How to Make Money when You Move

Let’s face it, moving, whether it’s just to another neighborhood, across a county, to another state, or across the country, is expensive. What’s more, the longer and the more stuff you move, the more the entire enterprise will cost. There’s just so many expenses involved with a move or a relocation: hiring a moving company, buying boxes and containers, taking time off work, putting down deposits for utilities, and the list goes on and on. While you’ll see plenty of advice about how to reduce moving expenses, what you might not come across is how to make money when you move. That’s right, it’s true, and, you too can do it to offset costs when settling into your new place.

How to Make Money when You Move

Making money on a move isn’t really all that difficult. While you won’t make a profit, you will certainly find some extra cash in the form of items you already own. One of the key ways to reduce moving or relocation costs is to lighten your load. It makes sense: when you don’t move as many possessions, it costs less. After all, chances are excellent, a whole lot of what you’ve accumulated over the years rarely sees the light of day and just collects dust.

Relocating is one of the most stressful events people face. It changes not only your physical location but your daily routine, your immediate support network and your social environment. According to the 2012 My Move Consumer Insights study, an online study of more than 8,000 respondents, including 6,300 movers, moving was rated as more stressful than any other planned life event such as having a baby, getting a new job or getting married. Still, 35 million Americans relocate every year, and there are many ways to minimize the impact on your finances. —U.S. News and World Report

All you have to do is see your relocation or move as an opportunity. Not just to start a new job, accept a promotion, get away from the dark, dreary winters and enjoy the warm and bright Orlando sunshine, but to free yourself of so much stuff. Though it’s easy to donate things, give stuff to family, friends, and coworkers, or just throw stuff out, none of that puts any cash in your pocket. So, why not take advantage of what you have to get some money out of it?

Ways to Make Money to Move Out

By selling instead of donating, throwing out, and giving away, you’ll be able to offset the cost of your move with some common castoffs. Once you know these little shared tips, and see just how simple the whole thing is to do, you’ll definitely keep them in-mind if you have to move again in the future. Here are some easy ways to make money when you move:

  • Sell packing boxes to others. If there’s one thing the internet allows people to do is to try otherwise odd ventures — that’s what you’ll find at BoxCycle.com. Those moving/packing boxes that sell for $2 to $3 or more, can be resold. Instead of stacking them somewhere, get on the site and sell for 50 cents to $2 each.
  • Sell extra, good-condition furniture. Forget the consignment stores and go straight to consumers. There are websites where you can list furniture that’s in good condition and get back between 15 percent and 75 percent of what you originally paid.
  • Sell electronics and smartphones. There are plenty of places online where you’ll be able to sell your old smartphone and other electronics. High-end mobiles can sell for a couple of hundred dollars and various electronics can bring you $5 to $25.
  • Sell gently-used clothing. If you really don’t want to pack and move all those clothes hanging in your closet, you’re in luck. You can sell gently-used clothing for as much as 30 percent to 50 percent of its retail value.
  • Sell toys and tools. There are specialized online and brick and mortar stores which buy (then sell) kids’ toys and clothes. Though you won’t bring a lot in return, ranging from $1 per item, up to about $20. For good-condition power tools, list these on eBay.com and Craigslist can fetch $10 to $100 each.

Everything else, like books, magazines, music CDs, DVDs, and other miscellaneous like items will sell for just pennies on the dollar or just a bit of spare change. These are great to lump together with like items (CDs and DVDS) and sell at cut rate prices.