Tipster Tuesday : Ways I made money from home in 2009 !

With Tax Time approaching, I've been organizing all my income and expenses from 2009. I've become so addicted to deal hunting at yard sales, thrift stores, Goodwill and others like it, and I began to pickup things that I knew were awesome deals, even though I didn't need them, and to re-sell them for a little extra money. I've found several outlets to do this and they have all worked well for me. Don't get me wrong, there is an "art" to doing so and some skills that are very helpful, which are learned in the process. I plan to post every Tuesday with some tips on ways to make extra money online...legitimately and without jumping through a million hoops:)

So, here's my 2009 breakdown! Don't forget that I do also work a full time management job, so these efforts have been on my days off or my insomniac nights :)

1.) My number one money maker is Ebay. I have sold everything from bras to Kitchen tools and household items to Vehicles. I do frequent "spring cleaning" in my house no matter what time of year it is! If we haven't used or worn it in monthes, it's time for it to go! I have my own strategies that have developed from my trial and error listings, so that I can pretty much count on each item I list to sell now. I'm gonna post many of these in an upcoming Tipster Tuesday!

My 2009 extra income from Ebay (minus fees & shipping costs)
$2,004.22

2.) Next in line is my book sales on Amazon. I am a true bookworm! I read anything and everything I can find that has to do with lving a Christian Life, (Beth Moore, Joyce Meyer and Lisa Bevere are my FAVES!) Books about budgetting, living a debt free life, parenting, marriage and you name it...I've probably read it! I have built in bookshelves in my living room and they are overflowing. I realized what a shame to keep them all to myself once I had read them and then I stumbled on Amazon. Unlike Ebay, there are no upfront listing fees and they stay listed until sold.It's much easier to create a listing because all you do is input the IBN # off the back of the book and it pulls the stock information and recommended selling prices for you, based on book condition. It's so easy that I began searching for books on my flea market and yard sale trips and found that I can snag them up pretty cheaply. I inspect their condition before I buy to ensure it will sell and, of course, if it's not something I want to read myself, I won't sell it! I started with Amazon about mid-year so I expect much more in 2010, but here is my 2009 breakdown:

Amazon book sales for 2009 (minus fees & shipping costs)
$ 160.53

So, basically, I had NET income of $2164.75 in 2009 for what I like to consider "recycling" of home items! I always know that an extra 50 bucks here and there helps out, but didn't even realize myself how much extra income I'd made until getting ready to do my taxes!

I'll follow up next Tuesday with more money makers that have worked for me! I tell all my friends that I guarantee I can find $500 in their homes right now...things they no longer use or need, and with this economy, it's time that we all become wise stewards of what has been intrusted to us! Not mention it helps keep a clean and organized home!