Okay…I apologize but it is time for a soapbox topic. Everywhere I turn, I hear conversation of how stay-at-home moms can make money. Money saving blogs. Sell this. Sell that. Money management sites and books. Ebay this. Garage sale that.
I am 100% on board that we should be good stewards of our God-given money. Personally, I cut out coupons (though I almost never buy name-brand.) I even subscribe to a few “money-blogs”. We live on a budget and within our means. I have great respect for Dave Ramsey and highly suggest his class Financial Peace University
But..almost all of these sources encourage you to sell your things when you are done with them. Sell your baby equipment. Sell your kids’ outgrown clothes. Sell your used toys. I agree that these are ways to make money especially when funds are tight. But if you have ever held a garage sale or sold items on craigslist or ebay, you realize a lot of time goes into this process.
What if…instead of selling these items, you give them away. Maybe to an one-income family in your church. Maybe to a non-profit organization who helps families in need or unwed mothers. Or…what if you sold the items for almost nothing on craigslist or ebay…just to help a family out.
I am not saying that selling used items is wrong. Personally, I have sold things on sites many times. What I am saying is pray about it first. Ask God, “Will you place someone in my path who can use these items?”
Our family has been the recipient of so many clothes, toys, books, baby items, etc. Each time we receive items, I explain to our kiddos that these people have chosen to bless our family. They chose to be Jesus’ hands to us. In thankfulness, the kids help me make quick breads or cookies to give back to the families.
As our kids grow, we will be Jesus’ hands to families in more and more ways. I don’t know which families or organizations that God will lead us to. But, I do know that in a small way, our kiddos are going to be able to be Jesus’ hands by giving of things that they loved when they were younger. This is worth so much more than the few dollars that I would make on a website or in a garage sale.
Check out http://www.freecycle.org/
Oh, freecycle is our friend. We have been blessed with many of our sons therapy items via freecycle, many of them never used. I just ask if someone has a certain item and, usually within 2 days, I have an inbox with at least 10 offers.
I have yet to use it to give an item away, but am gearing up to do just that.
Well said! In fact, I should post on my blog about how I recently gave away lots of clothes and then started to fret about how my kiddos were low on summer clothes. God reminded me to trust him and sure enough, out of the blue, two friends sent loads my way. Though we don't give so that others will give to us…
This is wonderful. I struggle with explaining this to my family at times. It's more important to me that the things that we have loved and donated are put to good use and not what I can get in return for them