Creatively Debt Free

On Wastefulness

    As an apartment dweller I see plenty of wastefulness. Today, a neighbor moving out threw away 5 bags of clothes. I find it ridiculous that in a city with several homeless shelters, people choose to get rid of their clothes this way. If I was willing to awkwardly pick up a bunch of stranger’s clothes from the trash in the spirit of charity, surely the owner could have just threw them in their trunk and done it themselves. Here’s all they threw out:

3 Men’s Dress Shirts, 3 Pairs of Men’s Dress Pants, 2 Ties, 4 T-Shirts, 1 Hoodie, 14 Women’s Dress Tops, 3 Pairs of Women’s Pants, and 1 Really Weird Looking Polyester Asian Dragon Robe (Seriously, it kind of scares me.)

They were all washed, clean, and on hangers strangely enough. A nice shirt and tie can really make a difference to someone trying to get back on their feet. I’ll be dropping them off at the Battered Women’s Shelter tomorrow morning.

2/25: Garage Sale Finds

It has rained for the previous three weeks in San Antonio so I knew as soon as there was a clear weekend there would be garage sales galore. I had a pretty good haul this time with some practical items. Unfortunately though, I found nothing to resell.

The tools were a dollar a piece which I thought was an awesome deal. The thing on the bottom is a micrometer, mechanics use it to measure brake rotor thickness. I found the same model on the AutoZone website for $170!!! But it’s a handy thing to have, so I plan to keep it.

I also picked up a pair of jeans and khakis for a dollar a piece and this toolbox for two bucks. A bit of research revealed that the toolbox was actually issued to WWII mechanics. Sounds like it would be valuable right? Turns out not really, especially not in this condition. I’m planning on restoring and repainting it for a fun project. I’ll post the finished pics when I’m done!

So…no profitable finds this weekend, but still a good one.

The Magical World of Freelance Work

Today I took my first step into an exciting new venture. I completed my first freelance writing project! My client was happy with my work, and told me they’ll have steady monthly writing assignments for me. So far, the best part about freelance work is telling people you do freelance work. It’s the closest I can get to my dream job of pirate or mercenary. Oh and the money, that’s cool too.

It started by responding to a vague-sounding Craigslist ad. Which (to my surprise) actually turned out to be legit. An organizational development firm needed some psychological research written up. Since I am one of those disturbed individuals that enjoys psychological research writing, I quickly sent a writing sample. We negotiated a price and I got started.

Anyhow, I’m excited about starting a portfolio and getting more clients. It’s amazing to be getting paid for something I enjoy doing. So the lesson is, never be afraid to market yourself. We all have something we’re good at, or enjoy. So…try to get paid for it! Hopefully I’ll be able to write up some freelance tips soon!

Enjoying my Tax Return…..Responsibly

Last year, I was a senior in college and I spent my tax return on a Schecter Pete Townshend Signature Guitar. I admit it was frivolous, but I don’t regret it. There is a time and place to be a kid…and a time and place to be an adult (bleh). This year my student loans are crushing me like the garbage compactor aboard the Death Star in the original Star Wars. Now is the time to be an adult and spend my return responsibly. I am getting back a modest $635, here is my plan:

About $100 will be spent on car improvements (oil change, new front brakes). Luckily I am able to do this myself for the cost of parts and avoid the mechanic.

I will be spending about $150 on finishing my graduate school applications. Unfortunately, there is no way around the high prices of grad school apps.

$300 will be saved for my first student loan payment (April 4th) in an attempt to take the edge off the situation. May God have mercy on my soul.

That will leave me with about $80 which I will be putting towards my credit card. Moral of this story? Never grow up. It’s no fun.

How did I turn $6 into $76? Magic! (My totals for the week)

Well…not really magic. But those PC games (2 or 3 posts down) sold pretty well overall. Here’s the breakdown:

6 of the games ($6 total) sold for a grand total of: $76.50! Now that is of course excluding eBay fees, but it’s still a nice profit.

3 of the games ($3 total) did not sell, and are being relisted for a second-try.

So after my total expenses for the week ($9) are subtracted, I got $70.50. After fees it will probably average $55-$60 or so. Still, it was an easy and effortless way of making my monthly credit card payment!

Garage Sailing Tips: Part One

I love garage sales. Probably because it’s the closest an Average-Joe like me can get to treasure hunting. There is nothing more satisfying than grabbing some coffee, putting on some great driving music and cruising for deals. That’s why I decided to start a regular series on my favorite garage sale tips/tactics. Spring is coming! So it’s time to get ready for your own swashbuckling garage sale adventures!

Bring a buddy! - (My buddy pictured on right) Waking up at the ass-crack of dawn is no fun if you have to do it alone. So bring a buddy! I bring the only “person” I can find that is as excited as I am to wake up at 8AM on a Saturday. Garage sailing is one of those things that most people would want to do, if they had someone to go with. So ask a friend or family member!

Be prepared to negotiate - When folks set up a garage sale, they pretty much expect to be haggled with. Keep that in mind, and don’t be afraid to shoot them a lower (reasonable) offer. Be courteous when negotiating! Also, don’t be afraid to walk away, if you think the price is too high.

Just have fun! - Some people treat garage sailing like a business. They scour Craigslist for ads, print out maps, and schedules and what-not. To me, this seems kind of stressful. You will not become Bill Gates rich by reselling stuff from garage sales…sorry. So just take it easy, pick a neighborhood and take your time. If you’re busy rushing from sale-to-sale, you may miss a diamond in the rough.

Here are a few of my favorite garage sale deals:

Box of Dungeons and Dragons Books & Figures Bought: $3 Re-Sold: $40.24

Iron Maiden-Live After Death 2 LP Set & Book Bought: $1 Re-Sold: Psshh, not for sale!

The Gutter of Human Society, A.K.A. The Pawn Shop

Mostly when I bring up pawn shops, people make a face. Nobody really likes them. I guess I understand why. Pawnshops are usually in sketchy sections of town, the people working there tend to be less than “friendly”, and they have a (well deserved) reputation of taking advantage of folks in tight monetary situations. However, they can provide the occasional deal, which is why I came up with a few rules of “pawn shopping”:

• Never sell to a pawnshop - Please! I beg of you! There are SO many better options out there, Amazon, eBay, even Craigslist will net you considerably more money. People generally only sell to a pawnshop out of desperation, and they know that.
  

  

• Right now it’s a buyer’s market - Because of unemployment and the economy people are (unfortunately) having to sell more of their possessions. Pawnshops are overloaded with DVDs, games, guitars, all sorts of items. This can benefit those looking for a deal. 
• Pawnshops generally know the value of their merchandise - Looking up the value of an item literally takes 5 seconds. Some pawnshops attach printouts of completed eBay auctions to demonstrate an item’s worth. However, many chain shops use a fixed price system. For example, all DVDs at $3 is a fixed price. This means even rarer titles would be sold at the fixed price. They also tend to undervalue older merchandise. 

Try to keep this info in mind if you venture to a pawnshop. I’m not going to lie, finding great deals is usually a bust. However, if you’re like me then you enjoy the hunt. Have fun!

Here are a few of my recent pawnshop finds:

Mystery Science Theater 3000 DVD Box Set Paid: $5 Re-Sold: $25

4 Sega Genesis Games Paid: $4 ($1 a piece) Re-sold: $51