THEREâS a simple way most of us could snag thousands of dollars â but around half of us are too lazy to get our hands on it.
Thatâs the findings of Gumtreeâs 2018 Second Hand Economy report, which revealed the average Australian household contains around 25 unwanted or unused items.
That means most of us are sitting on an average goldmine of $4200 if we actually got around to selling our stuff â although the report also found around half of us are throwing unwanted items in the bin instead of selling them for profit.
The most commonly sold second hand items include clothing, shoes and accessories, books, music, DVDs and CDs, games and toys and electronics.
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Gumtree Australiaâs general manager Martin Herbst said the second hand economy was good for the environment â and our bank balances.
âThe second hand economy is a multi-billion dollar sub-economy which brings communities together, contributes to Aussie back pockets, supports not-for-profits and reduces waste from going to landfill. Any time you donate, swap, buy or sell a used or unwanted item, youâre part of the second hand economy,â he said.
âOur report lifts the lid on the increasing opportunity for Australians to make extra cash, extend the life of their unwanted items, and make a significant environmental impact along the way.â
But Sydney couple Tracey OâMalley and Thomas Zwanink are living proof the second hand economy can save you a fortune.
The couple has managed to shave a staggering $40,000 off their home makeover bill just by buying second-hand items on buy, swap and sell site Gumtree.
And with more projects n the pipeline, the coupleâs savings are likely to soar even higher in the near future.
Ms OâMalley, a mother of two who has been documenting the progress of the renovations on the Jade Place Makeover Facebook page, told news.com.au the pairâs best bargain find had been a gas fireplace, which they picked up for just $200 but was actually worth $3700.
They even scored a spa for free, with the only catch being they had to pick it up themselves from Newcastle.
They also snagged an entire second-hand kitchen in near-perfect condition for $2500 that they believe would be worth around $15,000.
Other items purchased for a song include tiles, doors, locks and stair risers â in other words, they bought almost âeverything from floor to ceilingâ second-hand, with most items in near-new condition for a fraction of the retail price.
âWe did the whole house, we bought almost everything from Gumtree,â Ms OâMalley said.
âWe love it; every time you buy something, it has a story.
âWe saved about $40,000 in terms of what we paid compared to what it would cost to buy new. It means we could do more with the money we saved.â
The pair said they had always planned to ârenovate the whole house on a conservative budgetâ, but they had saved even more than originally expected.
âBuying second hand isnât new â weâve been doing it our entire lives with things like cars and furniture, so why not apply it to renovating?â Ms OâMalley said.
âItâs been fun searching for things and meeting people.â
So far, the family homeâs laundry, kitchen, lounge room and entrance have already been completely renovated, with upstairs the next project in the coupleâs sights.
Ms OâMalley and Mr Zwaninkâs are part of a growing number of Aussies turning to our $34 billion second hand economy to either make or save serious coin.