Here is my report on Ebay profits for the month of December. I found every one of these items at the dumpster during my regular trips to the local recycling center:
These 3 Virginia Real Estate books sold for $12.50 with free shipping.
This lot of kids magazines (7 issues of Discovery Kids and 8 issues of National Geographic Kids) sold for $25.00 with free shipping.
This lot of Campbell's Labels for Education worth 74 points sold for $7.00 with free shipping. (OK, some of these came from my kitchen.)
This lot of 9 Martha Stewart Every Day Food magazine issues sold for $9.00 with free shipping.
This lot of 16 back issues of Time magazine sold for 11.00 with free shipping.
This single issue of Vogue magazine that was still wrapped in plastic sold for $6.00 with free shipping.
This lot of 7 hardcover books by Dr. Robin Cook sold for $15.95 with free shipping.
This lot of 10 issues of Teen Vogue from 2012 sold for $10.00 with free shipping.
These Victoria's Secret coupons sold for $3.99 with free shipping.
This lot of 10 back issues of Seventeen magazine sold for $10.00 with free shipping.
My favorite sale last month wasn't a dumpster find but an item my husband brought home from the office. It was a new tube of poison ivy cream that his boss got for free somehow. His boss didn't want it, so he gave it to my husband. I listed it on Ebay and sold it immediately to someone in Tennessee for $10.99 with free shipping:
My total sales came to $121.43, but after shipping costs, Ebay fees and Paypal fees, I made about $75.00. Not as great as Nov and Oct, but not bad for trash!
Since we aren't allowed to ship magazines via media mail, did you used Parcel Post? And didn't that eat up all of your profit? The reason I'm asking is because I listed two very heavy lots of Martha Stewart magazines yesterday and was so frustrated about that! One of my lots is about 20 pounds!
ReplyDeleteIf I have a large lot of magazines, I break them up into smaller units to list. For example, I had a 2 years worth of Time magazines - one for 2012 and one for 2013. I listed them in two batches, and sold the lot for 2013. However, after I found out that we were supposed to ship Parcel Post instead of Media for magazines, I started listing them with the shipping paid by the buyer.
DeleteYou have inspired me and I set up my own ebay account to start selling. I am starting off slow and have made $20 in the last two weeks. I didn't do that much work but I think that it worth a try at it again next month. I might have to go back and pull my son's magazines from last year. I just don't think about those things as being something that people would pay lots of money for but they are barely touched so maybe I can make a little money on them. Do you ship them in envelopes or boxes?
ReplyDeleteIt never occurred to me sooner either.I can't tell you how many magazines I over looked in the dumpster the first 2 years I was dumpster diving, because I assumed no one would buy them! For a "lot" of magazines, I ship in a box (also found at the dumpster). For a single magazine, I ship in an envelope.
Deletehi, I love your site. thank you for helping us save and make money. I was wondering about the same thing.... How do you get around the expense to mail it the buyer and still make a profit? thanks, cher.
ReplyDeleteHi Cher - Please see my comments to Diana above. I may only make a few dollars on each item after fees, but since I got them free to begin with, I am happy with that.
DeleteJust be careful when you dumpster dive. Technically, once something is deposited in a dumpster owned by r provided by Loudoun County, it is the property of Loudoun County and REMOVING ANY ITEMS IS CONSIDERED STEALING. This was told to me from an employee of Loudoun County when I was dumpster diving myself. He let me go without calling the police.
ReplyDeleteI've had a county worker at the recycling center help me pull stuff out of the dumpster, LOL!
DeleteDumpster diving is legal in the United States except where prohibited by local regulation. According to a 1988 Supreme Court Ruling (California vs. Greenwood), when a person throws something out, that item is now the public domain. Here is some language from that ruling: “It is common knowledge that plastic garbage bags left on or at the side of a public street are readily accessible to animals, children, scavengers, snoops, and other members of the public.”
DeleteHowever, if a dumpster is against a building or inside a fenced enclosure marked “No Trespassing,” you could be questioned, ticketed or even arrested by the police.
Unless a town or city has specifically made dumpster diving illegal, generally the police will not come unless called by a store manager or property owner.
We were at the landfill off of Evergreen Mills Rd when it occurred and were "dropping off and picking up" ;) Have you researched/called to see if the County allows it? They don't mention anything on the website but I am just sharing the experience that I have had with the people I have encountered. I have done it plenty of times myself.
DeleteI did do an internet search after I read your first comment and I wasn't able to find any more information other than what I posted. I think the bottom line is that technically it is County Property, but they don't really care if you help yourself. If someone from the County came along and asked me to leave, I would certainly do so, but I have been there many times when either the truck came to pick up the dumpsters or the staff have been cleaning up the area, and no one has ever said anything to me about it.
DeleteIn Fairfax County, it is prohibited and posted so at the place but not all places are. Ours are sealed and you can't actually even get in to them.
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