I set myself (and you) a challenge a couple of weeks ago.
To generate £600 (or $600, or any other currency) by selling unwanted, unloved and unneeded items from around the home.
Aka = Clutter!
I’m checking in this week with just £17.00 banked.
But a little like Baldrick, I have a cunning plan.
If you haven’t met Baldrick before please let me introduce you.
My plan came to me like a bolt of lightning when my highly flexible (physically flexible) 7-year-old son decided he REALLY needs a new piece of gymnastic equipment.
If you weren’t aware we already have a 10ft crash mat and 8ft balance beam in our lounge. We’ve had to remove a sofa. Seriously. I kid you not.
So, how much is this much coveted item? £350. I kid you not. Again.
(it may be we look at a cheaper alternative, but that’s a whole separate post).
I seized my opportunity.
To encourage him to sell unwanted, unloved and unneeded items to generate the cash to buy the desired item.
To buy treasure from trinkets.
Although actually this isn’t about spending it’s about saving.
At this point my 10-year-old daughter identified this could be fun. She loves a challenge. She also would like her own pc as she heads into Year 6.
And so it begins – the £600 family challenge. We’re in it together!
They each have a monetary target. Not all of it will be from selling their stuff. There’s birthday money to factor in that hasn’t been spent, pocket-money they’ve been saving and are continuing to save, and my son even had a conservative premium bond win last week!
It’s all adding up.
And that’s what we are doing today. School’s out for the summer and we are making a target chart for the desired objectives. The Kids have a £350 and a £250 target. I hadn’t realised that adds up to £600! How odd! But as I said not all will be from selling stuff, so we’ll be keeping a tally of what is generated as part of the £600 challenge.
And it has the added benefit of encouraging them to clear their clutter. It’s hard to get them to part with items ‘just because’. But the allure of an exciting new piece of equipment is strong.
I see a life learning lesson here. An opportunity to guide the Kids with regard saving and spending. There’s more to come on how we are doing this, but it’ll be in another post, as this ones getting a little long.
As for my measly £17.00, it’s soon to grow. I’m busy listing items on eBay and have a car-boot sale planned. I’m hoping to generate at least £100 a week over the next couple of weeks.
How’s your £600 challenge going? Please do share. We’re in this together!
I’m not selling things but I did give two bags and a box of things to charity yesterday. Good luck with your family goals.
I’m not selling things but I did give two bags and a box of things to charity yesterday. Good luck with your family goals.
Still at 109.59 but have a few bits on ebay with watchers. Got an old i pod and broken phone to trade in too so it’s going good. Good Luck with your goals im sure you will all smash it 🙂
Still at 109.59 but have a few bits on ebay with watchers. Got an old i pod and broken phone to trade in too so it’s going good. Good Luck with your goals im sure you will all smash it 🙂
Still at precisely nil however we have earmarked a weekend for the boot sale and starting piling up boxes in preparation. I have a lot of books from my degree course that I would like to sell on. I might try a few on ebay and see how it goes but I have never sold before- I have bought plenty though which accounts for some of the clutter!!
Still at precisely nil however we have earmarked a weekend for the boot sale and starting piling up boxes in preparation. I have a lot of books from my degree course that I would like to sell on. I might try a few on ebay and see how it goes but I have never sold before- I have bought plenty though which accounts for some of the clutter!!
Great idea to get the kids involved! I’m currently at $414.68, but there is plenty more to go! I had a bit of a rest over the school holidays 🙂 And now I’m sick and not really in the mood for online listing! But next week it will be back to listing and selling 🙂
Great idea to get the kids involved! I’m currently at $414.68, but there is plenty more to go! I had a bit of a rest over the school holidays 🙂 And now I’m sick and not really in the mood for online listing! But next week it will be back to listing and selling 🙂
Love the visual aids for your family!
I’m at zero but have a goal to post five items on Ebay this weekend.
Love the visual aids for your family!
I’m at zero but have a goal to post five items on Ebay this weekend.