8/1/17

My Thoughts on Casino Gambling (And Other Quick Ways to Earn Money!)



The air was hot and humid that late July night. Loud carnival music drown by the roar of a small-town tractor pull, as dust lifted from the ground, mixing with exhaust to fill the night sky. I was at the county fair with a few friends, tempted to try singing Karoke, though thankfully I thought better of it, and instead got my first taste of fried Oreos... and gambling.

Lest you panic for a minute and think I am about to divulge juicy information about my secret life, let's get one thing straight, I don't gamble.

Though perhaps I could be considered one.

I was born frugal. By the time I was 11 years old and had $1,000 in my bank account, I thought I was probably set out to be a millionaire in the next year or two, given interest rates on my little savings account stayed roughly the same. 

Born frugal? Yes. Born a mathematician? No.

I am still working my way toward that millionaire goal.

That night at the county fair as I walked the outskirts of the gambling tent, someone pressed a quarter into my sticky palm, and whispered, Have a good time!

I had a good time alright, but it wasn't quite what the twenty-something managing the casino games intended.

I pushed that quarter deep down into my pocket and continued on my way. Fifteen minutes later, I walked by the tent again. This time instead of staying near the edge, I boldly walked straight though. That twenty-sometime came up to me, pressed another quarter into my hand and gave a little wink. 

Perhaps he was hitting on me, but at least I was making money off of it! He leaned in a little closer this time, and through the noise of coins clanging and machines blaring, told me that I could get my cash exchanged for quarters. Tonight they were giving $6 in quarters for every five dollar bill!

It was adrenaline and thrill, that rush I got as I handed him my only twenty, wishing I had brought more cash along. I made $4.50 that night, almost covering the cost of my entrance fee. 

As I walked away from the tent, my bag was obviously heavier and jingled with every step. How could it not with 98 quarters floating around in there?

That story was years ago, but honestly not a lot has changed... I am still frugal to a fault, most likely embarrassing my husband on occasion, though I think he also really appreciates that about me.

I don't recommend gambling, I haven't heard a lot of good about it. I do, however, have something I would recommend if you're trying to make a bit of money.

Have you ever heard of Poshmark?

I've known about it for a while but recently made my first purchase. It's an online platform to buy, sell and trade clothes. It's different from ThredUP in that you have complete control over how much you charge for each item, but as a result of that, you are also the one shipping each and every item out. Poshmark makes that simple with a prepaid shipping label that you print out, attach to the package, and drop off in your mailbox.  

The way it works, the buyer pays via PayPal or credit card, but Poshmark doesn't release that money to the seller until after the buyer has received the purchase and verifies that it arrived in the condition it was listed as. I've already used Instagram to sell clothes I no longer wanted, but Poshmark seems like a better alternative, especially since it also reaches a vast amount of potential buyers. 

Yesterday I listed a few things I've been intending to consign. The process was easy, and within a few hours I sold three items, with lots of interest in the rest. 

Perhaps you're wondering how I intend to make money with this?

I love to thrift shop. But I tend to be careful and thoughtful with what I purchase for myself, often leaving behind beautiful pieces that don't quite fit my lifestyle or body. Just last week I left behind a pair of beautiful leather Lucky Brand booties -- the exact pair I've been searching for for almost a year, but in the wrong size. I later checked them out on Poshmark, and that very pair is selling for anywhere between $40-$90. I could have made a killing. I also left behind new Men's Birkenstock sandals that my husband said he would never wear. Those were $5 at the yardsale, but $75 on Poshmark. And that new with tags J. Crew summer dress I saw yesterday... I probably could have made $25 on it. 

I don't really intend to turn this into a business, but would absolutely love if it would begin to fund all my Goodwill trips entirely. :)

So, if you're looking to save when buying something, or would like to make some money through selling things, I would recommend trying Poshmark! 

If you are new to the app (it's very mobile friendly), use the referral code JAKSE to get $5 off your first purchase from my closet (you can view that here) or from any other seller you purchase something from. 

If you have any questions about it, feel free to ask.

And in the mean time, remember: Gambling isn't recommended, but Poshmark certainly is!