Chances are that your closets and maybe even other parts of your home have items that are new with the tags on or still in their original bags and packaging. These are items that were purchased (or gifted) but are not being used. In other words, they are a waste of money. Purge these reminders of spending from your life in one of the following three ways.
This is Part One in a three-part series.
Take It Back
Many stores are quite generous with taking new items back fro a full refund or for store credit. It helps if you have a receipt and have recently purchased it, but even if you find something that is months old and with no receipt, you still may be able to return it anyway.
Some of the best stores for returns include LL bean, which will take any of its products back for replacement, even if they are damaged and Victoria’s Secret, which will take back any bra with no questions asked. Bath and Body Works has a 100 percent guarantee on its products and will take them back, even if opened.
Before you go back to the store to make a return (or send it through the mail), first research the return policy.
Returning your unused items may net you some cash, or at least the credit you can use for necessities. In cases where only credit is possible, request the credit in the form of a store gift card. In a pinch, you could use the card as a gift (saving yourself money) or sell the gift card for a little less than face value. You won’t recover your entire purchase price this way, but you will get some cash for items that were just sitting in your home doing nothing.
Look for the next article in the series tomorrow.