Selling versus charity shop donations - my friend thinks I'm tight!

[alwaystiredneversleeping]

The other day I bumped into a 'friend' on my way to the post office. I had lots of parcels with me as I was off to post my ebay sales.

So she says 'ooohh what are all those parcels'. I told her, it was various bits, mainly clothing and also some unused cosmetics, pair of shoes etc...

Anyway her reaction shocked me a bit. She started questioning why I wasn't just giving this stuff to a charity shop. She said she could see why I would sell stuff that is new and unwanted but it was 'a bit stingy' to be selling second hand stuff when charity shops need donations and I'm only going to make a couple of quid off it. She then told me that whenever she doesn't need something anymore she always gifts it either to the charity shop or a given in kindness page on Facebook.

I'm a nurse, not long qualified so bottom of the band 5 pay scale and my partner has a good job so our income isn't terrible when combined, we get by - don't splash out but live comfortably enough. We do have a lot of debt though from when I was a student and also debt built up in my name from a previous relationship that I was lumped with, so even though its just a few quid here and there it does add up when I can make little sales, but I'm not desperate for the extra cash to get by on.

I guess my AIBU is AIBU to think that this 'friend' was quite mean to me. Although perhaps she didn't understand that her comment could have been hurtful?

Or am I actually a bit tight? I do donate to charity shops but it tends to be smaller bits a bobs such as kids teddies, used books, unwanted little toys. The kind of stuff that wouldn't be worth selling but is too good for the bin as charity shop could get a quid or so for it.

As I walked away I started to think maybe I am a bit of a scrooge!

If you had plenty of money, honestly yes I'd think you were tight. In your situation it's totally understandable.

Don't let her comment get to you. Hopefully she didn't mean to be rude, but even if her intent was to be judgemental you can choose to ignore it. The fact that you had a shed load of parcels prices you are selling things people are happy to buy. Congrats to her for donating to charity, and congrats to you for selling on eBay etc. Like you, I do both. I've made loads on Ebay and my PayPal account is very healthy

People who have spare money do like to lecture the less well off, dont they.

I've only sold big ticket items like a new leather sofa and chairs and a caravan.

The rest I give away to family, friends or charity.

It's my way of paying it forward.
If I get some good fort, and I do, I like to pay it back.

You do what's best for you .

Fortune

I sell things on eBay if they will fetch more than £5 or so. That makes it worth the effort imo. I'm not going to give away my son's barely worn expensive sports gear when he has a growth spurt and I have to replace it 6 months after buying! I know what will sell on eBay and what won't, and I donate plenty to charity shops. Your friend is a bit of a twat.

Ebay has helped me out tremendously when I've been short of money, both as a seller and as a buyer. For example, it's all very well for people to say you should give things to charity shops but what about when I needed to find a karate suit for my daughter? If there weren't any on eBay I wouldn't have been able to get one. I don't want to necessarily call from town to town looking at charity shops on the iff-chance they have one. Perhaps I just want to go on eBay and buy one second hand.
You are not tight: you need to make money and your buyer gets to save money without painful searching.

Next time point out to your friend that selling stuff online keeps post offices open, posties and couriers in work, and envelope and brown paper manufacturers solvent.

My sister and myself, when the kids have had a growth spurt, sort through all of their clothes that have outgrown, give them to my mum to sell, whatever is made goes towards replacing the outgrown stuff.

It's like keep the cycle going. buy, use, sell, buy, use, sell and so on.

Got my DD a nice pair of nike trainers for a fiver on ebay for a school trip, since they survived the trip, she wears them alot.

I never go to charity shops because it's a nightmare with a toddler with me 24/7 but might look for the odd thing on eBay to buy second hand if buying brand new is too pricey. I also give money to charity which I probably couldn't do if I didn't buy the second hand stuff on eBay, so you're indirectly giving to charity by selling stuff on eBay!

We donate, mostly because I can't be arsed dealing with selling stuff. I get pissed off when people offer half what you're asking, want it delivered and have specific hours they can be home to accept delivery. Get to fuck! It's so much easier to clean stuff, bung it in a box and drop it at the charity shop. But I certainly don't think less of people who sell stuff on, it really is the most sensible thing to do.

Sometimes things on eBay are cheaper than charity shops and you could be helping someone out.

At a time when I could barely get out of the house I was very grateful for the opportunities to save money by using eBay

I think it is more "sensible" to donate.

It is absolutely none of her business.

I sell on eBay and make a surprising amount of money from old tat, BUT, I also buy the majority of things from charity shops. I consider that to be my contribution to charity.

The only people who know are DH and my Mum and the people in the charity shops. Absolutely no one else knows because so many people have this sniffy attitude about eBay and charity shops.

Like a PP eBay has saved my skin a few times as a buyer and a seller.
I live by a post office though so it's pretty easy for me to sell.
I once told a friend I'd done a big eBay flog of stuff and made nearly a hundred quid and she was like "what's the point of all that effort for just that?" Must be nice to be able to be so dismissive of that amount of money

I do a mix of ebay, facebook selling, facebook freestuff and charity shops depending on my mood and what sort of stuff I have.

Have given away things on freecycle before to see them end on on ebay anyway . I do (and donate) enough for charity so dont feel guilty about this at all.

Haven't read TWT but where I live clothes in charity shops can be pricey and if you are a on a low income buying off ebay can be cheaper so in that way you are benefitting the poor!

I sell loads on ebay, mainly clothes, books and toys. The money tots up in my PayPal account then I use it to buy more books /clothes /toys for dc, birthday or Christmas bits. There are some things I can't be bothered to list and these go to charity (recently took 6 bags to a local charity shop after a right good clear out! )
Basically, it's got sod all to do with your friend really. If you enjoy it, carry on.

I sell loads on ebay, mainly clothes, books and toys. The money tots up in my PayPal account then I use it to buy more books /clothes /toys for dc, birthday or Christmas bits. There are some things I can't be bothered to list and these go to charity (recently took 6 bags to a local charity shop after a right good clear out! )
Basically, it's got sod all to do with your friend really. If you enjoy it, carry on.

I've made close to £200 recently through eBay sales recently, it was bits and bobs (beauty things unused or part used) as clothes don't go for much on EBay I find. I was also Ebaying some clothes my aunt had given to me (none of it suited me).

I don't need the money by any stretch but compared to the faff of taking it to a charity shop (I've got a neighbour who does the charity stuff via church and I donate to her too) I found the Ebaying easier. I already had the packaging materials from before, bubble wrap and brown paper to wrap them in.

Your friend is jealous and I'd avoid her.

I think it is more "sensible" to donate

Not always. I used eBay to fund days out when on maternity leave, to find holidays and even a wedding

YANBU. It's none of her fucking business.

YANBU. I recently sold some of my DCs toys for £200ish on eBay - that was cash my DCs and I really needed. However, I also give a lot of stuff to charity. It really depends on what it is. E.g. I rarely sell clothes or books on eBay but charity shops appreciate them. Also I just gave some roller skates to charity because they were selling for v little on eBay and would have been difficult and costly to package up and post

We sell on eBay and donate to charity shops as well. It depends what the item is surely.

You are a nurse, and are starting a career that will help a lot of people and will not be paid anything near what you are worth for the trouble. I wouldn't stand anyone virtue signalling about something in your general direction.