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Giving VS Selling

Poll Results: Do You Give Or Sell

 
  • 57% (49)
    Give
  • 2% (2)
    Sell
  • 40% (34)
    Other/Both
85 Total Votes  
post #1 of 46
10/21/07 at 9:38am
Thread Starter 
Are you a giver or a seller?

I am a giver. I hang on to things thinking I will get around to selling them and guess what, it never happens. We don't have anywhere in town, literally, that will buy things, no consignment shops, second hand book store only does trades (but they don't have any good books), ect.... It's so much work to sell online. Yard sales *never* happen due to a million reasons (usually weather, lol!) so I have resigned myself to just giving. It ends up sitting around unless I get rid of it. Plus I always feel so blessed knowing that I have given something to someone who can make use out of it. I feel more blessed as a giver than a taker.

What's your deal? Give Or Sell?
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post #2 of 46
10/21/07 at 9:40am
Thread Starter 
Oh, in case it's not apparant, I'm talking about the things that you declutter or other things you want to get rid of. I just noticed that I didn't mention it
post #3 of 46
10/21/07 at 10:03am
I'm a giver. Like you there's no place convenient to sell things, so I just give them away. My yard sales never happen either, and it's entirely too much work to sell online. So I'm a giver. My dh hates that I'm a giver, he'd love to be a seller, but he doesn't want to take the time to sell it so...
post #4 of 46
10/21/07 at 10:09am
I have grand ideas about making hundreds of dollars on ebay, or at a tagsale. Right now I have several boxes of stuff in my attic with price stickers on it.

But I know that I'm eventually going to just donate it all. The work involved in selling is usually not worth it to me. Getting it out of the house is enough of a reward.
post #5 of 46
10/21/07 at 10:23am
I usually give stuff away, unless I am trying to replace it FE when I didn't like my double stroller and wanted a different one, I sold the old double to help offset the cost of the new.
post #6 of 46
10/21/07 at 11:21am
Mostly a giver. When you give away a "big ticket" item it's great to see how happy and excited people get. We had a lot of fun with this when we were downsizing from our house to a small apartment. Two TVs, various pieces of large furniture, a queen sized bed and mattress in perfect condition, etc.

We've sold things on occasion, but only if we really need the money for something. I find it's not worth the effort. Maybe I'm a weirdo, but I think it's nicer to get big grins, hand shakes, thank you cards, and even hugs...as opposed to a $10 or $20 bill that's going to be used in a single purchase, likely for something else you don't need.
post #7 of 46
10/21/07 at 11:23am
i'm a giver....partly out of laziness....mostly because I do not value money all that much-I think my stuff is far better used with someone who might not be able to afford it. (I was once that person)

My dh is a seller.

But he is too busy to sell stuff so-

I win!
post #8 of 46
10/21/07 at 11:23am
I give it away unless it's relatively easy and quick to sell it...like at a used bookstore or consignment clothing store. Our neighbours have a basement FULL of junk that they can't bear to get rid of without making a few bucks. I don't want it taking up space in my home any longer, so out the door it goes.
post #9 of 46
10/21/07 at 11:27am
I am a giver. I have a hard enough time organizing myself to just take stuff to the thrift shop/drop box. I'd never get rid of anything if I had to go to the effort of selling it. I participated in a yard sale once - never again. I do try to give big ticket items, or things that might have a limited audience (like cloth diaper supplies and my sling) to people I know.
post #10 of 46
10/21/07 at 11:28am
I don't have the patience to sell my "junk" when I'm done with it. I give it away to others who need it and don't worry about getting a few dollars in return.

I also believe that what goes around comes around. When I've been truly in need of stuff, it's come to me anyway.
post #11 of 46
10/21/07 at 11:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruthla View Post

I also believe that what goes around comes around. When I've been truly in need of stuff, it's come to me anyway.
:

You just convinced me to give my double stroller that I have been holding on to away!

I freaking hate it. Its so hard to operate.
post #12 of 46
10/21/07 at 12:11pm
Mostly a giver; if I need to fund a purchase that will replace something, then I sell. But for the most part, it's much more satisfying to give things to people than go through the hassle of selling.
post #13 of 46
10/21/07 at 2:40pm
would anyone admit that they are a seller? :

Ok, i will. I sell things, but not for very much - just a token, which helps with the effort involved to make the ad, etc. I don't know if its a regional geographical thing, but i find when i list things for 'free', it doesnt go as fast as when i list things for a couple of dollars. Its almost as if people want to know its worth something.

I also find something slightly more gratifying as the seller. I move alot, so a few times in my life I have ramped up and down from only enough belongings to fit in my luggage, to enough that would fill a household - and back down again. When i do a mass decluttering for one of these moves, somehow multiple yard sales and such feel better than just dropping off a truck load at Good Will. I can't put my finger on what it is.

I did vote 'both' as i think most sellers would - because even if you like selling, of course theres been times where you've given at least SOMETHING away. It goes without saying that my friends and family would get anything they want from us before we move. Its only after they've riffled through my stuff that I sell. :
post #14 of 46
10/21/07 at 2:47pm
I live in a town where like 95% of ppl are "working poor" so they totally appreciate free stuff.

Plus people just cant get enough "stuff."

Its reigonal...depends on what kind of neighborhood you live in.

I love to put "Curb Alert!" on craigslist.

People will pick up my garbage if I do that.
post #15 of 46
10/21/07 at 2:55pm
I said giver. I have had yard sales, etc, but I HATE the way selling makes me feel. I much prefer giving.
We're broke, and I'd still much rather give something than sell it.
post #16 of 46
10/21/07 at 4:41pm
Giver. Mostly because I'm too lazy to do the work involved with selling!

I will sell higher ticket items; like a crib, a large outdoor dog run/kennel, a brand new bathtub/surround we had leftover from a remodel... anything I can take a picture of and list on Craigslist and KNOW that it will go easily for more than $50, I'll sell. Otherwise, Freecycle is my best friend.
post #17 of 46
10/21/07 at 4:47pm
Both.

For example, when I unloaded nearly all my earthly possessions for my cross-country move, I first attempted to sell.

I gave to my extended family anything I had that they could use.

I 'gave' by selling my nearly brand new living room furniture set for $100 (3 pieces, a couch and two chair-and-a-half similar to loveseats) to a neighbor.
They were a really young couple, she was expecting a baby, and I just thought it would be nice to help them out. They still paid something, but received furniture that would have cost them over $1500.

Thanks to my ex that I had all that stuff.

I gave many pet supplies that I couldn't sell to the local humane society and to a local pet bird rescue group run by a friend and fellow bird club member, including my favorite large bird cage and favorite bird playground.

I sold my beloved bicycle to a friend/client I met through work.
Sometimes I really miss that stuff, but here I would have had nowhere to put them.

I gave many clothes and a daybed frame along with miscellaneous small appliances to a consignment store.
Either the items never sold, or the lady (who did seem shady) just pocketed the money, although I did give her a forwarding address.

Oh well.

So, yeah, I do both.
post #18 of 46
10/21/07 at 4:54pm
I do both. Because I regularly declutter I have a box in my lounge tucked beside the couch out of sight and take all the photo's, list them online to sell and give them about a month. If they're still there after that time I take them down to the hospice shop.
post #19 of 46
10/21/07 at 4:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bwylde View Post
Oh, in case it's not apparent, I'm talking about the things that you declutter or other things you want to get rid of. I just noticed that I didn't mention it
Yeah, okay, I didn't see this until I posted.

In that case, if I spent a lot of money on it (like a wire dog crate and vehicle pet barrier), and it's still in quite excellent condition, I try to sell it online through Anchorage Buy and Sell or Craig's list.

Many other things I list on freecycle. If they still aren't taken, I donate to salvation army.

Except in this particular case: a very large, heavy desk I bought at salvation army for $5.
I no longer need it. I want it gone.
I've offered it through freecycle many times.
I'd have to remove the seats and car seats from my van to load it up to donate it back to salvation army.

Therefore, I most likely will have my husband destroy it, tear it apart (it's made of particle board wood painted black) and put those pieces on the curb for garbage pick up.
post #20 of 46
10/21/07 at 5:06pm
I'm both. I have a garageful of things for sale on Craigslist right now. Big items like a complete office system, stereo with speakers, etc. I usually leave them there for a couple of weeks and then I give away if they are still in my garage. MY DH and I have had many fights about this. He thinks that we should sell every last thing but I don't see him doing any work to sell. Even if it takes years to sell, he wants to keep items.

I freecycle a lot of things too. Sometimes it seems like to much work to take a picture, post an add, respond to ads, have no shows, arrange pick-up, etc. So unless I make a nice amount of money (like $50 or more) I usually give stuff away.