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How to Start Selling on eBay

April 21, 2016 by

Do you have a few unused yet still valuable things lying around your home? Whether it’s an old cell phone or collectible comic books, eBay is a good place to sell almost any of your unwanted items. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the online auction site.

  1. Choose worthwhile items. Functional electronics, name-brand clothing, and collectibles are all good items to sell on eBay. Things that are poor quality, broken, or very outdated, however, are not.
  2. Take high quality photos. While eBay offers a feature that includes stock photos for certain items, it’s usually better to upload your own photo so that the buyer can see exactly what they're buying. Use a high quality cell phone or digital camera, and be sure to include photos of every part of the item, including any possible defects.
  3. Create a detailed description. The more detailed your description, the better. Answer all of the questions that eBay asks about your item, and then add anything else that an interested party should know in the description.
  4. Check out other prices. To better your chances of selling your item, check out how much similar items sold for and list your item for about the same.
  5. Ship quickly. Once your item sells, be sure to ship it quickly so that the buyer will give you a good rating — and hopefully improve your chances of selling again.

How to Sell Online With eBay [eBay]
Top Ten Mistakes by Beginning eBay Sellers [About Money]
Sell on eBay [For Dummies]

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How to Set a Household Budget — and Stick to It!

May 21, 2015 by

It can be difficult to manage the money for your entire household, especially if you have children. Consider these money-savvy tips for creating a household budget — and sticking to it!

  1. Know your net income. This is the hardest part: tallying your total household income and really taking control of how much you have to spend. Remember to deduct things like taxes, social security, and your 401(k).
  2. Set some goals. First, consider short-term goals such as paying off your credit cards each month and budgeting for groceries. Once those are taken care of, factor in long-term goals, like planning for a vacation or putting money aside for your child’s education.
  3. Consider your daily spending. Record everything that you spend money on for a few days in order to see where you can cut back (and where you can afford to splurge).
  4. Make a plan. Divide your income into fixed expenses (like your rent or car payment) and variable expenses, which change from month to month. Subtract your fixed expenses from your total net income, put 10 percent of the amount left over into your savings, then feel free to spend the rest on your variable expenses.
  5. Check back frequently. Be sure to continually check to see if your budget is working for your family.

Creating a Budget [Bank of America]
Secrets to creating a budget [Bankrate]
10 steps to making a financial budget [CNN Money]

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Learn about the Economy with These Economics Podcasts

May 14, 2014 by

You don't have to go back to school to get a degree in economics to understand more about how our economy works. These three podcasts offer interesting insights on business, the economy, and the world of finance:

Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast
Bloomberg Surveillance has its finger on the pulse of the national economy. Podcast hosts Tom Keene and Michael McKee discuss topics like financial repression, the job market in various fields, spending patterns, and the patterns within the ever-changing stock market.

Marketplace
American Public Media’s Marketplace is a podcast devoted to the latest business news within the United States and around the world. It focuses on the global economy and events that impact the financial markets, and it aims to provide timely, accessible coverage of both economics and personal finance. Marketplace is a great podcast if you prefer to hear about interesting, true stories rather than just the numbers.

Planet Money
Distributed by NPR, Planet Money is a twice-weekly podcast that explains the economy to people who might have no prior knowledge of how it works. It’s fun and enjoyable, and it covers topics like how popular iPhone apps affect the national economy.

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