How to Find Money Around Your House

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By keepingitsimple
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Find Money Around Your House

These days we could all use a little extra cash in our pockets. Sometimes all it takes is a clean sweep of our own homes to come up with some extra green. Read on.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

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Declutter. There's no time like the present to finally clear the clutter. Start at the top of the house (attic) and work your way down room by room to the basement. Clothes, antiques, furniture, toys, books, gold jewelry, you get the picture. Nothing is off limits here and the possibilities are endless. Whether you host a garage sale, take the consignment shop route, or try your hand at online selling (eBay), this is a great way to bring in some serious cash.
Step 2

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Gather up loose change. A few years ago I gathered all of the coins we had been throwing into a drawer and wrapped almost $40 in change. I'm not saying you have to crack open the piggy bank you've had since you were a kid (although desperate times call for desperate measures so do indulge if the time is right) but you'd be surprised how much loose change is lurking in the nooks and crannies of your house (think drawers, cushions, cabinets, coat pockets, glove compartments). Start a coin jar in one central location and at the end of each month cash out.
Step 3

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Cancel magazine subscriptions. I never knew this was a possibility until I looked into it a few weeks ago myself. After contacting the publisher and canceling my subscription, I received a refund check for a magazine that I was no longer interested in reading and still had two years left on the subscription.
Step 4

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Return unused clothes and household items. If you've bought clothes and household items that still have the tags on them, grab the receipt and return them. Even without a receipt you can usually get a store credit which will allow you to purchase something later when you really need it.
Step 5

Cash in gift cards. Chances are, if you are like me, you have unused gift cards waiting to be redeemed. Put them in your wallet so you have them handy and start cashing in for things you need.

Comments

winterglo said

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on 3/25/2009 Great advice, especially about keeping gift cards in your wallet. I can't remember how many times I've been to a store only to kick myself because I forgot the gift card at home! 5*

on 3/19/2009 Great info! I've done the Ebay thing for several years but lately can't find the time to take the pics and post the listings as often as I like so I've using the consignment shops more. The best ones are the ones that pay you up front, meaning you don't have to wait for them to actually sell the items.