Curious about what you can sell for $500?
$500 can have more of an impact than you think on your finances. A study found that 63% of workers are unable to pay for a $500 emergency expense.
Everything is expensive nowadays and it seems like our money just doesn’t go as far as it used to.
Fear not though as there are ways you can bring in 500 bucks, whether you’re using that cash to build an emergency fund or just to help cover some of your bills for the month.
All you need to do is sell stuff!
You can sell stuff you already have in your home, or if you’re looking for a side hustle, you can purchase items to resell for a profit!
FreeCash: Earn money testing apps, playing games, and completing surveys. Up to $497.82 per offer! Start earning now!
Earn Haus: Get paid up to $25 per survey, plus enjoy same-day payments via PayPal, Venmo, or check! Join Earn Haus Today!
InboxDollars: Over $57 million paid to members for watching videos, shopping, and completing surveys. Get $5 instantly when you join!
iPsos iSay: If you’re only signing up for one survey site, make it Ipsos – high-paying surveys await! Join iPsos today!
KashKick: Get paid to watch videos, shop, surf the web, and more. Receive PayPal payments directly. Start earning with KashKick now!
Swagbucks: Watch videos, shop online, take surveys, and more. Join now and get $10 instantly to start!
But before you decide to buy cheap and sell for $500, check your house.
You’ll be surprised how many things you can sell for $1000 or in this case $500, tucked away in your home, closet, attic, garage, or other storage places.
Since there’s less pressure selling things you already own but don’t need, it’s a great way to dip your toes and gain experience.
Once you’ve learned the ropes, you can start a flipping side hustle, buying items for low prices and selling them for more.
Table of Contents
What Kind of Stuff Sells for $500 or More?
Well, there is no one best category of items. Anything from clothes and electronics to sports equipment and even books can be sold for extra cash.
But considering what items most of us have in our homes, some of the best things you can sell to make money fall into these categories:
candidates are in these categories:
- Jewelry
- Musical instruments
- Books
- Sports equipment
- Furniture
- Apparel
- Tools
- Video games
- Vehicles
- Baby gear
Also, remember that it’s not just items you can sell either, but services too!
With that said, let’s get to the actual things worth $500 or more that you can sell.
What Can I Sell for $500
Here are 30 things you can resell for $500.
Advertisements
1. TVs
When people ask, “What is the best thing to sell for money?” I often say – TVs!
Yes, whether it’s the college student looking to furnish their new dorm or the family who needs a TV for cheap for their living room, there’s always someone in the market for a used TV.
TVs can fetch 100s or even thousands of dollars depending on the brand and model. If you have an unwanted TV, then sell it for extra cash.
2. Wedding dress
Wedding dresses take up a lot of space. And you only wear them once.
Clear some room in your home by selling your wedding dress. Typically, used wedding dresses sell for 50% of the retail price.
Factors that determine how much cash you’ll get for selling yours include the condition of the dress, how old it is, whether it’s from a well-known designer/brand, and how much you originally purchased it for.
Sell your dress to places like:
3. Gym equipment
Let’s face it – you don’t use that treadmill as much as you thought you would? Or there’s an exercise bike that’s turned into a clothes rack?
Whatever it is, most of us have a piece of gym equipment in our homes that goes unused. Clear it out for some cash. You can sell ellipticals, exercise bikes, and treadmills. Gym equipment can easily earn you $500.
Gym equipment from well-known brands sells well. Even free weights are good to sell. In fact, these tend to sell quickly! You can even sell old machines for parts or scrap metal.
4. Digital cameras
Many professional and amateur photographers alike search for used cameras. They’re cheaper after all.
Depending on the make and model, digital cameras can generate a surprisingly high payout. Get $100s for a digital camera.
You’ll likely bring in more cash for Canon and Nikon brand DSLRs. Any type of digital camera is worth selling though.
5. Jewelry
Dig out those silver rings, dust off those golden bracelets you never wear anymore and sell your old jewelry.
Anyone wanting to know how to earn some money should definitely consider selling old jewelry since most people already have some sort of jewelry in their homes.
Jewelry from luxury brands sells well. It’s not your only option though.
Any type of gold or silver jewelry will fetch a decent amount. You may not get $500 for one piece, but selling a few pieces can earn you $500 or even more depending on what you have.
6. Bikes and scooters
Bikes and scooters can fetch a pretty penny. You’ll clear out your garage too by selling them.
Many people are in the market for used bikes and scooters. You can earn money whether you are selling kids’ bikes and full-size bikes and scooters.
7. Freelance writing services
It’s not just physical items that you can sell to make $500. You can also sell services. This is such a great option as it means that you can earn money from home.
Clients hire freelance writers to write all sorts of things, like blog posts, articles, and books. Pay can be per word, per hour, or per project.
Sites like Textbroker, Verblio, and BKA Content pay you to write content. You can find private clients on UpWork and PeoplePerHour.
You could make $500 in just a week selling freelance writing services.
Also, anyone looking for the cheapest business to start from home should really consider starting their own freelance writing business. The start-up costs are so low.
8. Your parking space
Did you know that you can make money from your parking space?
And, no, you don’t actually have to sell it. You just rent it out when you’re not using it.
A lot of people want a place to park their cars. You can totally capitalize on this demand.
This money-making option works particularly well if you live in a city or are close to things like sports arenas, college campuses, or any major attraction.
You can rent out your parking space on sites like SpotHero and CurbFlip.
9. Brand name clothing
If you have a large collection of brand name clothing, you may be able to sell it for $100s.
Whether it’s suits, hoodies, t-shirts, jeans, or dresses, if you have clothes from well-known brands or high-end designers, you can sell them to make extra cash.
Some places where you can sell brand name clothing include The RealReal and Vestiaire Collective.
10. Designer handbags
Designer handbags are not cheap, as you’ll well know if you have one!
You can sell your used designer handbag on places like Rebag, Sell your Bags, and Bag Borrow or Steal. Designer handbags can easily fetch $500.
11. Online courses
Knowledgeable about a particular subject? Maybe it’s gardening, coding, knitting, writing or graphic design?
Wherever your skills lie, you could profit from them by selling a course on a site like Udemy, Teachable, and Skillshare.
Selling courses is an awesome choice if you don’t want the hassle of selling physical products.
12. Watches
Watches sell well. Watches that are vintage or limited edition sell particularly well because collectors often place a high value on them. This means that you can get a decent amount of cash.
You’ll also have luck selling watches from luxury brands.
Think watches from brands like Rolex, Cartier, and Omega. These can be resold for a lot of cash. You could get $500 plus for your old watch.
Even if you don’t have a watch that’s from a luxury brand or it’s not vintage, or limited-edition, it’s still worth selling. You can add the cash you earn to that $500 fund.
13. Large children’s toys
Large children’s toys can be sold to bring in extra money. You can sell them on sites like Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp.
Large children’s toys that you can sell can include swing sets, tricycles, and playhouses.
Many parents want stuff for their kids, but they want to save money by purchasing toys secondhand. Cash in on the demand and sell any large children’s toys.
14. Your land
Did you know that your lawn or any outdoor areas that you own could actually earn you money? And, no, you don’t have to sell them! Rent them out! You can do this through Hicamp.
Lawns and outdoor areas can be sought after by campers, van-lifers, and vacationers.
With Hicamp, you can make money from your land. Hicamp is an online marketplace offering outdoor stays and camping experiences through a website and mobile app.
Hicamp works with landowners to offer tent camping, RV parks, cabins, treehouses, and glamping.
So, if you have some land, then you could make some money out of it.
15. Baby items
Anyone who’s a parent knows that babies outgrow stuff fast. And, sometimes, they never use an item that you think they’re going to like.
I got a bassinet for my daughter, and she’s been in it about twice and hates it, so she doesn’t use it, so it’s basically a storage space for clean laundry before I put it away! She also doesn’t like her bouncer either. So, it’s another item that doesn’t get used.
Sell your unwanted baby items, whether it’s a highchair, a bassinet, or a bouncer.
There’s a huge market out there for used baby stuff. After all, many parents are looking to save money, so they’ll buy stuff secondhand.
16. Collectibles
Collectibles, like vinyl records, comic books, and stamps are good to sell. You may have some collectible items in your attic or garage that you don’t really use.
I’d recommend selling these to make a little extra money. You can sell collectibles on Etsy or eBay or locally at flea markets.
17. T-shirts and other merch
If you’re looking to create a side hustle selling stuff, an option to consider is selling t-shirts and other merch. This is much easier than you’d think.
In fact, selling merch is one of the cheapest businesses to start from home.
All you need to do is use a print-on-demand (POD) website.
These sites handle everything for you – from the printing of your products to the shipping of your items.
All you need to do is create some designs for your t-shirts or whatever merch it is that you’re selling or pay someone to do it for you, and upload your designs to POD sites.
You can sell your designs on lots of different items, such as:
- T-shirts
- Phone cases
- Mugs
- Scarves
- Masks
- Jigsaws
- Throws
- Shower curtains
- Hoodies
- Dresses
Some POD sites where you can sell t-shirts and other merch include:
- Merch by Amazon
- Spreadshirt
- RedBubble
- Teespring (Now Spring)
- CafePress
With POD sites, you don’t have the hassle of printing products yourself. Just upload your designs and when they sell, the POD company will print and ship the products for you.
POD sites do typically charge a commission fee though. So, keep that in mind when pricing your products for sale.
18. Scrap metal
Cash in scrap metal. You can sell copper, iron, steel, aluminum, and other scrap metals. Although you may not get a huge amount of money for it, you can often get paid fast.
You can find scrap metal in your home. For example, copper can be found in plumbing pipes, roofing materials like gutters, in the interior of air conditioners, and in common electric wires.
Aluminum, for example, can be found in cans and in the home, in items like gutters, sidings, window frames, and doors.
Be sure to read our post on How to Sell Scrap Metal for Cash Near Me to learn more about making money selling scrap metal.
19. Web design
Sell web design services online. You can do this on a freelance basis.
Web designers get paid to work on the aesthetic appearance of websites – basically the part of the site that visitors see and interact with. This includes things like photos, fonts, illustrations, and color schemes.
20. Sneakers
If you want some quick cash, selling sneakers is a great choice. Dust them off and put them up for sale on a platform like Vinted, Poshmark, or StockX.
Sneakers that are from well-known brands and that are in good condition will fetch the most money.
21. Antiques
Antiques are a huge market. So, selling any antique items you have or buying antiques to resell them is an excellent idea. You can source antiques from places like antique dealers, eBay, and garage sales.
You can sell antiques at places like consignment stores, flea markets, eBay, Etsy, and auction houses and websites.
22. Appliances
Putting any kitchen appliances up for sale that you don’t need can generate a little extra income. This can be smaller appliances like a coffee maker, or larger items like a dryer.
We’re moving house soon and our dryer is a vented one, but the utility room at the house we’re moving to doesn’t have a window, so we need a condenser dryer instead.
So, basically, we have a perfectly good dryer that just won’t work at our new home. So, we decided to sell it. You can sell any appliances that you no longer need and earn $100s.
Appliances can be sold on sites like 5miles, OfferUp, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace.
23. Yard equipment
People need yard equipment like lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and power washers.
This stuff can be expensive though, which is why many people are looking to buy it secondhand.
You can sell your unwanted yard equipment to places like OfferUp, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Bonanza.
24. Junk mail
Junk mail is annoying, we all know that! What many people don’t know though is that you can actually make money from your junk mail.
Sure, you’re not going to get $500 from selling your junk mail alone. But, you can add the money you make selling junk mail into your $500 fund!
So, how exactly do you get paid for your junk mail?
It’s easy – sign up with US Monitor. It pays you $10 a month and $0.25 per piece of processed mail.
Companies want to make sure that their flyers and mailers arrive on time and in good condition. So, they work with US Monitor.
US Monitor hires decoys, like you, who go on a company’s mailing list to receive whatever it is that they’re sending out.
As a decoy, it’s your job to check for things like whether the mail is torn and report back. You get paid and the company knows whether its mail is sent out as it should be – so it’s really a win-win for everyone.
If you want to learn more about selling your junk mail with US Monitor, be sure to check out my US Monitor review.
25. Hiking gear
Have some hiking gear that you no longer need? Maybe you bought it for a trip and haven’t really used it again?
Whatever the case, you could make some cash out of this old hiking stuff. Sell it on sites like Facebook Marketplace, Geartrade, and OfferUp.
26. Home décor
People want to make their homes look good. But, they don’t want to have to spend a lot to do so. That’s why there are lots of people in the market for used home décor items. These allow people to spruce up their homes on the cheap.
You can sell home décor items like paintings, wall art, rugs, vases, planters, and other home décor pieces on sites like Chairish, Poshmark, and OfferUp.
27. Gold
Gold is valuable. You may have some gold items in your home, such as gold bracelets or coins. Sell these for quick cash.
Some places where you can sell gold include:
- Local jewelers
- Local auction houses
- Craigslist
- OfferUp
- SellYourGold.com
- GoldSilver.com
- USGoldBuyers.com
28. Silver
Like gold, you can sell silver near you or online and get some money fast.
You can find silver in lots of items that you may have around the home, such as:
- Jewelry
- Coins
- Bullion
- Tableware (or silverware)
- Solar panels
- Electrical contacts and conductors
Here are some places where you can sell silver:
- Local jewelers
- Consignment stores
- Cash For Silver USA
- eBay
- Liberty Gold and Silver
29. Cars and trucks
Maybe you have two cars? If you can get by with just one vehicle, then you could consider selling the other one.
You can sell the entire car or sell car parts, such as the battery or the catalytic converter. Selling your car or car parts can get you $500 or even $1,000s.
30. Games
Selling games is another option for bringing in $100 or so. You can sell game consoles, like:
- Xboxes
- PlayStations
- Nintendo
It’s not just video games that you can sell either. You can also sell board games. Although you may not fetch a ton of money for these, you’ll still get some cash that you can add to your $500 fund.
And, if you have some vintage board games, you may be able to get more money for them.
Should I Sell Online or to a Buyer Near Me?
Well, that depends on what you are selling and how fast you need the cash.
Obviously, for bigger items, you have to consider the cost of shipping if you want to sell online.
Generally, selling online can fetch you more money since you get many more eyeballs on your listings. But because of the cost of shipping, I’d try to only sell smaller items online through websites or apps and sell bigger items in person.
And with so many places to sell used stuff online and near you, there is no shortage of options.
Things Worth $500 to Sell: Final Thoughts!
Discovering what you can sell for $500 opens up a world of possibilities.
With so many websites to sell online and so many apps to sell stuff near you, today it’s easier than ever to sell unused stuff for extra cash.
Whether it’s decluttering your home or exploring new businesses and cheap franchises you can start for under $500, the options are endless.
From old TVs to wedding dresses, to your parking space, you can easily find stuff around your home to sell. And, it’s not just items that you can sell either but also freelance services like writing and web design.
Trade these items and services for $500 and use that cash however you want to. You can add it to your emergency fund, use it to pay down your debts, spend it on something that you want, or better yet, start a small business for under $500 from home!
Whatever you decide to do with it, at the end of the day, by taking advantage of what you can sell for $500, you open up tons of new opportunities for yourself!
Potlako Maruping
please, include me in mailing list
Saeed
I am not if I understand your request, Potlako. What mailing list?