Monetize me!

For the last several years our friend Jeff has organized a Winnipeg edition of the Amazing Race, complete with karaoke detours and rock-climbing road blocks. Jeff masterminds a course that takes teams to historic parks, overlooked monuments and funky neighborhoods. I love being a tourist in my own town, and travelling to corners of the city that I've forgotten about or never seen. If it weren't for Jeff, I might have missed the cartoon hydrants of Bruce Park.

Winnipeg is full of scenes that you never see, but are right in front of you all the time. Take the second-hand scene. I've been checking out some of the small businesses that buy and sell used stuff (since we're trying to de-hoard, we may as well monetize our assets). I'm impressed by how much money is flowing through this city's hand-me-down micro-economy. I'm starting to think it's the real reason Manitoba escaped the recession relatively unscathed. Here are some high points on my monetize-me map:

Music Trader: Since Christmas we have been digitizing our music collection, which means importing hundreds of CDs into the iPod. Music Trader in Osborne Village happily bought about fifty of my now-redundant CDs, for $170 cash. (If you opt to trade rather than sell, you get up to 25% more.) Billy Bragg was a hit there. The Cranberries were not.

Entertainment Exchange: I took the remaining CDs to Entertainment Exchange in Grant Park Mall (across from Safeway). The guy there was really friendly, and bought about 24 CDs (including The Doors and The Proclaimers) for $80.

Wolseley Wardrobe: They sell men's, women's and children's clothes on consignment, and they are super-friendly and helpful. Anything that doesn't sell gets donated. I highly recommend this store, since they also have a lovely yarn selection for knitters and they always have their radio tuned to CBC. Details on how to become a consignee are on their website.

The Neighborhood Bookstore & Cafe: I brought in a small box of about 25 books - mostly art, poetry and literature to this store on Westminster Avenue. The owner, Bill, gave me the option of cash or credit. I took $45 in store credit, which I spent on a whole lot of delicious tuna onigiri. Whodunit? Mystery Bookstore will buy your mystery paperbacks for $1 each. (Or you can donate them to the Children's Hospital Bookmarket).

Movie Village: This landmark Osborne Village business sent me a cheque for $40 for a handful of movies and TV series on DVD (including the disappointing third season of Veronica Mars).
They promised to send me the cheque within ten days. When it didn't arrive, I called and discovered there had been some kind of computer glitch and the cheque had not been cut. So make sure you keep your receipt, and follow up if there's a problem.

Mom and Children's Paradise: This store on Nairn Avenue is next on my list of places to visit. They buy and sell clothes for babies, kids and women, as well as "baby needs" and toys. My friend Meagan did some de-cluttering of kids toys and baby stuff, and got $55 for her trouble.

Do you have a favorite spot for monetizing your assets? Do tell! I would love to add to the list.