27 Things You Can Sell From Home to Make Money

From a very early age, I was taught the value of money. Not only did I do chores to earn a weekly allowance, but I was expected to save my money for things that I wanted to purchase. And like most kids — I wanted lots of stuff, which motivated me to come up with creative ways to make money.

I made money by selling lemonade from a stand in our front yard. I went door-to-door trying to sell my neighbors my handmade arts and crafts (I didn't sell any). I collected salamanders from our backyard and called around until I found a local pet store that would buy them. I found aluminum cans and traded them into the recycling center for cash.

Fast forward, and not much has changed.

In college, I sold my old textbooks and CDs for cash. I sold old clothes to consignment shops. I even sold my body to science, by participating in pharmaceutical research studies.

My point is, when you’re short on cash, there are TONS of ways to make extra money by selling things.

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If you need some extra pocket cash, here are 27 things to sell for money. 

1. Sell Your Knowledge

Are you a math whiz or a tech guru? Do you know a foreign language? Are you an excellent cook? Then cash in on your knowledge.

Sites like Brain Mass and  Skillshare allow you to create online courses for free — and when people enroll in your class you'll earn a percentage of the sale. Each site has a different monetization model, so visit each for specific details. Be sure you check out this post — it has a bunch different sites where you can sell your expertise!

Don't want to create a course? No problem. You can teach a variety of topics online. Companies like Gogokid, Chegg, and Tutor Vista allow you to sell your knowledge for cash. See this post for an extensive list of teaching and tutoring resources.

2. Sell Your Art

Do you love to paint or draw? Then sell your art online on a website like ArtPal or Artfinder. ArtPal accepts paintings, prints, photography, sculptures, handmade jewelry, crafts, and you can sign up for free. With Artfinder, you can sell original paintings, photography, prints, sculptures, drawings, and digital art. Artists must fill out an online application for consideration and once accepted into the program, artists earn 67 percent of the sales price.

Related Content: How to Sell Art Online and Make Money

3. Sell Used Baby Gear

Is your baby all grown up? Not having any more kids? Then sell your used baby furniture, gear, toys, and clothes at a Just Between Friends sale. At JBF you simply bring in your items to a local sale, price them, and then two weeks later you receive your consignor check in the mail.

Don't want to go the consignment route? You can also try selling your used baby gear on websites like VarageSale, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or eBay. Each site has its own pros and cons, so do your research before choosing a platform.

4. Sell Your Belly 

While this is a HUGE commitment and undertaking, it can be very lucrative if you’re healthy, the right age, and you have the right mindset. Being a surrogate (carrying someone else’s baby for nine months) pays anywhere from $25,000 – $40,000, plus the cost of medical bills and treatments.

5. Sell Your Car

Are you ready to sell your car? Then download the Blinker smartphone app and cash in! Blinker literally makes the process of selling your car a snap. Just download the app, take a photo of your car, list it, and review offers that come in. Currently, Blinker is available in the states of California, Colorado, Texas, and Florida.

6. Sell Your Breast Milk

Yes, you heard me correctly, breast milk! In fact, there is a whole website called, Only The Breast that is dedicated to moms selling and those looking to buy breast milk. $2.50 is the average selling price per ounce, which means if you're able to pump an extra 16 ounces per day, for 30 days — you could earn a whopping $1,200 a month!

7. Sell Used Books

Do you have old books piles of books collecting dust? Free up some space and make some money by selling them online at Cash 4 Books. Enter the book’s ISBN and get a quote. If it’s a wanted title, send your books in with their pre-paid shipping label. Once the books are received, you’ll be paid either via check or PayPal.

8. Donate Your Body to Science

In college, I participated in many clinical research studies. Once I even found an overnight weekend study that paid $2,000 for staying two weekends — which was gravy money, because I used my time there to study for my college classes. If you're interested in selling your body to science, use Clinical Trials.gov to locate trials around the globe. Compensation will vary depending on the type of medication, the length of the study, the number of blood draws, and the number of visits. Payments are usually made by check from the clinical research organization.

9. Sell Used Clothing

Do you have outgrown children’s clothing or styles that you no longer wear? Then sell your gently used clothes on thredUp. To get started, go to the SELL TAB and order a free Clean Out Kit. Once you receive the prepaid bag with a shipping label, fill it up with clothes, shoes, jackets, handbags, and accessories and send it off in the mail. You'll receive a notification once thredUp receives your bag and evaluate your items. thredUp accepts around 60 percent of items sent in, and you can transfer your earnings via PayPal or thredUp credit. If you sign up now — you can earn a $10 thredUp credit by using this referral link.

Related Content: Where to Sell Used Clothes Online for Cash

10. Sell Your Handmade Crafts Online

Do you make gorgeous jewelry or cozy knit scarves? Then sell your handmade goods, vintage items, or craft supplies on Etsy. It only costs .20 cents to list a product on Etsy for four months (or until it sells). Once your item sells, Etsy collects a 3.5 percent transaction fee on the sale price. Feel like Etsy is oversaturated? This post covers other places where you can sell your handmade wares.

11. Become an Egg Donor

Are you young and in good health? Then donating your eggs may be a viable option for you. You must be between the ages of 21 – 32, a non-smoker, and in overall good health. Donors can make anywhere from $5,000 – $8,000 per retrieval. Want more information on being an egg donor? Check out this post from The Penny Hoarder.

12. Sell Your Old Electronics

Did you just upgrade your smartphone or laptop? Then consider selling your old smartphones, tablets, laptops, and computers on Gazelle. Just find your gadget on their website, answer some questions, ship it off for free, and get paid via check, Amazon gift card, or PayPal. Gazelle has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

13. Sell Your Jewelry

Do you have jewelry from an old flame? Then sell it at a pawn shop, local jewelry store, or on a platform like, Out of Your Life. While Out of Your Life has an A rating with Better Business Bureau, I have not used them personally. Be sure to do your research before sending off your precious gems.

Related Content: How to Sell Your Jewelry Online and Locally for Extra Cash

14. Join a Direct Sales Company

You've probably heard of Avon — but did you know there are thousands of direct selling companies that sell fun stuff like on-trend jewelry (stella & dot), wine (Traveling Vineyard), premium hair care products (MONAT) and stylish clothing (cabi)? While you usually have to pay a small startup fee to get started — the direct sales industry is a great way to sell new products from home. From makeup and jewelry to gourmet food and clothing, whatever your passion there’s a direct sales company that caters to it. For more information, check out some of the best products to sell from home.

15. Sell Unwanted Gift Cards

Have you received a gift card for a store that you don’t shop at or that’s not close to your home? If you’re not using it, sell it on the platform, Card Cash. Just enter your gift card info online and get a free quote. Cardpool pays up to 92 percent in cash for your old gift cards. Payments are made via check, PayPal, or direct deposit. Cardpool is a member of the Better Business Bureau.

16. Sell Your Hair

Do you have long hair? Are you ready for a change? Then sell your hair using HairWork.com or HairSellon.com. You’ll need at least 10 inches of healthy hair — but you can make anywhere from $100 to $4,000 just by selling your locks.

17. Sell Your Design Skills

Do you have graphic design skills? Then use your talents and skills to sell logos on 99 designs. Simply find a contest, submit a design, and if yours is chosen as the winner, you make money.

Or try using your design expertise to create and sell t-shirts — there are a bunch of online platforms that allow you to design, setup up shop, and sell t-shirts for FREE.

You can also check out Fiverr  — it's a platform where you post services that you’re willing to sell for $5.00. People sell everything from writing services, design services, voice over services, to making phone calls, posting social media updates, creating videos, and more. Once you make a sale, Fiverr will keep a $1 fee and payments will be issued via PayPal.

18. Sell Your Opinion

Do you enjoy sharing your thoughts and opinions with others? Then make some money by participating in focus groups. Just sign up with one of these platforms and wait to be invited to focal group opportunities. These gigs are usually an hour long and pay anywhere between $50 – $150 an hour!

You can also share your opinion by taking surveys online using platforms like Swagbucks or InboxDollars. Both of these platforms are free to join, and you earn points by taking surveys, watching videos, printing out coupons, searching the web, and other random tasks. Both platforms offer a $5 sign-up bonus for new participants.

19. Sell Your Old Music

Sell your used CDs, DVDs, and video games at Decluttr. Just enter the item's barcode on the site to get a quote. Decide which items you’d like to sell (minimum of 10 items per transaction) and send them in using a pre-paid shipping label. Once items are received, Decluttr will send you a check.

20. Sell New Stuff

With Shop Your Way (Sponsored by Lands End, Sears, and Kmart) you can sell clothes, shoes, accessories, appliances, toys, home decor, and much more. Sign up for a free account and then view the startup videos to get started. Simply share items via social media and earn a 5 percent commission on items you sell through your personal shopper link.

21. Donate Your Plasma for Money

Are you a healthy individual? Then donate plasma at BioLife Plasma Services. Your first visit will take approximately two hours for donation screening, medical check, and retrieval time. Upon successful completion, you’ll be paid via a Visa Debit Card. Donors are allowed to donate two times in a seven day period and subsequent visits only take one hour. Call your local chapter for compensation rates.

22. Sell Your Photos Online 

Sell your photos online to stock sites like Dreamstime.com. Simply upload your photos and sell your images. You’ll receive 25 – 60 percent from each sale you make. For more places to sell your photos, check out this MASSIVE list of sites you can sell on.

You can also try selling your photos using the smartphone app, Foap. Download the application to your smartphone and upload your photos. Once your image receives five positive ratings from other Foap users – your photo will be published for sale. You will earn $5 each time someone purchases your photo. Payments are made via PayPal when the user requests a cashout.

23. Sell Practical Tips to Magazines

Do you love to DIY? Are you in the know? Then share your tips, strategies, and hacks with magazines for money. Cuisine.com pays $100 for solving common cooking problems. Check out this article on ways to make money from home for more magazine submission sites. You can also search online for “submit a tip” or in the back of physical magazines. Prefer to write articles for magazines? This article has step-by-step instructions on how to get started.

24. Sell or Trade Random Junk

At Listia, you can trade in your old unwanted stuff for credits and buy new things for free. Earn 1,000 free credits for signing up. Listia has been featured on Mashable, ABC, and the Washington Post.

25. Sell Your Recipes

Are you an exceptional cook? Then sell your recipes to magazines, cooking contest websites, or article databases. Magazines will usually pay $25 – $500+ if they publish your recipe. Some sites to check out are Cooking Light ($50 and a free t-shirt) and Sunset.com ($250). With article databases, they publish your recipe online and then place ads alongside your recipe. The more page views to your recipe, the higher revenue share you earn, and the more recipes you share, the more earnings you’ll make. For more ways to make money selling recipes — check out this article.

26. Sell Tickets

Do you have a concert or sports tickets that you’ve won or are not able to use? Then sell them on StubHub. List your tickets for free, once they sell, StubHub collects a 15 percent fee from the total sale. Payments are made via PayPal or check.

27. Sell Your Wedding Dress

Is your wedding dress collecting dust in the closet? Then sell it on SellMyWeddingDress.org or StillWhite.com. Listings range from $19.95 to $29.95. Neither sites charge commission fees. List your wedding items, prom dress, wedding dress, or wedding gown to tons of potential buyers.

Conclusion.

There are lots of ways to make money by selling things. Sometimes you just need to think outside the box to see all the money-making opportunities that are right in front of you.

What things are you selling from home? Have you found something creative to sell? Drop us a note below, we'd love to hear from you!

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Originally published June 11, 2014. Content updated May 10, 2018.

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