I have recently discovered the joy in selling things online. A few weeks ago I put two items up for sale on Ebay and both of them sold. I was shocked that someone actually wanted one of them. I was really just doing a test to see if someone would actually spend money on the item. I didn’t expect it to sell. My prior experience with selling online had been limited to selling books on Amazon and various items through Craigslist. I have always advocated to my students to try and use services like these to sell items instead of throwing them away. Most everything has value to someone else. Finding someone to buy that really old digital camera was proof of this. Selling or recycling allows items to continue to be useful long after we think they are worthless.
Last night, I was watching my brother David as he was hosting his weekly show titled The Hawk Shop. The show airs on the Fox affiliate in Fairbanks, Alaska. The focus of the show is to provide an outlet for people to buy, sell, or trade things. This format has been popular on small radio stations for years. Think of it as a flea market or Craigslist on TV. One of the callers informed the audience that he was selling an Ugly Stik for $100. My initial thought was, “He’s selling an ugly stick? Why would someone buy an ugly stick?” Turns out I may be the only person who didn’t know that an Ugly Stik is a brand of fishing rod. I actually thought the caller was just trying to be funny. Turns out he was selling something real.
The Hawk Shop has been on the air for over 4 years which proves that people will buy, sell, and trade items using any means necessary. The show is an outlet for people who want to get rid of things and make a few dollars in the process. What do you have lying around the house that you haven’t used in years? Collect some of these items and have a yard sale! Post them on Ebay or Craigslist. Check to see if a local radio station has a weekly flea market program. All of us have an ugly stick that we can get rid of. Being thrifty means getting the most from your resources. Not only do we want to buy below retail but when we finish with the item we should try and sell it which reduces the cost of owning the item. Find your ugly stick and sell it today. You’ll be surprised that someone just might buy it.
