swapping Items
You don’t have to sell if you don’t want to – swapping is also a great way to contribute to the second hand economy. Someone may have something you desperately need but don’t want to buy new and you may have something that they need – why wouldn’t you try a swap to save you both time and costs?
Good things to swap are baby items. If you’ve got a child who has just started weaning, someone who has an older child but has just found they’re pregnant again might swap their weaning essentials for some new baby essentials. It is often the case that some of those with older children give away their baby items only to find out they’re pregnant again further down the line – swapping is a great way to keep those costs down.
Buying Second Hand
Buying second hand is great for the second hand economy and also good for your pursestrings. If you are looking to save some money or just simply looking for something unique, try looking for something second hand before heading out to the shop. You never know what you may find!
It is always wise to be a little wary when first buying especially if it comes to items such as second hand tech. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and make sure you are getting the item exactly as described and that the price is fair. Never ever pay for an item you have not actually looked at yourself!
Donate
If you don’t necessarily need the money from selling and don’t need anything for a swap, a great way to get rid of your old stuff is to donate to charity so that those in need can benefit from your generosity and still boost the second hand economy too. I have been a massive promoter of donating to charity. Sometimes the extra time it takes to sell an item is just not worth it and so gifting it to a charity for them to donate can be immensely gratifying.
Do you contribute to the second hand economy in any way? Did you realise it was worth as much as reports show? If you don’t contribute, has this information or have these figures swayed you in any way?
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