Spring is upon us! To many, spring means spring cleaning—but spring cleaning doesn't just have to mean tidying up the house and ridding yourself of unwanted junk. Financial spring cleaning, including cleaning up your spending habits or polishing up your budget, can be just as rewarding, if not more so. Wondering about how to go about doing a financial cleanup? We have some great spring financial tips, to help you figure out how you can save, and earn money.
Spring Cleaning Financial Tips
You probably have knickknacks around your home that you're not fond of anymore, or maybe a trunk full of old clothes or furniture you’re not using. To remove clutter that could increase your risk of falling, host a yard sale, donate to your local Goodwill, or sell your items online.
If you have access to a computer, you could put a lot more eyes on your unwanted merchandise for no cost. With services like Craigslist, you can list anything you want to sell for free. Also, Facebook yard sale groups are an excellent opportunity to sell unwanted merchandise.
Here's how to utilize Craigslist and Facebook to earn Spring cleaning money:
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Under "for sale," click on a category that fits what you're selling.
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In the top right corner, click "post."
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Click "for sale by owner."
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Click the next applicable category.
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Fill out the information on the following page, including a title and description of the merchandise, the price, your postal code, email, or phone number so someone can contact you. Then click the "continue" button.
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Click "Add Images" to upload pictures of your merchandise, or just click the "done with images" button if you don't have any.
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Double check the information on this page, and if it looks good, click "publish."
Visit Facebook (must have a Facebook account)
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In the Facebook search bar, type in "[your city name] yard sale". The page names will vary, but if you live in a large enough town, there will likely be a virtual yard sale page of some sort.
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Click the "Join" button by the group title and wait for someone to accept your request. This can take a few minutes (or days), so be patient.
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When you've been accepted, search for the group title again in the search bar, and click on it when it comes up.
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On the group's main page, look for the "Sell Something" button near the top of the center column and click on it.
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Type a title, price, ZIP code, and description of the product, then click "Next."
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Select other sale groups you'd like to post your merchandise on. If there isn't anything else, just click "Post."
On Craigslist or Facebook, it can often be a waiting game. Wait until someone contacts you about your merchandise through the contact information you provided. When you've finally sold the merchandise, be sure to mark the merchandise as "sold."
Financial Spring Cleaning Checklist
In addition to selling items you no longer use, you can find more spring cleaning money by overhauling your current budget and identifying areas where it’s not necessary to spend. For example, our financial spring cleaning checklist for 2018 includes:
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Gym Membership. Cancel that gym membership you never use, and exercise without a gym membership. There are many workouts that cost no money at all, including walking, yoga, or dancing. Any exercise that improves your balance and gait will greatly reduce your risk of falling.
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Cable TV. If you haven't already hopped on the Netflix or Hulu train, now is the time. You may not have access to shows currently airing on television, but you'll have access to thousands of shows and movies for as much as $10 a month—with no contract.
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Dining Out. Cooking at home has shown to be healthier and less expensive than eating out according to multiple studies. Consider cooking according to a structured schedule or putting an affordable meal plan together. You'll be surprised how much money you can save!
Earn Extra Cash Through Hobbies You Enjoy
Look for different ways to make a little income on the side while doing something you love. You may be surprised at the money you can make from hobbies such as Painting, Sculpting, Ceramics, Photography, or Woodworking.
After you complete your handiwork, you could sell your finished products out of your home using Facebook or Craigslist, following the steps listed above. In addition, check out local art stores and craft shops, as they often sell the work of local artists and craftsmen and will give you a handsome commission. These stores are great ways to get your work featured in front of people that may otherwise not see it.
As a friendly reminder, if you want to form a legitimate business doing any of the above, you should check with your local government about filing for a business license or you could be penalized come tax season!
Financial Spring Cleaning Makes Room For Other Expenses
When you are on a fixed income, figuring out how to move money around in order to pay for healthcare needs, prescription medications and other expenses can be remarkably stressful. In fact, it’s not uncommon to hear that seniors will choose to spend money on medication instead of food or other necessities. If you follow this financial spring cleaning checklist, you’ll have more of a disposable income to spend on the important things, like life-saving medical alert devices, to protect you at home and on-the-go without the anxiety of figuring out where the money is coming from.
