Sustainable Ideas...

Even though you don't want that lumpy old chair from Grandma's country house anymore, someone else might!

As any city-dweller knows, sometimes all you have to do to get rid of something is to put it out on the street where, sometimes seconds later, some opportunistic neighbor harvests your old stuff for their own use.

And they would probably be willing to pay something for your discards, too. Last year, eBay users sold and bought $52 billion worth of goods! Craigslist isn't far behind for greasing the wheels of the second-hand economy, one that is local and helps people connect in person. If you haven't set up an account on eBay, it's quick and simple and you can be selling your old items within minutes.

Of course the old-fashioned yard sale can be a quick way to liquidate your junk, and if you pad your stock with some new flashy items bought for cheap at places like Target and Costco, your customers are likely to linger and poke through all of the offerings, increasing your end-of-day profits. Wrap their purchases in leftover newspaper and used plastic bags and use the opportunity to praise them for buying secondhand-- it's the greenest way to shop. Anything left over from your sale can be taken to GoodWill or other charity shops for which you can take a big tax write-off (make sure to keep your donation receipt).

And the next time you need to buy a couch, a new coat or some knicknacks for Grandma's birthday, first check out the thrift stores and yard sales in your area before running to Macy's-- you may just find a hidden gold-mine!