8 Easy Ways for Teens to Sell Their Junk and Earn Money This Summer

8 Easy Ways for Teens to Sell Their Junk and Earn Money This Summer

There’s no doubt about it – most of us have too much stuff in our homes. Our teens, just like us, can find themselves with a host of things they don’t use.

And summer is the perfect time for teens to clear out the excess junk lying around their room and earn some money on some of their unwanted items. (My teens were always looking for ways to earn money.)

Encouraging our teens to sell their junk not only helps them earn money, it teaches them the value of items, gives them practice in sales/marketing, and helps empty our homes of items they’ll leave behind when they leave for college. Items we’ll have to get rid of if they don’t now!

If you’re having trouble finding your teen in the mess they call a room, here are some great places they can sell their junk. And remember, let your teen do the work here.

Parents: Be sure to guide and supervise your teen when it comes to meeting strangers for picking up items.

Here are 8 Easy Ways for Teens to Sell Their Junk

1. Yard Sale

Hosting a yard sale is a tried and true method of unloading junk. Let your teen set up a few tables in your driveway, stick some price tags on their things, advertise their sale, and let the money roll in. A yard sale is a great option when you have a ton of stuff you would like to get rid of in a short amount of time. Encourage them to make signs and flyers for their sale. They can even make a short video featuring some of the items they’ll have in the yard sale to circulate to friends and neighbors online.

2. Facebook

Selling your junk on Facebook is another easy option if you would like to keep your sales local. Facebook is the largest social media platform so it’s an easy way for teens to get their items in front of a large audience. Teens can list their items via the Facebook Marketplace or find a local Facebook yard sale or swap group to sell their items to buyers in their area.

To find a group in your area, click on the “Buy and Sell Groups” button in the Explore menu. You’ll be presented with groups closest to you. Or, you can search for your specific city or county group. To sell (or buy), you will have to join the group first. All groups have their own group guidelines, so be sure to read them to see if there are any listing restrictions.

3. eBay

This popular online marketplace has been around since the 1990s, and it’s still going strong! Teens will need an eBay account to list their items. They’ll also need high-quality photographs of whatever they’re selling. Unlike selling stuff locally, selling online does involve some extra fees. The site charges listing and selling fees, and you must ship the items after they’re sold.

4. OfferUp

List and sell your items for free on this easy-to-use app. Almost any type of item can be listed for sale on OfferUp. Potential buyers can add items to a watch list, ask the seller questions with the in-app chat feature, and make a counteroffer. So potential buyers will engage if they are interested in your item but have questions or would like to purchase it for a lower price.

One nice feature is you can see the profile rating of others before they buy. Customer feedback can have a big influence in the purchase process for many buyers. For additional security, you can also link your Facebook account to help prove that you are a real person.

5. LetGo

LetGo is another app which uses your location to list your junk for sale. With LetGo, sellers simply snap a picture of the item to sell and enter the item information quickly using the app. The only way to sell on LetGo is with their app. Buyers can view your listing on the app or the desktop website.

Buyers can search for items in their area by entering a city and zip code. Or, they can also search by product name or category. There are many categories to choose from when listing your items. The categories also make finding items you need easy. The LetGo app is free! There are no charges to list or purchase items.

6. Amazon Marketplace

The largest online marketplace is Amazon Marketplace. You’ll likely make more money listing on Amazon than any other selling outlet, but chances are you’ll have to wait a while before your items sell. And, Amazon Marketplace charges a fee to sellers for items sold.

7. VarageSale

Teens can use VarageSale to sell or trade their stuff for free. Items that go well on VarageSale are new and used smartphones, electronics, and sporting goods. Really, anything that would sell well at a garage/yard sale will sell well on VarageSale. This is a great option for teens who want to have a yard sale but need an online option.

VarageSale is a family-friendly site. What I love about VarageSale is the emphasis on safety. Buyers and sellers first create a profile which includes both a name and photo BEFORE they can schedule a meeting. VarageSale also has a 24-hour hotline you can call to report suspicious sellers or activity.

8. Decluttr

If your teen has DVDs, cell phones, textbooks, video games, and old gaming consoles junking up their room, Decluttr is a great place to list them and earn a bit of cash.

To get started selling, you can use the mobile app and scan the bar code on your items. Or, you can enter the bar code for the items you wish to sell. This pulls the item up in the database and gives a selling price. Some users complain the pricing Decluttr gives is low. However, you can get cash for items you might throw or give away anyway.

And, once you scan your items in you can ship them to Decluttr for free. Payment is quick! You can receive payment the next day when you choose to be paid with PayPal or direct deposit. Decluttr can also send you a paper check in the mail.

Try one of these 8 Easy Ways for Teens to Sell Their Junk! Your teen will love earning a bit of money this summer. Once they have some money, help them learn to budget with these 5 apps. They’ll be learning some valuable life skills.

I guarantee you’ll enjoy this experience with your teen much more than you will arguing with them about all their extra junk.