A time to sell…
We’ve been ‘encouraged’ (ie. sternly scolded and forced) by our Dave Ramsey class to sell everything to pay off debt.
We dug around our garage for a few hours and …it taught me three very important things –
1) I’m a pack rat.
No one… and I mean NO ONE should still have a Tae Bo video… or a Chia Pet.
2) If I don’t see it, I don’t care if it’s sold.
I can’t remember what is out there. If my husband sells it before I see it… it’s fair game.
3) The things I thought were so important to me… aren’t.
There are very few things I use on a daily basis. I don’t need the rest.
It’s time to simplify.
What are you selling?
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Posted: January 30th, 2009 under Debt Reduction, Life in General.
Comments: 10
Comments
Comment from Jay Gatsby
Time: January 30, 2009, 6:23 am
“You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you’re satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you’ve got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you’re trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you.” ~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club
Comment from Michelle
Time: January 30, 2009, 9:17 am
Niiiiiice “Fight Club” reference. Unfortunately too true …
I haven’t sold anything yet in the quest to bring my debt down. To be honest, I don’t know what I really have of value. I have nice stuff, but it’s stuff that I use (i.e. – computer, CD player, TV, griddle, blender, food processor). And I’ve moved so often, I’ve donated a TON of stuff to charity. And I’m plus-size and I wear my clothes until they die … I’m having a hard time with the selling concept.
Write more about this process though – you might give me some ideas.
Comment from cptacek
Time: January 30, 2009, 11:19 am
Books. I have tons of books. Last time I sold books I took 4 hampers full to Half Price Books (100 books) and they gave me $0.25 a piece for them! Dang, that sucked. Most of them were read once hardbacks.
I’ve been selling the rest on half.com for between $.75 and $16.00 (my highest). Most were around $2-$3.
I’ve also sold a few videogames I’ve never played and inherited with the game system I bought from a friend.
Comment from Nicole
Time: January 30, 2009, 2:44 pm
I’ll have to dig around in my garage and find stuff to sell too. My hubby and I are in FPU as well and think it’s time to get out of this hole!
Comment from Amber
Time: January 30, 2009, 4:00 pm
I must say I am a pack rat as well. I plan on tackling my storage this weekend and getting rid of some stuff
Comment from Mr Plasectomy
Time: January 30, 2009, 9:13 pm
We are following the Dave Ramsey plan as well.
We have a few of his DVDs and they really get you pumped and excited to move on with your life and away from this debt. We as a society have been so conditioned to think that debt is ok and normal.
I am all for being Gazelle intense and getting the second and/or third job. If I sell almost everything I own I am only going to get a fraction of what I bought it for and then I am left with nothing, but a little less debt and no possessions. We have sold things we haven’t used in 3 or more months, some extra children toys and the spare computer. Beyond that we really don’t have much unless we are going to sit on the floor and not watch any movies.
Come spring I am sure we will have some sort of garage sale to sell more children things as they grow out of it.
Great blog!
Comment from Dan Massicotte
Time: January 31, 2009, 12:44 pm
Hah! I’m selling everything I own except my laptop and monitory. If by the summer it’s not all gone I’ll ‘Got Junk’ it.
Comment from Claire in CA, USA
Time: February 3, 2009, 12:24 am
Hi! First timer here.
We did FPU. Absolutely fantastic program that has done little to get us out of debt. We have an income problem, not a spending problem (no car payments, no luxury items, etc.). However, we are trying to get rid of any stuff laying around, so the jogger stroller is going on Craig’s list, as well as an old ATV, and my husband sold some wheels online. I’d sell more, but we use everything else. Wish I could sell the damn house and move out of state (CA is the pits), but the husband likes it here. Whatevah.
Comment from kevin
Time: February 6, 2009, 9:20 am
my wife and i recently moved. no worries, no foreclosure, just an apt that would allow for a dog. BUT, having to pack everything up AGAIN, i was also reminded of the ‘priority’ rule for posessions… Once you prioritize your life, prioritizing your belongings is cake… but, if you’ve lost your priorities… yep, pack rat city… We threw out DUMPSTERS of crap… but did sell a dining set, an heirloom desk, patio set, and am working on downsizing the rest… Size does matter…
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