Problem: Article: . Garage/yard sales are an easy way to get some money in a hurry. However, be aware that people typically come to garage sales and yard sales to try and bargain you into giving them the best possible deal. If your customers are too pushy, or if they can tell you're desperate for cash, you may end up giving away valuable items for a fraction of their worth.  As you price each item, keep in mind that most buyers will try to talk you down to a lower price. If you start too low, people will try to go even lower; if you start too high, though, people might just walk away. If you're really desperate, you can try going through a pawn shop. However, be aware that you probably won't get the best deal from a pawn shop (usually a percentage of the estimated value of that item), as their main goal is to make money too. . In the digital age, it's easier than ever before to sell things online. If you're relatively familiar with online selling and bidding, you may even fetch a higher payment there than you would through a physical garage sale.  Try websites like Ebay and Craigslist. Post a high-quality photograph of the item(s) you're trying to sell, and a thorough and honest description. Make sure you agree to meet in a public place if going through Craigslist, and ask the buyer to bring cash. You may want to consider bringing a friend or family member with you, just so that you know you won't be intimidated by the buyer. If you're like most consumers, there's a good chance that you've got one or more old cellphones lying around your home. You might also have an old MP3 player, tablet, or computer. You may have kept these devices around as a "backup" in case something happened to your new device, but there's a good chance that your once-new device is now a backup to an even newer device. You can sell anything you're not currently using for cash online or in person, and free up some closet space while you do it.  You can use exchange websites like uSell and Gazelle, or online market places like Ebay. You can also get cash in-hand on the same day by using an ecoATM. EcoATM tests your device to ensure it works, searches an online network of potential buyers for the highest price, and if you agree to the terms of the sale, dispenses cash to you on the spot.  Before selling any device, make sure you transfer or backup any content you want to save. You may want to invest in an external hard drive for computers, or talk to a representative at your cellphone carrier to find out how to backup/transfer pictures, contacts, and messages. Delete any personal information off the device that you wouldn't want others to find. This may include photographs, contact information, text messages, email accounts, and social media accounts. You can also reset your phone to ensure that all of your personal data is erased. Make sure you disconnect your phones and tablets from your contract and network so that no one makes calls or uses data on your bill. Lots of people give and receive gift cards for birthdays, holidays, or as thank you gifts throughout the year. However, sometimes you might get a gift card that you know you'll never use or that you did not completely use. Small amounts left on gift cards can add up . You can use these small amounts to save money on items you would normally buy with your own money, or sell the remaining amounts. Whatever your situation, selling an unused or partially used gift card is a quick and easy way to get money for any need.  Find gift card exchange services online. Some of the bigger websites people use are GiftCardRescue.com, Cardpool.com, and CardCash.com.  You may get paid within 24 hours if you can enter the card's code online. But sending the cards through the mail will often get you more money, and you'll be paid in three to seven days after your card is received.
Summary: Hold a garage/yard sale Make money selling items online Sell your old electronic devices. Get cash for unused gift cards.

Problem: Article: Use sandpaper, steel wool, or anything else abrasive to clean away any grime or dirt from any areas of your pipes and fittings that need to be soldered. This will let your solder hold more tightly to the pipe and result in a more sturdy connection.  You should only need to clean around 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of the piping to give you room to solder easily. If you're using a larger pipe fitting, you may need to clean more to ensure the point of overlap between the pipe and the fitting is prepared for soldering. Use 120-grit sandpaper or grade 1 steel wool for cleaning your pipe fittings. This should be enough to strip away dirt and grime without damaging the pipes themselves.  If you plan on cutting and soldering a lot of pipes, you might benefit from a specialised pipe cleaner. This will let you more easily scrub away any impurities on the inside and outside of your pipes. Ask at your local hardware store or look online to find one that suits your needs. Use a small paintbrush to cover the ends of your pipes and the insides of your pipe fittings with a thin layer of flux. Look around the edges of the pipe for any large lumps of flux and brush them away. Any type of flux that you have will work when soldering pipes together. Acid flux will be more corrosive, but may damage pipes that are too fragile. Tinning flux will help hold your pipes together more strongly, but may be more difficult to find or more expensive. If you're unsure, ask at your local hardware store for advice on the best type of flux to use for the job you're working on. Hold the two sections you need to connect together in each hand, keeping them off of your work surface to prevent any flux from rubbing off. Push the two ends together securely until they are fully connected. Wipe away any flux that comes off with a clean paintbrush. You should connect a section of a few pipes together before you begin to solder them. Working one at a time may be very slow, and trying to deal with a long section all at once may be very difficult! Work with a few pieces at a time. Heat will make the metal expand, so you should always heat the larger sections of your pipes up before the smaller sections. Hold a soldering iron to the pipe, or use a blowtorch to heat the metal up until the soldering flux melts into the joint and begins to bubble slightly. When the flux is just starting to bubble and the pipe is hot, press the tip of the solder to the opposite side as you are holding the blowtorch. The solder should melt immediately and work into the joint to hold it together. Pull the torch away and quickly run the solder around the circumference of the joint to completely seal it.  You should only need to use around 3⁄4 inch (1.9 cm) of the solder to completely seal the pipe. If the solder doesn't run into the joint and forms small beads that roll away from it instead, you might have burnt the flux or may not have cleaned the pipe properly. Wait until the pipes are cooled, disconnect them and start again. It's easier to reach around the back side of the pipe if you bend a small hook in the solder wire before you begin soldering. Grip the solder far enough away from the tip that you won't risk melted solder getting on your hands. For extra safety, wear fire-resistant gloves as you work. Once the pipes have cooled a little, look around the edges of the joints to make sure they are evenly coated with solder. If you notice any sections without solder, apply a small amount of flux on the area and let it melt with the residual heat of the pipes. Use the blowtorch to heat the pipe up again and apply a small amount of solder to the bare area. It may take a while to get a good feel for when pipes are completely soldered. As a general rule of thumb, as long as there is a thin, silvery trim around the edges of your fittings, the pipe should be fully soldered.
Summary:
Clean the area that you'll be soldering. Apply flux to the outside to your pipes. Connect the pipes and fittings together. Heat the fitting or female connector up with a soldering iron or blowtorch. Press the solder to the opposite side of the pipe. Examine the joints to make sure they are completely soldered.