How to Get Maximum Ebay Prices

You know I'm addicted to eBay.  Well, I'm addicted to the trickle of pennies flowing in.  I know a lot of people are put off ebay because they don't feel it's worth the time or slight money investment. 

So here's my top 5 ways to increase your chances of getting higher bids.

1.  Good Photos.  Have a staged place to take your photos.  A white background with light on the item works well.

2.  Low Start Price.  Sounds crazy but you need people to put that initial bid in to get things going.  People will bid a quid without much consideration, they will not bid £4.99 without a thought.

3.  Time the Auction.  Depending on what the item is, your end time can have a massive impact on the number and speed of the bids.  If you can get just two people battling it out for your item, you will get a better price.  Consider your target market.  Lego will do well ending on a Saturday tea time when the kids are watching it and pestering mum and dad.  End the auction at 11pm and no one will be watching.  However, if you're selling a fashion item, end that around 9.30 on a Thursday when fashionistas will be ebaying for next weekends outfit.

4.  Tell Everyone!! Each listing has the option to share.  I'm sure those that follow me on Twitter are sick of me posting what I'm selling, but don't forget the search facility on Twitter.  If I tweet I am selling #lego, anyone interested in lego will see my tweet promoting my item.

5.  State the Obvious.  If it's new, unused or an unwanted gift - say so.  If it's from a smoke and pet free home, this makes a massive difference.  Tell people what your item is good for.  Tell them who would love it as a gift.  Say how quick you'll post it and point out your good feedback record.  And remember, ebay has an amazingly good page rank when you google an item you are wanting to buy, and who wouldn't buy brand new but at a discount price?!

So have a go!  Just remember when you are pricing your item to consider the listing fee, the percentage ebay will take, the paypal fees and the postage charges if you're offering free postage.  I work on everything selling for a quid plus fees then anything on top of that is a bonus.

Tweet me @Claire_Sheehan if you are selling and I'll RT for you.

Oh!  Here's a bonus tip Free Postage incorporate the postage fees into your price and you'll get more bids as we all love free postage.  I work on items under a kilo being £2.60 second class, but postage scales are cheap and there's loads of online post label services that can give you the price.

Go on!!  Clear your clutter and make a few quid!  It all goes to your major financial goal.  My mortgage is shrinking thanks to ebay and my house is becoming less cluttered.  Win Win!!

Meal Planning Monday - Cook Once for the Week

It's the Easter Holidays and about time.  Both boys are worn out and quite frankly that is wearing me out.  

So, tactics are required here.  Dinners (lunches) are always a bit of a hit and miss thing.  Some are planned and healthy, some are made by themselves as a cooking activity and others are thrown together and eaten like we're cavemen.

I will not be chained to the kitchen for this holiday and I do aim to leave it at sometime.  I'm adopting the Once a Month Mom tactic.  (prepping as many meals as possible and spending one full day cooking)

Here's the meals:

Monday:   Chicken Dinner 

Tuesday:  Sloppy Joes and Potato Wedges

Wednesday:  Chicken and Veg Pasta Bake

Thursday:  Turkey Tikka Massala

Friday:  Chilli Tacos

And here's how I'll do It

Monday:  Cook 2 Chickens and double veg  refrigerate leftovers
                Make Cheese Sauce and refrigerate
                Cook Sloppy Joes in Slow Cooker and refrigerate
                Bake 4 potatoes and refrigerate
                Mix up Turkey Tikka Massala Raw in a Freezer Bag and freeze
                Cook big batch of Gluten Free Chilli on hob then freeze

Tuesday:  Warm up sloppy joe mix, Cut wedges, sprinkle with seasoning and bake, toast buns, fill with sloppy joe mix and serve

Wednesday:  Warm up cheese sauce to loosen up.  Put extra chicken and left over veg in pasta bake dish, pour over cheese sauce, pour over water until loose consistency and stir well.  Take out 20 mins in and stir.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cook until hot.
  
                Take the Turkey Tikka Massala from the Freezer

Thursday: Cook the Turkey Tikka Massala

                Take the Chilli out of the freezer

Friday:  Heat through the chilli and serve in tacos with loads of accompaniments

What do you think?  Sounds easy?  I'll report back next week how it goes (fingers crossed!)

There's loads more meal plans which are probably not so frantic over on At Home With Mrs M which this post is linked up to.

Free School Breakfast - No Thanks

My middle child's school provides a free breakfast for all pupils.  This is as a result of children going to school hungry.

Why are they going to school hungry?

Is it not a parents responsibility to feed and look after their children? I would go hungry myself before letting my sons go hungry.

Each day, at morning break they receive a bread product, a piece of fruit (which they have provided for at least the last 8 years anyway) and a bottle of water.

So why do I have a problem with this?

I feed my boys when they get up.  Always have, always will.  Then they take a packed lunch to school.  When they eat an extra bread roll or pancake they are not hungry enough at their lunch slot and they are not eating all their lunches.

This extra meal provided by school is interferring with a meal routine I have spent years developing.

I understand some kids don't get a meal but is providing this meal solving the problem?  I believe children should be looked after at home.  If school continue to pick up what is missed at home, the problem of it being missed will never be addressed. 

Please let me know your thoughts

The £40 12 Year Old Challenge

I am a massive believer that children are not taught enough about money at school.  

Blackpool Council have proudly announced they are giving each September 2014 Year 7 Child £10 to deposit with Blackpool and Fylde Credit Union.

Hmmmm.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking.  (I might soon start a blog "Stupid Things My Council Does")

I really don't know the ins and outs of it, but I think the gist is to show them that they can actually save it rather than buy 10 bottles of cheap energy drink.

So anyway, I figure school aren't going to teach the boys about financial matters so I'll take the matter into my own hands.  I tackled the handwriting problem - I can do this!

My 12 year old is either attached to a wireless device or out.  Both have their costs but the Out usually entails £5 on the way out for drinks and dinner (I mean lunch, I'm northern!)  17 days off school would equate to £85. To me that's a weekly shop, not a load of pasties and lucozade.

Child Savings

So, on the Friday they break up, I will be giving the boy £40 to do with whatever he wishes.  I shall also be asking for a daily run down to chart what he spends his money on.  I then propose to equate this to things he would want to buy or do. i.e. New Xbox game or a load of pop or A day at the Waterpark, 2 trips to the cinema and a couple of bowling sessions.

I shall be tweeting the previous day's expenditure so if you are interested in the spending habits of a 12 year old in a seaside town, my twitter feed is @Claire_Sheehan

Play along in the comments!  I'd love to know if all boys are the same and if other children do actually value money.

Ten Minute Task - Cleaning The Washing Machine

Yes, your washer does need cleaning.  Think about it...you put dirt in it, some of it will stick!!

This task, although it doesn't take long, needs going back to over the day, so best to do when your in all day.

Firstly, take the powder drawer out and soak it in really hot water for about 20 minutes.  Then give it a scrub with a sponge scourer and a bottle brush to get in the nooks and crannies.

Dry the drawer and put out back in the washer.

Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the fabric conditioner drawer and 4 tablespoons directly into the drum.

Wipe around the seals and wipe the door glass with a damp cloth to remove any forty and soap scum.

Run a 90 degree wash with the washer empty.

After its done it will be fresh and soap scum free.

Personalised Star Chart

Over the years of tantrums and tears, mainly mine, I have found an invaluable tool in getting the boys to toe the line and act more human and less caveman.  It's the star chart.

We've tried the naughty step.  We've tried the toy confiscation.  We've tried early bedtimes and mollycoddling and pretty much the only guaranteed method that works for all of us, is the Star Chart.

Kids are used to various forms of token winning and card charts at school and toe the line to get the hallowed Golden Time, the opportunity to play rather than work.  There is no reason why this can't work in the home too.

Set the Ground Rules

For this to work, establish the ground rules to avoid cried of "That's Unfair".  The most important thing here is that it is fair and your child is rewarded for doing as they should.  If you don't do what you say you will, they will never forget and the whole process is undermined.

So here's the rules

Stars are given by an Adult as a reward for good behaviour.

The child must colour in the stars when they have earned it (not mentally bank them stating this and that as a reason for earning a star)

Agree on a timescale when the goal reward will be given, I think at the next weekend is fair.

Follow Through - You promised it.  You need to let them have their reward.

Goal Setting

So why set a goal?  Motivation.  Simple as that.  If there is no reward, your child will lose interest and won't see the point.

Reward good behaviour in a way they can see the results and benefit from their good work and your child will soon turn effort into routine and habit.

You can download a template Star Chart in Word Format Here.  It can be personalised to your child's name and they can (or you for the young ones) write in their reward

Good luck and let me know how you go on!

Claire 

Meal Planning Monday - Kids Choice

Don't even ask how last weeks self feeding went.  With all the good intentions, I was chasing him with a bowl and when I wasn't doing that he was trying to climb out of his highchair.  

I sound like a case for Supernanny!  It's not that bad (honestly.) (I don't think!)

So this week, Again, we're on kids food and I've let the bigger two choose their favorites.  The Easter Hols are nearly upon us and I need to muster resolve for that.  In my quest for an organised life, I'm now activity planning, so I've given the meal planning task to the big boys.

Here's their plan

Monday:  Potato Cakes, Bacon and Beans

Tuesday:  Macaroni Cheese and Bacon

Wednesday: Fajita Buffet Bar

Thursday: Home Made Chicken Strips and Chips

Friday: Home Made Doner Kebab (Thanks to recipe on Mortgage Free in Three)

Saturday:  Oh a well earned takeaway for all!!

Sunday:  The Big 3 Courser - Melon - Slow Cooked Lamb - Ice Cream Buffett!!

I'm also trying to get weight on my 12 year old so we need to plan desserts as well as main courses rather than the haphazard approach of look in the cupboard and choose!  I've written a little about the food diary situation, but will be putting a lot of effort this week into planning several months of food to get some weight on the lad.  

If you have an underweight child, I'd be really interested to hear from you as I feel the care given is dismissive and unhelpful.  Oh I feel a rant coming on, I'll rein it in!!

There's bags more meal plans (mostly done by grown ups!) over on At Home With Mrs M - Please go and have a look.  I love a good nosey!

Have a fabulous week, all of you!!

Claire x