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ok folks....my heart is about to burst with pride here.

My youngest, who is 10, is a video game nut. He loves them. Every time we go to town (where there are 2 - 3 used game stores), he wants to buy a new one. Obviously, this can't happen all the time. When he has birthday money, etc., that's what he spends it on.

With the recent sharp increase in gas prices, food prices, and the price of everything else, I've had to be creative with my budget, and have been selling all our extra stuff on Ebay to make extra money. It has helped a little, and the extra money I've made has gone for gas, food, etc.

My youngest recently came to me and said he wanted to buy a new game. I explained everything I mentioned above to him - that I'm not buying extras right now, because of the rising cost of everything, and that I'm selling stuff on Ebay to make extra money to get by.

Next thing I know, he's traipsing down the stairs from his room, arms loaded with toys, stuffed animals, books he's outgrown, dvd's he no longer watches, his old Gameboy system he doesn't use anymore since his dad bought him the latest and greatest, etc. And then he asked for my digital camera - to take pictures of his stuff to list on Ebay!! So far, he has an 18 gallon tote and a large box full of stuff. He was pretty determined that he was going to make hundreds...so I had to sit down with him and explain how Ebay works, and show him what things were selling for - I think he's lowered that lofty expectation, but hopefully, he'll still do well enough to get the game he wants. (And hey, there's another good side effect - his room is less cluttered!! Laughing

)

I mentioned in my answer to the question of the week about how to teach kids about money that I have tried to instill in my kids, above all, a good work ethic. If you want it, work for it - don't expect it to be handed to you. If you want it, find a way to make the money to get it. Don't put it on a credit card or expect your parents or someone else to hand it to you.

I think it's working!!

Now I have to list all this stuff.....LOL Shocked

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 9:09 am Subject:

That's great, Sue! It's always good to see a kid that age with a sense of reality. FWIW, our older two [ages 6 and seven] are considering a tag sale to clear out excess stuff and raise some $$$. That's likely gonna happen next weekend. They'll have to split the take, but it should help considerably with Erik's new bike fund.

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 9:48 am Subject:

I'm just SO proud of him right now. He's like a little madman, running from room to room finding things to sell. Think I'll have to nail down the food in the fridge so he doesn't sell that too! Laughing

He wants new video games, but he also wants a bike. So I guess we'll see which one wins out! I'd much rather see him have a bike.

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 11:09 am Subject:

Oh my goodness, you have every reason to be proud, that is so heart warming. Smile

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 12:35 pm Subject:

wow way to go subee and your youngest, thats great.

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 2:49 pm Subject:

Sue, that's great!! What a neat kid!

My brother sells on EBAY, and has been for a long time. That is his primary income, but he makes a job out of it.

He researched what he enjoyed, which was fishing and started out with old fishing lures. He goes to autions, word of mouth and garage sales, etc. He also does antiques since our grandparents were in that business.

Your son is developing a great work ethic and seeing how much things cost and you have to work for them--way to go!!..karen

Wow,

Amazing.. another new entrepreneur on the rise.

Congrats

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 8:21 am Subject:

I got bumps on my goose Shocked

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 8:23 am Subject:

Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 6:02 am Subject:

"Luke, I am your father and I am telling you to go see a doctor if you really have bumps on your goose" Laughing

Ha HA just kidding.

Sue, just an idea if your son and you have the time to do it: It is yard sale season, and since you are probably spending a lot of time on ebay you are probably noticing which kind of toys and stuff and selling for more than others. You might suggest for him to take a little of the money that he earns to see if he can't earn himself some more money buy going to yardsales and buying things that you know will sell for more than what you're paying for them. If you do, don't forget to barter. If an item is in a yard sale it's because someone doesn't want it anymore, and more than likely they would be willing to sell it to you for less than what they've listed it for. Very Happy

You definately should be proud of your children for wanting to work for their money. You too Wulf! There are way too many parents out there who will buy there kids anything or just give them money to spend for no reason which could ultimately be setting them up for disaster in the financial aspects to the game of life.

Best of luck to all, especially you Luke... Wink

Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 9:51 am Subject:

thanks for the tip - I've been doing Ebay for years, actually, and yard sales are one of my number one sources of inventory. But right now, having just moved a few months ago, I have enough "inventory" of my own to get rid of! Smile

Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:20 pm Subject:

wow thats such a cute story Smile

Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:01 pm Subject:

thanks!

We're actually going to do a listing blitz this weekend, as now BOTH sons have cleaned out their rooms and found a lot more stuff to sell!

I think I've created a monster... Shocked

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:13 am Subject:

Yeah, Sue, but at least it's a good type of monster Laughing

I and my brother do the yard sales thing too. He bought this little vase about 5 inches tall that was some type of pottery, had a mark, probably a mold mark.

Anyway, it was put on EBay and sold several days later for $65.00, he paid $15.oo. He usually doesn't pay very much if he doesn't know what it may bring, but it was so unuasual, he took a chance.It turns out it was some particuliar type of pottery that was collectible!..karen

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:47 pm Subject:

you know you're an Ebay seller when....

-you cruise the dumpsters and parking lots behind the department stores and malls looking for boxes and discarded bubble wrap for packing material

-you flip over the dishes at your favorite restaurant to check for maker's marks

-you see your spouse get that glazed look in his eyes whenever you mention Ebay

-you start to talk in acronyms like NIB, NRFB, BIN, and the dreaded NPB!

-the postal workers in 5 area post offices run screaming in the other direction when they see you coming

-your postal carrier doesn't drop off or pick up packages from your house for 2 days and calls the cops, thinking you're inside the house, dead. (most likely sitting in front of your computer!)

-friends, neighbors and relatives all start giving you things to sell for them - and some even let you keep the profits (yeah!)

Laughing

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Extra Income...My heart is just bursting...

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