When I began my ebay journey nearly 10 years ago, I never dreamed it would one day play a huge hand in helping my family get out of debt. Many people have asked me how I can dress my kids, furnish my home, and shop all the time without having debt today...and the answer is simple! Learn what to buy that will resell well so that you can make enough profit on ebay to pay for all the items you "want" for your own family. Three years ago when we started the process of getting out of debt, we started selling anything and everything in our home that wasn't nailed down to start paying off those high interest credit cards. This also created the desire for me to continue buying to resell so that I could add to our family's income. Here are some great tips that can help you wipe out that debt for good:

1. KNOW WHAT TO BUY. Don't think that because you are in debt, you should only buy Target clothing for your kids. If you become an avid shopper, you can follow sales trends and pick up Baby Gap and Gymboree at cheaper prices than Target and Walmart clothing. These nicer brands resell much better and if you truly watch the bargains, you can dress your children for free by selling their last season items and using that money to purchase for the upcoming season. I also buy ahead for future seasons. It is pretty easy to figure out what size your children will be and if you watch the end of season sales, you can pick up entire wardrobes for 70-90% off. I already have my childrens' entire fall 2006 wardrobe packed up. Most people will never know you are dressing your children in last season's items. In terms of other items, the more knowledge you have about items, the better informed financial decisions you will make. I buy many household items at thrift sales and garage sales....it does take a little more time than walking into a traditional retail store but I gaurantee the savings are worth the time.

2. KNOW WHAT TO PAY. Don't marry a purchase before you have thought about the purchase in detail. Many people buy on impulse; therefore, they pay SO much more than they would have if they had comparison shopped before signing on the dotted line. My husband and I pay cash for everything which forces us to put limits on what we can spend. If we are in the market for a dishwasher and only have $500 budgeted, that is all we can spend and we don't make a dumb decision because we financed it. On that note, cash talks. Don't be afraid to ask what the cash price for an item is. I was very nervous about doing this in the beginning, but once you get some great deals you learn to ask everywhere. We got a $1200 mattress set for $600 because my hubby walked in with six one hundred dollar bills. The manager told him "NO WAY" but chased him to the parking lot after he realized that was all my hubby was going to offer.

3. KNOW WHEN TO BUY. If you have a bonus room full of items to be sold on ebay, it is probably best to stop going to garage sales for a few weekends until you have liquidated what the inventory you have. Not only will that allow you to set some goals for yourself (can't shop until I have listed 15 items), but it keeps the rest of your family happy because your home isn't always FULL! Another great tip is to go to yard sales at the end of the day when people just want their items gone...you can get some great deals because you were there with cash just when they want it all to disappear!

4. KNOW WHERE TO BUY. I already touched on this before, but you would be amazed what I find at garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment sales. I recently purchased a $2000 chair for $350 at my local Habitat for Humanity Homestore. I have many friends that wouldn't be caught dead in a thrift store, yet they are usually the first to comment on my new Vera Bradley purse (which I bought for 80% off) I pick up the best items for resale and from time to time, find great items for my family. My best deals are typically found at estate sales where the family is holding the sale. Again, cash talks at all of these establishments so make sure you hit the ATM before you go junking!

 When it comes to selling items to get out of debt, the best advice I can give you is to focus on what you love. My personal passion is children's boutique clothing and I have made it my focus in my ebay selling because I know what to buy, what to pay and when the best times to buy those items. I typically buy all my children's clothing at high end boutiques but I wait until they are 50-70% off. Good luck in setting your family free from the pressure that having debt can put on you...and have fun shopping your way out of that debt!