How to Price Items for A Garage or Yard Sale

Pricing for a garage (or yard/rummage) sale can be tricky. Too high and you scare off customers. Too low, and you might not get what you want from a "barter-shopper". I can help you navigate the ins and outs of pricing! 
Here are a few tips to help you out:

1. If an item is in "like new" or "gently used" condition, price items about a quarter or third of what they would cost new. 

2. If an item is new and in original packaging, you can price it at half of what it would cost new, but be willing to negotiate. 

3. Clothes are generally very poor sellers, although there are exceptions. New or like new kid and baby clothes can be sold for around a third of what they cost new in the store. Adult clothes generally will sell if you price them at $1 or lower - people are not very likely to take a risk on something they cannot try on before buying. 

4. Try to look at your items objectively. When pricing items, keep in mind that "a third of what it costs new" is only a guideline. No one cares that you paid $75 for your advanced computer sciences book 5 years ago. You'll be lucky to sell it at all. 

5. Be precise if they ask about a price. When I've asked the seller how much they want for a particular item, many times they respond, "I don’t know, how about .50 or .25?" No buyer in their right mind will say, "yeah, I want to pay the higher price." The better way would be for the seller to answer, "How about .50?" Then if the customer puts the item back, or hesitates then you could say "or how about .25? I'm open to negotiation!"

6. The bigger the item, the bigger the price tag should be. Make it obvious. If you're selling a dresser, you can't expect the buyer to be looking all over for a tiny dot sticker. Take a full sheet of paper and put the price and list any good selling points or flaws: "Dresser - $40 Firm - only 2 years old - comes with a coordinating mirror". 

7. The price should be on top of an item, not on the bottom. I know it’s a lot of work, but worth it because you won’t have people asking every thirty seconds, "how much do you want for this?"

8.  Back up your price. If you are trying to sell something that is a high dollar item, find it online or in a catalog and print/cut it out, and tape it to your item. It shows the buyer that spending $10 for an item that normally sells for $40 new is a good deal. Be selective if you do this, people may get turned off if you do it for every item you're trying to sell. I also, personally, only do this for new or like new items, unless it was expensive (over $500) or large (furniture)...though I have seen this done with gently used kids toys. 

9. you can always go down on a price, but you can never go back up. If you don’t have time to price everything individually, signs are helpful, such as "all books .25 each" or "any piece of clothes $1.00", or "anything on this table .50".

10. Keep your money close. I like to use a half-apron with several deep pockets. One side is for the change I start out with, and the other side is for incoming cash. 


This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Make Gift Baskets Like a Pro

When I was in high school, I worked for a little "Mom & Pop Gift Shop".  My job was to make gift baskets for baby showers, birthday parties, corporate parties and graduations. They offered "build your own baskets" which really mean that you choose from a store full of items, and I put it together for you. It seems like an odd skill to have, especially since it was before the time of baby diaper cakes and internet access for small businesses, but I have put it to good use over the years. It is especially fun to use freebies to fill the baskets, as long as you use the right ones! 

There are a few basic "ingredients" to a professional style gift basket. You will need:

The Basket/Vessel: Sometimes I used little cardboard boxes that looked like a cake, or a galvanized tin for a beer-themed basket. It does not actually have to be a basket, be creative! 

7 Ways to File Your State Tax Return For Free

It isn't too hard to find a place to file your federal tax return for free (here are 3), but finding a service to file your state return for free is a little more difficult. I did a little looking around, and found out that in most states, you can file your state taxes for free if you make under $57,000 per year. 

Free State Tax Returns Online:
1. MyFreeTaxes.com - This is a not-for-profit with funding from the Walmart Foundation, The United Way and H&R block – and they offer free state and federal tax returns if you meet the criteria.

2. TurboTax Freedom – The free version of TurboTax is available to filers with adjusted gross income of $30,000 or less. If you live in one of the following states they will also allow you to file your state return for free… AL, AR, AZ, GA, ID, IA, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, MS, NY, ND, NC, OK, OR, RI, SC, VT, WV. If your state is not listed it will cost you $14.95 to file the state return.

3. Beehive.org – Filing your own taxes with BeeHive.org is easy. In order to be eligible free federal and state income tax filing, you need to make less than $57,000, a valid email address and your Social Security Number. 

4. Taxhawk – Prepare, print, and file your federal taxes online for FREE! Your state tax return is FREE if your income is less than $20,000 and you live in the following states:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin.

5.  On-line Taxes – This one is pretty simple. You just need to be under 20 years of age and you can get your federal and state return filed for free. If you don’t qualify both returns cost $7.95. They are a little bit different than many of the other places in that they offer free customer service with a toll-free number, E-mail, and Live tax help. They also allow you to view the forms BEFORE paying.

6. You can also go directly to you state’s Department of Revenue website to see if they offer a free filing option. For a shortcut, head over to this page which has links to each states free efile (if they have one).

7. Yes, it sounds a little old fashioned, but if you really want to file your state return for free and don’t qualify for the options listed above, you should do your taxes on paper and mail them in to the state. If you have already completed the Federal form online, it should be pretty easy to fill out the state return. You can get the forms FREE from your local library or you can print them off at your state’s Department of Revenue website.

You can also go to the IRS website Where's my refund (about 7 days after you submit your return online) to get the status of your return and refund.

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Find Out Who Pinned Your Blog!

If you have a blog and are on Pinterest, you need to know this nifty little trick! While I was blog hopping one day, I came across a little blurb about how to see who has pinned items from your blog! At first I couldn't get it to work, but i will show you how to do it, and what mistake I made initially. 

PJH Designs says 

"First, have you ever wondered what is being pinned on your blog to Pinterest if anything? Well here is the link to find out!"

Just type in http://pinterest.com/source/thenameofyourblog/

The mistake I made, was just copy/pasting my blog URL onto the end of this. You do not want the http:// part of your blog name. You want it to look like this:

http://pinterest.com/source/littlemomprairie.blogspot.com/

It will also show all the pins that you, yourself may have added from your blog to Pinterest. Isn't that a nifty trick?

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Making the Decision to Work At Home

The whole point of telecommuting, or working from home (WAH) is the ability to fit your work around your life, not the other way around.This can be especially attractive if you are a stay at home parent. It is, in fact, why I made the decision to work from home! 

I was a single mom for several years, with a kid too young for school, and needed to find a way to support us both. Between the costs of transportation and daycare, working outside the home was just not feasible for me. Now that my daughter is older, I am always here when she gets home from school. I am available for play dates and track practice and holiday performances.  I can take a break, mid day, to help with a diorama or to bake cookies or to go to a Dr. appointment.  

Work no longer happens just between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday.  Despite all the distractions involved in balancing family and work, telecommuters are actually more productive than those who work in the office, according to studies from Stanford University.

However, making the decision to work from home is not one to make lightly. It can sometimes take a few tries to succeed, and find the work from home job that is right for you. Figure out your strengths, and that will guide you to the job that will be the right fit. Go over the pros and cons of working from home before making the decision that is right for you. 

Look at your finances. Not every home can take the hit to the income while you find the right work from home job. You also, though, have to factor in the costs of gas, daycare, etc. Working can cost quite a lot! Look at your existing income and also what you want to make working at home. 



Some work from home ideas:

Do you know how to sew, craft or bake? Start a small business selling your handiwork. 

Do you have great sales skills? Try a work at home sales franchise like Avon or Mary Kay. 

Do you design web sites, logos or other custom art work? Make your skills (and prices!) known to family and friends online to build your portfolio, and sell your services. 

You can find legitimate Call Center jobs. Check each company with the Better Business Bureau. 

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Bring in Old Product for Discount on New Purchase Programs

Some companies will give you a discount on your purchase, if you bring in your old one for recycling. The discount amounts vary by store, and by location, so always call ahead first and check your local store policy.

Bring in your old laptop, iPod or mobile phone to an Apple Retail Store and get 10 percent off the purchase of a new one.

Recycle your old binders at Staples, and get $2 off the purchase of a new one. They also offer $2 off a purchase of ink cartridges or toner, if you bring the old cartridges in when you make your purchase, limit 10. 

Office Depot also has an ink cartridge recycling program, $2 off a purchase of ink cartridges or toner, if you bring the old cartridges in when you make your purchase, limit 10. 

Play it Again Sports buys, sells, and trades used sports equipment. You can choose several options: have your used equipment purchased from you, use it to trade up to something better, or donate for a tax break (if you itemize your taxes).

H&M will collect stained, torn, or simply out of date clothes in an in-store bin. The clothing will then be sent to German recycler I:Collect, which will then turn the clothing into everything from new clothing to automobile insulation. Customers who make donations will receive vouchers for each bag of used clothing to use toward future H&M purchases.

M-A-C Cosmetics offers the Back to MAC program where if you return 6 M·A·C primary packaging containers to a M·A·C counter or M·A·C Cosmetics online, you’ll receive a free M·A·C lipstick of your choice.


This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

How to Enter Contests to WIN!

Do you enter contests? I do sometimes, I have periods where I am super active and periods where I get too caught up in home life to bother. 

BUT...you know the saying, You have to be in it to win it! 

If you have any contests you are currently entered in, 
feel free to add the link to vote !

Here are also a few tips to help you get started when entering contests:

1. Choose a contest that focuses on one of your strengths. Don't enter cooking or recipe contests if you call the smoke alarm your timer (haha). I am not a great seamstress (aka, I cannot sew!) as a result, you will never see me enter one of those contests. I stick to the things I am good at, to improve my chances of winning. 

Example: 
I have 4 years of culinary school under my belt, so I feel comfortable submitting recipes to contests. This was my entry in the Classic Pastry Arts Contest. 

2.Make sure your pictures stand out. Don't get too "artsy-fartsy" with it, as that can hurt your chances almost as much as a crummy shot. Just make sure you have good lighting, nice color contrast, and a unique perspective.  I have won several online contests in the past several years for my original recipes, but quite often, the judges loved the visual impact. 

Example:
The colorful fish stew, topped with fresh herbs, gives a nice color contrast. The camera focuses on the food, the bowl fading in the back. 

This won first prize in the Nordic Naturals Essential Fish Dish Contest!

3. Wording Counts. Be clever, make sure you spell everything correctly, and make sure you have filled out the forms properly. There is nothing worse than having people point out your spelling errors on a contest entry!

4. Show your creative side! Don't be afraid to break the mold when entering a contest. Check out the other entries, and figure out how you can make yours stand out a little. 

5. Enter as many contests as you qualify for! I have entered cooking, baking, Pet and family photo contests...even  DIY contests on Instructables! If you can take step by step pictures and write clear instructions, this is a great site to join. 
2 years ago I won second place in a Spring Clean Contest, this year I was runner up for 3 seperate cooking and DIY contests!

6. Follow the Directions. Make sure you qualify, make sure you cross your 'T's and dot those 'I's...it is a horrible thing to have one of your entries chosen, only to be disqualified! 

7. Don't let haters stop you from being awesome. I personally have had some recent experience with jealous adults acting like bratty kids because they weren't getting votes, and I was attacked (verbally) online. 

Just ignore them, know that whatever you did, it was great enough to make them try to take action against you. Sure, you might occasionally not win something due to one of these people, but in the long run, as long as YOU do not fall down to THEIR level, you will be fine. Judges DO take harassment into account, if you make it known (if it is severe enough - in my case it required legal action).  

Do you have any contests that you are currently entered in, and need votes? Add your link to the comments below! Make sure to tell us if it is a daily or one time vote! 

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Free Money $ from Serve and American Express

Wanna make a quick $35? Of course you do, who doesn't like FREE MONEY?

I just found this deal and tried it myself, and was surprised at how fast and easy it was! 

I signed up for a Serve Account via American Express, which only took me 5 minutes! (They ask for name, address, email, birthday, and last 4 digits of SSN.) This offer is for new members only. They are sending me an AmEx card, to use for online or in store purchases. 

When you add $25 or more to your NEW account through December 31, 2012, they’ll match with a $25 deposit. The FREE MONEY arrived in my account in 60 seconds! 

If you spend $20 in one purchase,using your card, they will give you an additional $10! That is $35 total profit! I have not done the purchase part, I am waiting for my card to arrive via snail-mail. Hopefully it doesn't take too long! 

Purchase must be made by Dec. 31, 2012. 

I have 3 adults in my house, and we each set up an account. We made $75 in one hour! After our qualifying purchases (holiday gifts!!) are made, we will have made a collective $105.00 FREE CASH towards our Christmas gifts. 

PLUS.....When you sign up for the Serve Digital Prepaid Card, 

you’ll get some other great benefits:

**Standard American Express 90 day purchase protection for accidental damage or theft for eligible purchases.

**Roadside Assistance – when your car breaks down, they will send help for towing, winching, flat tires, battery boost, fuel delivery or emergency lock-out. (Great for teenagers and college students).

**Entertainment Access – enjoy access to pre-sale tickets, reserved seats and behind the scenes experiences in certain cities when you use your Serve Card.

NOTE: These cards are assigned a special subset of numbers, that lets every system know that this is a prepaid card. Many online systems WILL REJECT this card. A lot of the "free trial-cancel later" offers will NOT accept this card, I have tried!! But this is a great way to make some extra cash and I plan to use it to give my preteen her allowance!

My Experience With Stamps.com

Call me stupid. Call me trusting. Call me an optimist, perhaps. I signed up for Stamps.com's too-good-to-be-true free trial offer. I know what you are thinking...with so many bad reviews about them online, why would you do something so stupid? Like I said...call me an optimist. 

The offer I received was in a package of HP printer paper, valid for businesses only. I have a valid business license. The expiration date was 9 months off, so I figured it would be safe to assume the offer was still valid: a postage scale that measures up to 50 lbs., free mailing boxes, and $50 in free postage! I do want to stress that this was a business offer, which differs slightly from their other offers. 

So I got my welcome package in the mail...

This is the the meter shown on the offer, value of $50. 

To find a little silver postage meter that measures up to 20 lbs. not 50 lbs. Okay... the little brochure inside tells me if I want the one that was promised to me, I have to pay for it. *sigh* Okay forget that. Free meter is still free, even if it is not what was promised.

This is the meter they sent me, $10 value. 

The part they do not disclose to you: You get $5 free postage. If you want more free postage, you have to spend at least $25 in postage (boxes do not count towards your total). It would have been nice to know that before I signed up, it definitely would have affected my decision. I am informed of this by a letter inserted in with my welcome package.  They already have my credit card information. By now it is already too late. 

Now, to try the service....
At first, everything worked smoothly. The software is easy to use. I printed postage for my business, sent out big bins full of packages, paid them money for this postage...began to wonder what they did to earn their $17.99/month fee (I am still under my 30 day trial at this point) but decided that, since I send out an average of 10-15 packages weekly, the convenience of buying postage in my jammies might be worth it. I pay for 1 month of service. I never got my additional free postage, even after purchasing the required amount of postage.

THIS is when I begin to have software issues. All of a sudden, the program is only printing part of the postage label. I buy new ink and reprint the one free reprint the software allows. Still, only printing part of the label. I deal with HP...end conclusion, is it is Stamps.com's software acting up and not my system or my printer, or user error. I deal with Stamps.com customer service and am told to file a refund claim. Which I do. Which is denied.

I complain via email, letting them know that this was all going in my review for my blog, and that I was pretty annoyed with their service. They assure me that I will get my refund, however it will be by check in the mail. It takes me a month and a half to receive the checks.

One look at the website and it is pretty clear that the only way to cancel is to call in. I call the 888 number, and proceed to spend an hour on the phone with an agent. Me, trying to cancel the account and the agent trying to upgrade me and sell me more crap I don't want or need. End result ~ account cancelled! I promptly put the whole mess out of my mind, I don't even bother with the blog review. I just move on. 

6 MONTHS go by. I go to pay my rent one day and am told that I don't have quite enough in there to make it. One look at the account tells me why: Stamps.com pulled $107.94 from my bank account! That is a lump sum charge for 6 months of service, AFTER my account was cancelled, pulled all at once. What the heck?

The Good News is that it only took talking to 2 agents and 20 minutes of my time to get it straightened out. The Bad News is it took 6 days for the charges to be reversed. I now owe a $35 late fee to my landlord, which of course I just have to eat. 

My advice? Go to Consumer Affairs and read a few complaints, and you will see stories so similar to mine, but minus the quick refund. Most people don't get their money back, they are told over and over "these are legitimate charges" (what the first agent tried to tell me when I called about the missing $107.94) and even if they cancel the account, there is no guarantee you will not see more charges in the future, if these reviews are to be believed. 

Once the money was back in my account, I went to the bank and ordered a different debit card, cancelled the one I had used, and banged my head against the wall for not having used a prepaid card, like I always tell my readers. THIS IS WHY you use a dummy prepaid card for this stuff. So they can't mess up your finances and maybe your life. Luckily, I was able to soothe the landlord's ruffled feathers long enough for my funds to be reversed, and in the end there was no permanent harm. Other than the late fee that came out of my pocket. 

But let me tell you, this is not an experience I want to go through again. I think I finally learned my lesson. 



This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

WAH Anchor Page

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.