Spring clean and turn your clutter into cash!

Did you know the average consumer has $7,000 worth of unused stuff in their home? In fact, according to an annual clothing Resale Report from thredUP, the average family has $1,318 worth of used/outgrown clothing to sell alone. That's a lot of money that can be put towards future goals for your family or even retirement.

Whatever it is you'd like to sell, below is a list of new tech services that make it truly easy to spring clean while turning that clutter into cash. Best part? You don't have to wait for someone else to buy your stuff like you do on Craigslist or eBay. Just pack up those unwanted goods, ship 'em off, and watch the cash roll in.


·  thredUP.com: online consignment to clean out children's closets and turn outgrown clothes into cash. Order a thredUP bag, fill it with kids' clothes and earn up to 40% of the resale value. thredUP consignors inspect every item and resell only the best clothes. http://www.thredup.com

·  EcoATM: an automated, self-serve kiosk that quickly evaluates and buys back used consumer electronics directly from consumers for cash. It's like a magical money robot. Find an EcoATM location near you. http://www.ecoatm.com

·  Chairish.com: sell your home furnishing directly to Chairish. Users simply submit furniture details online, and Chairish takes care of payments while insuring white glove shipping. Chairish's curation team approves every listing to ensure the best furniture quality for buyers. http://www.chairish.com

·  GoldFellow.com: we've all heard of Cash for Gold, but there's another option for your once loved jewelry. Gold fellow will even take broken jewelry! http://www.goldfellow.com/

·  BookScouter.com: type in the ISBN and Book Scouter will search all the sites that are currently paying for used books to give you a quote. It's like having a book broker! http://bookscouter.com/

·  GiftCardGranny.com: gift card exchange that helps you trade in gift cards you aren't planning on using, for cards you will use - or for cash. http://www.giftcardgranny.com/

·  UsedInstrumentBuyer.com: instruments are often pricey to ship, and you probably won't make much selling them on craigslist. UsedInstrumentBuyer gives you a quote upfront and ship it for free. http://usedinstrumentbuyer.com/

·  TheRealReal.com: luxury designer resale - all online. Perfect for the Louis Vuitton bag that needs a new home. http://www.therealreal.com/Events.aspx

·  TaskRabbit.com: want someone to do your spring cleaning for you? TaskRabbit helps you find local people to run your errands– like help you sell heavier stuff such as kitchen appliances or home fitness equipment in the garage on Craigslist. https://www.taskrabbit.com/

·  Secondipity.com: a selling portal perfect for bigger ticket items like TVs. Best part? With every item you sell, they'll make a donation to a classroom in need. http://www.secondipity.com/

**This information was sent to me via email and I thought the resources would be valuable. 

Vanity Sizing

I was listening to story this morning in my car on NPR. It was about something I have never heard of before... vanity sizing. There were two experts speaking on the subject and it was about the epidemic of obesity in America and how it affects clothing purchases. They spoke about how clothing has been re-sized to give customers the feeling that they are smaller than they really are. Basically, a person buys a size 8, but in reality it is a size 12. The fact that they feel they fit in a size 8 makes them feel good about themselves and results in them purchasing even more clothes. They even said that women's bra sizes have been affected. A woman that is normally a B cup might have to purchase a C cup and the true size might actually be an A! Of course, not all brands are doing this but it does make you wonder if you are wearing your true size. About 2 years ago, I was wearing a Juniors' size 9. A year later I was a 7. As of last week, I wear a Juniors' size 5! Even tops, I went from a Juniors' XL down to a small.

This is crazy! Turns out that it has been going on for many years. I guess I always just assumed that every brand was cut differently. Turns out, they are cut to please the customer in hopes of increasing sales. I just had to share this with you all! Has anyone heard about this before? I'm probably so late :)

The recession has hit my house

If you know me well enough then you know that I can't stand when people blame the recession for everything that has gone wrong in their life. I have dealt with the rising prices of food, gas and well EVERYTHING else in the best way I can. I use coupons, shop sales, cut back on non-essentials and even re-purpose some items. Now I am totally offended that when I do laundry (usually 4 loads at a time, twice a week) that I can't find even a nickel! Man, back about 2 years ago I always got a minimum of $5 and sometimes $10. It was nice little lunch money or pocket change. Now I feel cheated. I get empty gum wrappers and lint. Like I said, the recession has hit my house, not cool :(

Super cute personalized Cinch Sac giveaway

**Contest Closed**
winner #3 tanyetta Congratulations!

My sweet friend Tricia has her own business with Thirty-one gifts. If you are not familiar with Thirty-one gifts, they offer really pretty bags and accessories that you can have personalized with your name, initials or perhaps even your business name embroidered in the fabric. There are so many nice styles and patterns to choose from for every taste. If you are a more seasoned mom like I am then you might not carry a traditional baby bag. Wouldn't it be neat to have a bag with your baby's name on it that is in a cute pattern that reflects your style? Check these sweet cinch sacs that Tricia had made for her daughter and a friend. How adorable are they? They are perfect for sleepovers, day trips or even going to the pool or beach.

I also wanted to pass on some information in the event anyone might be interested in joining Thirty-one gift as a consultant. Any new Consultant who enrolls between May 1st and June 30th and qualifies (sells $1,000 worth of product) in your first 30 days will earn a $99 rebate for your kit (kit is valued at over $300). If you choose the $99 Kit and qualify in 30 days, you’ll basically start your business for FREE! Those who select the $149 Kit and qualify in 30 days can earn a $99 rebate as
well, making their initial investment only $50!

Qualifying in 30 days is a great start to your business, but doing it in 60 days isn’t “half-bad” either, so Consultants who qualify in 60 days will earn back ½ of the rebate ($49.50)!
New Consultants who choosethe $149 Kit can earn the $49.50 rebate as well by qualifying in your first 60 days! For more information contact Tricia Edmundson Home: (919)771-0822
Cell: (919)741-8403 or email

Now for the Giveaway: Tricia is offering one Momfiles reader the chance to win a customized Cinch Sac! The winner will be able to choose any bag color or pattern, thread color for the embroidery and also font. This is a $24 value.

Here's how to enter:
Mandatory: Check out Tricia's Thirty-one online catalog and tell us what item you have your eye on and how you would customize it. Comments saying "thanks" or "count me in" will be deleted.(You must complete the above method to qualify for extra entries)

--You can Twitter this giveaway (one per day) and leave me a link to your Tweet.
Example: Win a personalized cinch sac @momfiles http://blog.momfiles.com/2010/06/super-cute-personalized-cinch-sac.html #giveaway

-- Facebook this giveaway, and please leave a separate comment/link for each entry to count. (one per day)

--Follow me on Twitter (@momfiles)

--You can also place our button on your blog or follow us (please leave a blog link in your comment or specify if you are a new or current follower).

*Be sure to have a visible email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger profile. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Deadline to enter is June 14, 2010 at 09:00 pm EST. Good luck!
Disclosure: I will receive one personalized cinch sac as compensation for hosting this giveaway.

My part-time job

I have been working on my new part-time during the past few weeks in order to make some extra cash in my pocket. It seems as if Summer break mean an extra $50 plus on my grocery bill each week. I had to do something that did not require working outside of my home. I am making gourmet baskets for businesses. I will pretty much only work with businesses because most people don't want to spend what I have to charge in order to make a profit. I am having fun doing it and the kids enjoy watching me be creative. Here is the latest basket I put together...

New FO Business - Cash for Lawsuits Now

Hello everyone,

Just wanted everyone to know that I have developed a new division of Financial Options, LLC. This new division is called FO Funding. Check out the website http://www.fofunding.com/
Our team will provide advance cash for lawsuits and legal claims. If you are involved in an lawsuit and you need cash now. Call me! Dwayne -803-223-9385

If you're an attorney and you need cash to cover mediation, depositions, or some other case related cost. Call me! Dwayne - 803-223-9385

FO Funding providing legal finance nationwide.

Momfiles Contest Winner

Here's Tanyetta out of California showing off her winnings! Happy shopping girl!

Be sure to check her blog out at

Days Like These.

To everyone that participated to make our first contest a success, I send you all a warm hearted Thank YOU. Look forward to our next contest coming soon. Maybe, I can convince hubby to up the Prize Package, but don't expect any cruises or new cars!! LOL!!!

Momfiles- Flip That Foreclosure

Moms and Dads Real Estate Investors trying to Profit from Foreclosures! Stage one, the delinquency phase is the time to structure a deal.

Coming across a homeowner willing to liquidate the property at this stage is priceless. I say this for 2 specific reasons...

(1) Partnership: There's a lot of external pressure on the homeowner(s) at this time. The home loan lender is calling, and most likely so are other creditors. The environment in the home is very challenging for everyone. If you are in a position to bring a "SOLUTION" to the homeowners problems. You place yourself in a very favorable position. Always remember "foreclosure is an emotional process" to deal with from a homeowners perspective. Partnering with the homeowner(s) to solve their problem is where you want to be. As a partner you are someone they can trust, someone who is honest in their dealings, compassionate, and professional. The best win/ win deals are created here in my opinion. Having worked to structure many foreclosure purchases for my investor clients, I have seen the stage one strategy work many of times. This is the best way to ensure you get the deal.

(2) Lack of Competition. When a person is trying to Profit from Foreclosures! Speed is very important. I remember back in 1997, the ultimate deal that got away from me because of my fear of moving forward. I was so afraid that I would make a mistake that I literally made the mistake of taking my time. I read a quote once that says " you can't steal second base in slow motion". After losing my deal, believe me I understood that quote very well. I often drive past that home on Oakland Avenue just to remind myself of what non-action can do. Anyways, when you deal in stage one, the delinquency phase, you do not face much competition from fellow investors. Trust me in Foreclosure Deals there is no honor amongst investors, each man or woman for themselves. I am not writing from a fairy tale story. I am writing from in the trenches. I have counted money that was taken at the last moment by some slick talking investor who got a tip that the house I was working on was in play. This is in the trenches talk. Oops, I am rambling again- sorry.

When you have a homeowner partnering with you. They are more likely working with just you. They may have gotten your information from a trusted friend of theirs. However, when stage two comes into play. The flood gates open and your homeowner will have more investors coming at them, like an A rated celebrity has paparazzi on Oscar night, and everyone wants to get that one perfect shot.

Your homeowner will begin to get mail solicitations, phone solicitations, and investors just showing up at the door. Remember "foreclosure is an emotional process", and with your homeowner meeting all these new investors with their solutions. Well, let's just say, you begin to move down the totem pole. With each new investor singing to the choir, your homeowner starts to hesitate on moving forward with your deal even if it is the best solution. Do not take this personal. The homeowner is only seeking what they perceive to be the best "SOLUTION" for them.

Now can you understand why I say stage one is the best stage to create win/ win solutions? So go for it, and remember "You can't steal second base in slow motion".