Takin’ On Out Debt By the Fiestaware Bowlful

I made a decision this morning while getting ready for work. I was thinking about yet more ways to earn income as a way to pay off some debt or minimize expenses. And it suddenly hit me – and seemed like the most logical thing to do.

I collect Fiestaware. I’ve posted many times about the new color being released (incidentally, the color for 2008 is Ivory and I’ll be getting a place setting in a few weeks). I also have a fair bit of vintage Fiesta that is taking up space in the attic since I have no space to display it. And while I love my vintage Fiesta, I’m not as into it as I used to be a few years ago. It’s fun collecting, but I’m not such an avid collector that I have extremely rare/expensive pieces. However, I do have pieces that beginning collectors would probably be interested in. And while I know I’ll continue to buy bits and pieces of the new stuff (for instance, a new place setting with each color that comes out), I don’t think I need the to keep the vintage anymore, and don’t even need some of the newer stuff I’ve collected over the years and never use. It’s not just a space-waster, but it’s potential income sitting in my attic collecting dust.

So, over the next few weeks I’ll be bringing down all of my Fiestaware, Amberstone and Harlequin (all made by Homer Laughlin China Co.) from the attic to sift through and pick out the pieces I want to sell via Craigslist, Etsy, or eBay. I may also give some to my mom to sell at her open houses in the fall (which would mean bringing boxes down this week so my dad can take some back with him this weekend).

I haven’t checked the value of my vintage collection lately, but the estimate a few years ago was that the total value of my vintage came to just over $3,000. So at the least I think I can probably make about $4,000 if I sell 90% of the vintage and some of the newer stuff that has been retired in recent years. I don’t know that I’ll sell all of it – some of the pieces are worth keeping just because I like them. I can then either put that towards my last remaining credit card balance, or towards my car loan. Right now my car loan is due to be paid off in two years, but if I make $4,000 selling the Fiestware and send that off to the car loan, I can have the car paid off by December 2008 and then beginning putting the car payment money towards my credit card.

In any event, I never thought I’d see the day that I’d be willing to sell off my Fiestaware, but that day has come. I feel no regret about the decision, and know that it’s the right thing to do. And who knows, while going through the attic I may find other things that I’m willing to part with that could earn money to make an impact towards becoming consumer-debt-free. Because I’d rather be debt-free than have an attic full of stuff that I never look at or use.