Once upon a time, if you wanted to get rid of an item that was still usable, your best option was the classifieds of the local newspaper.
Thanks to the rise of the Internet, though, connecting with someone interested in your junk has become a quicker and simpler process.
Kijiji is one of the most popular classified websites, and Waterloo Region is no exception to its success.
As Renee Goodman’s infants became kids, she turned to the site for both disposal and reimbursement purposes.
“When they outgrow their things, I put them on Kijiji because I hope to recoup a little bit of money to be able to invest in what they will need next,” she says.
So what’s Goodman’s advice for others looking to discard old goods and make a few bucks in the process?
“Put your things up there and see how they do,” she suggests.
“If they don’t do how you thought they might, lower your price a little bit.”
But not everything has a price, and not everyone selling goods online is necessarily after money in return.
Enter sites like FreeCycle, a non-profit which matches people offering goods for free with those looking for the ultimate bargain.
“For that item you might put to the curb, this is a chance to give it to someone directly who can make good use of it,” says FreeCycle founder Deron Beal.
“You don’t have to make it sound any better than it is. You can say it’s a ratty old sofa and if someone is looking for a ratty old sofa, there’s always somebody there who’s willing to have it.”
FreeCycle has more than nine million members in 110 countries.
Goodman is a member of FreeCycle as well, using it to get rid of items she doesn’t care if she gets money for.
“People throw away some pretty decent things,” she says.
Goodman has one more piece of advice for anyone looking to get rid of items, whether for cash or for free.
“Always include a picture, because people want to see what you have without having to drive all the way over here to look at it,” she says.
CTV’s David Imrie is showing you ways to turn trash into cash this week on CTV News.
