If you’re thinking about selling your diamonds for cash, there are three steps you should take before you sell, which I detail below, as well as buyers I recommend. The recommendations made here are based on:
Online reviews from customers
Speed
Better Business Bureau ratings
Reports from reputable publications
Age of the company
Ease of use of their websites
Transparency into their process
Overall sentiment that these are quality businesses that care about their customers
Our. No 1 recommendation based on these criteria is Diamonds USA, with its BBB A+ rating, 24 hours to payment, and 100% highest-price guarantee. More details below.
If you want to sell your diamond earrings for cash, follow these three steps:
1. Understand your diamonds
The first step in selling diamond earrings is to understand the quality and value of your diamond. If your diamonds are significant — say, a total of 1 carat weight — it can make sense to invest in a diamond certification, a document that specifies the key characteristics of a diamond, including its:
Carat – Diamond’s physical weight
Color – Colorless diamonds are typically worth more than near colorless or colored diamonds that have the same carat, cut, and clarity
Clarity – How clear the diamond is
Cut – The shape of the diamond
You can sell your earrings without the certification, but you likely won’t receive as much money because the authenticity can’t be verified.
Diamond prices have dropped dramatically over the past year, as the U.S. and China economies mean people have less money to spend on luxury items, the increased popularity of lab-grown diamonds and general drop in interest in diamond engagement rings as younger people are marrying less and big, flashy rocks have fallen out of favor.
IDEX, which tracks global diamond trends produced this March 4, 2024 report in which diamonds on average fell more than 30% since their summer 2022 peak, and well below prices five years ago:
IDEX diamond index as of March 4, 2024.
Martin Rapaport, founder of RapNet diamond index, warned the industry in a January 2024 webinar of the dire state of the diamond market:
In other words, if you need the cash, sell now before prices drop further. And when you do sell, be realistic in your expectations, and always negotiate with the buyer!
2. Understand your diamonds’ value
Once you understand what you have, you can get a sense of how much your diamond earrings are worth.
A diamond appraiser will use this certification to determine what your diamond is worth before you sell it (or if you’re looking to insure it). Otherwise, a local jeweler, or an online jewelry buyer will give you an estimate of what your earrings could fetch — or make you an offer on the spot.
Keep in mind that the gold or platinum in your earrings may be just as valuable or more than any pearl, diamond or gemstones in the piece.
It’s important to note that the resale value of a diamond (or any fine jewelry) will typically be much less than what you initially paid for it, usually 25-50% of the original price
Auction: Find an auction house or online auction site to sell large diamonds and well-known branded jewelry.
Online: Explore online platforms for selling diamonds from the comfort of home.
Platforms I’ve personally used and like CashforGoldUSA.com and its sister sites Diamonds USA and CashforSilverUSA.
Selling your diamond earrings to a reputable online jewelry buyer is safe if they provide insurance from a reputable insurance company.
Also note that online jewelry buying is such a competitive business that online jewelry buyers are incentivized to maintain a solid reputation with users, their trade organizations, the Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, and Reddit.
Where is the best place to sell diamond earrings online?
After personally vetting jewelry buyers and years of research in the diamond space, my top choice for selling diamonds online is Diamonds USA (formerly CashforDiamondsUSA). Why? Here are some reasons:
A+ BBB rating
100% guarantee highest price
Gem Institute of America appraisals
Offers free door-to-door FedEx shipping
Pays within 24 hours
10% bonus when you send in your diamond or jewelry within 7 days
This is the process to sell earrings online with Diamonds USA:
Go to DiamondsUSA.com and request an appraisal kit, which includes insurance and a FREE prepaid overnight FedEx mailer that will be delivered to and picked up from your door.
Once your diamond earrings arrive, you will get a confirmation email or call, and Diamonds USA will evaluate your earrings and make you an offer.
If you choose to accept the offer, you get paid within 24 hours. If you choose to decline the offer, Diamonds USA will immediately return your item for free, no questions asked.
Understanding the value of your earrings or other fine jewelry has a couple of factors. These include:
Are your earrings a known brand?
What is the quality of the diamond in the earrings?
How much are diamond earrings worth?
Typically, a single stone of carat weight of .5 carat is worth more than $1,000. Keep in mind that is for ONE stone — not the total carat weight of all the stones in your diamond or gold earrings. Smaller stones are typically worth less than $100 total, and people are often surprised to find that the setting is worth more in resale value than the diamonds.
What can you sell earrings for?
You can sell your earrings for their scrap metal value minus the buyer’s commission, plus the value of any diamonds or gemstones they contain. If you have earrings from a high-end brand like Tiffany, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Graff, Chopard, David Yurman, or Harry Winston, your earrings are worth a premium.
How much do diamond earrings sell for?
As mentioned previously, the value of your diamond earrings is based on several factors that will influence how much they sell for.
Diamonds USA, sister site of CashforGoldUSA, recently purchased these 1.34 carat G SI2 diamond earrings for $2,500:
Frequently asked questions about selling diamond earrings
What can you do with old diamond earrings?
Your options for your old jewelry include:
Sell: Fund an emergency nest egg, retirement, college tuition, or this month’s electric bill!
Have the diamonds redesigned into another style or a ring or necklace
Save them — you may decide you like them at a later date, or choose to give them to someone you love
Gift them to someone you love now!
How much can you sell used earrings for?
If the used earrings contain a diamond or diamonds, the amount you get back will depend on the size and quality of the diamond(s).
You can get an idea how much to sell your used earrings for by looking at recent payouts on Diamonds USA..
Where to sell diamond earrings near me?
If you do a Google search for the “best place to sell jewelry,” you’ll likely only get a list of physical locations nearby. You can absolutely sell your diamond earrings to local jewelry shops, but you will likely get paid less than you would selling to top, online jewelry buyers like CashforGoldUSA or Diamonds USA, based on comparison shopping.
Can I pawn diamond earrings?
Pawnshops do buy jewelry, including diamond earrings — though they typically pay far than an online jewelry buyer. There are many quality pawnbrokers with good reputations — search your local BBB and Yelp reviews, and ask for a recommendation from friends. Upside to selling to a pawnshop is that they pay immediately, and you have the option for a pawn loan.
An appraisal is different than a diamond lab report, or a certification from a qualified gemologist.
Most local jewelers in your community provide appraisals. This can be a good estimate of the replacement value of your jewelry, which can help you get it insured, and understand more about your earrings. Jewelers will often offer this for free.
However, if you want to know the true value of what your jewelry is worth, and how much you can get for it by selling, you need a certified lab report.
Bottom line: Best place to sell earrings and other diamond jewelry
Diamonds USA is our top pick for selling diamonds of all kinds. Their A+ BBB rating, secure, insured and trackable shipping, 24-hour payment and high number of positive online reviews make us confident in recommending Diamonds USA.
Your options for your old earrings and other jewelry include: sell, have the stones redesigned into another style, save them, or gift them to someone you love.
Can I pawn diamond earrings?
Pawn shops do buy jewelry, including diamond earrings. They will offer a free quote and pay immediately, but feel free to negotiate and shop around.
How much are diamond earrings worth?
Typically, a single stone of carat weight of .5 carat is worth more than $1,000. Keep in mind that is for ONE stone — not the total carat weight of all the stones in your diamond or gold earrings. Smaller stones are typically worth less than $100 total, and people are often surprised to find that the setting is worth more in resale value than the diamonds.
What can you sell earrings for?
You can sell your earrings for their scrap metal value minus the buyer’s commission, plus the value of any diamonds or gemstones they contain.
Whether you’re trying to reconnect with an old friend, an ex, locate someone you have a crush on, someone who owes you money, or find your birth parents, there are quite a few ways you can find people online.
Top ways to find someone is to search for them by name or look through friends of friends on social media, google their name or contact info, and search through government property or criminal and traffic records. You can also run their name through one of the many online background check services which will pull all online public records on the person and compile them into an easy-to-read report.
Meanwhile, if you’re trying to find your birth relatives but don’t have a name to search, you can sign up for a site like Ancestry.com or 23andMe to see if any DNA relatives also use those services.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about finding people online:
Keep reading for tips from private investigators on how to find people online and which sites to use to track people down:
1. Start with a people search site
Wondering how to find someone’s address? People search sites, such as TruthFinder, BeenVerified and Instant Checkmate, can be a good first tool for tracking down someone you’ve lost touch with, says Maria Crispo, senior private investigator at Haywood Hunt & Associates, Inc. in Toronto.
Crispo says her firm will sometimes use these services, especially if they aren’t given a lot of information about the person they’ve been tasked with finding.
“Sometimes, we’re provided with a name and a telephone number or an email address, and we can use sites like these to cross reference and see what else is available to us.”
However, you usually have to pay a fee to actually access any real information about someone from these sites, notes Scot Martin, a private investigator in Las Vegas.
As John Troxel, CEO of Verdict Resources, Inc. in Camarillo, California, puts it:
“For low-hanging fruit, people search sites are fine — but if a subject has moved around a bit and does not own property, they will be harder to track down.”
It’s a good idea to temper your expectations if you’re looking for someone this way.
TruthFinder people search can help you find someone’s address
TruthFinder is a background search service that crawls public records and aggregates the information into a report.
You can use it to search for just about anyone in the United States — all you have to do is type in their name, phone number, email address, or physical address, and all of their publicly available information will be compiled into a downloadable report.
When you run a people search on Truthfinder, you may be able to find:
Contact information
Possible relatives and acquaintances
Present and past addresses
Criminal and traffic records
Social media accounts
Work and academic history
Legal union and dissolution records
Birth and death certificates
Property records
Professional licenses
Bankruptcies
Other people search sites also have addresses, phone numbers, and more
Other popular people search sites include InstantCheckmate, BeenVerified, Whitepages, and Spokeo. These are all very similar, some are owned by the same company, and all work about the same. But, if you are having a tough time locating someone, it can be worth it to use more than one, as they are slightly different.
InstantCheckmate, for example, is a public records search service that aggregates a large amount of public data, allowing you to see everything from a person’s contact information to their work history.
Similar to TruthFinder, type in the person’s name, phone number, email address, or physical address to run a report.
InstantCheckmate costs $35.12 for a monthly subscription plan, or you can prepay for three months at $84.28, which works out to $28.09 a month. Both plans include unlimited reports.
BeenVerified and Spokeo allow you to search by name, phone number, email address, or physical address, while Whitepages allows you to search by name, phone number, or physical address. All of these services cost money to access information.
Wondering how to find someone’s address? People search sites, such as Information, TruthFinder, BeenVerified, and Instant Checkmate, can be a good first tool for tracking down someone you’ve lost touch with, says Maria Crispo, senior private investigator at Haywood Hunt & Associates, Inc. in Toronto.
Martin says social media sites can be a useful place to start a search — even if takes some time and finesse to find what you’re looking for.
Most people are pretty uncensored with their social media and don’t realize exactly how much information they have on their profile, says Glen Bhimani, CEO and founder of BPS Security in San Antonio.
“You can often find information down to the city where they live, their age, their alma mater, their relationship status, and the kind of person they are all by looking at their social media,” he says.
However, the challenge with social media is that you are only going to see what the person wants you to see.
“Anyone can make up information, so if you’re using social media as a research tool, make sure you can find other points of reference to verify your facts,” Bhimani says.
Facebook
Facebook reports more than 2.9 billion monthly active users making it a great place to start looking for an estranged relative, or an old friend or boy- or girlfriend.
Simply type the person’s name or email address into the search bar. Martin says that even if you can’t find your friend just by searching their name or email address on Facebook, you may still be able to track them down by searching through friends of your friends.
If you know someone who knows the person you’re looking for, see if their friend list is visible and search the person’s name.
Try searching for both their first and last name separately, since people sometimes change their names (legal union, separation, etc.). They might also go by a nickname on social media to avoid being found by current/future employers.
Also, try looking at business pages on Facebook where they may have worked, or community pages such as community sports teams, schools and universities, or other places where the target of your search may have ‘liked,’ commented or be tagged in an image.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional network with more than 875 million users. If you know the person’s name, you can type it into the search bar and potentially see their current job, previous jobs, city, academic history, and professional affiliations.
When you Google someone’s name, their LinkedIn profile is often the first thing that pops up in the search results.
There are a few other ways you can search for someone you know on LinkedIn:
Import your email contacts and invite people to connect with you
Look through the “People You May Know” section on the site
View your school’s alumni page to see people you went to school with
Using a search engine like Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo is usually the first step people take when trying to find people online, Martin says.
You can simply type someone’s name into the search bar to see photos of people with that name, news stories they’re mentioned in, and more. Also try googling any email address, phone number or street address they have used.
From there, it can take quite a bit of time to wade through search results and verify you’ve found who you’re looking for, especially if the person you’re searching for has a common name, Martin says.
If you have more information than just a name to go on, Crispo says you can use a combination of a name and anything associated with that person — past locations, jobs, alma maters, etc. — to get more targeted search results.
Google
Google is the most popular search engine and is responsible for 80% of searches people make online.
All you have to do to get started is type the person’s name into the search bar. Putting the person’s name in quotes and adding any other relevant information you have, such as where they’re from or where they went to school, can help you get the best results.
Putting a word or phrase in quotes forces Google to show results for those words in the exact order you’ve typed them.
You can also search phone numbers on Google to see if you can match the number to a name.
“I have found that entering a phone number into Google is usually better than those reverse lookup sites,” Troxel says.
You can even use Google’s reverse image search if you have a photo of someone you’re looking for. Just upload or drag and drop the photo into the search box and see if it appears anywhere else online where there might be information about the person you’re looking for.
Bing
“Google is king, but the other sites [Bing and DuckDuckGo] can be useful as well,” Troxel says.
Bing is the second most popular search engine and accounts for 15% of searches people make online. Bing works the same way as Google and offers up similar results, though there might be slightly different information listed. You can search by name, phone number, or image to try to track someone down.
One benefit to using Bing is that they offer a rewards program. When you sign up and search using their platform, you’ll be given points that you can redeem for gift cards or donations.
DuckDuckGo
If you don’t want your search data stored, consider using DuckDuckGo to conduct your search. This search engine doesn’t track, collect, or store information. That means you won’t be targeted by ads based on what you search.
DuckDuckGo claims their search results are comparable to Google’s but with more privacy. Unlike Google and Bing, DuckDuckGo doesn’t have a reverse image search, however, so you can only search for someone by typing in their name, phone number, or other information.
4. Reverse phone lookup
If you’re trying to put a name to a phone number, consider using a reverse phone lookup service. Sites like TruthFinder, InstantCheckmate, BeenVerified, and Spokeo offer this option.
“You can get a plethora of third-party verified information from reverse phone lookups, and you don’t run the risk of accidentally doing something such as liking a profile picture,” Bhiman says.
When you type in a phone number on one of these sites, you’ll get a report telling you the name of the person associated with the phone number and any known aliases.
You’ll have to pay on all of these sites to perform a reverse phone lookup.
5. Check criminal and traffic records
Checking criminal and traffic records may help you find someone online. However, Bhimani notes that in most cases, you will only be able to find out if the person has a criminal and traffic record and not necessarily what the record is for.
Unless the person is a sex offender, most criminal and traffic record details aren’t available to the public, Bhimani says.
To check for criminal and traffic records, start by Googling “PERSON’S STATE criminal and traffic records” to find their state’s judicial website. Depending on the state, you may be able to search through cases online or you might need to submit a request for information.
The process to get information may take up to a few weeks in some states, and there may be a fee involved. For example, in New York, the state court system charges $95 for a criminal and traffic history records search.
For a fee, you can also use an online background check service to see criminal and traffic records. After typing in the person’s name, Truthfinder compiles all of the available information into a report that you can quickly access.
6. Check property records
Checking property records can help you determine whether someone is still at the same address — or any past addresses. You can also search for their relatives, whom you can contact, or whose whereabouts might point you to your lost friend or relative.
Government websites
You can check property records for free on government websites. First, you’ll have to determine whether the county or city oversees the property of the person you’re searching for. Google “COUNTY/CITY property records” to get to the right government website.
Once you find the right website, you may be able to search by the property owner’s name or address. After typing in their name or address, you’ll be given a list of available documents to view. These may include deeds, mortgage records, tax liens, lawsuits and more.
Zillow
You can search addresses on Zillow to learn more about a home. You might be able to see:
Sale history
Public tax history
Photos of the exterior and interior of the home
Details about the home (like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms)
Current estimated value of the home.
You won’t be able to see the current or previous owners’ names. However, based on the sale history, you might be able to tell if, and when, the person you’re looking for sold the home.
7. Try Classmates.com
Classmates.com is a website that can help you reconnect with high school friends you’ve lost touch with. To use it, you have to sign up for an account. You’ll be asked to input the city, state, and name of your high school.
Classmates.com has a free and paid option. With a free account, you can search and view classmates in your school’s directory, list your name in Classmates communities so other people can find you, and look at yearbooks.
With a premium paid account, you can also see who’s viewed your profile and read and reply to all messages. You can choose from a three-month ($3.60 per month), one-year ($2.50 per month), or two-year ($2 per month) plan.
8. Try Ancestry.com
Wondering how to find birth parents with little information? Ancestry.com and other similar sites are great for finding family members, Troxel says.
“Sometimes people will create family trees on those sites, which gets you the details even quicker,” he says.
To find biological family members using Ancestry.com, you’ll need to purchase and take an AncestryDNA test:
DNA kit – $99
DNA kit with traits (includes physical/sensory traits plus family history) – $119
When the results are ready, you can log into your account and click “View all DNA matches” to see a list of biological relatives who’ve also taken an AncestryDNA test.
Your matches will be ranked based on how much DNA you share, with family members who share the most DNA at the top. If the person has created a public family tree, you’ll be able to view that. You can also click on the person’s name to message them and see if you share any other DNA matches.
Ancestry.com offers monthly memberships, but you don’t need to be a paid subscriber to message DNA relatives and respond to their messages.
If you want to do a deep-dive into your family history, a monthly membership will give you access to more than three billion international birth, legal union, death, and census records, newspaper archives dating back to the 1700s, and more.
The most popular monthly membership is the “World Explorer” option, which costs $32.99 per month if you sign up for six months.
23andMe is another website that can connect you with loved ones who have also taken a 23andMe DNA test.
Dr. Gwen Bass, Ph.D., an educational coach and parenting consultant, found biological relatives on Ancestry.com a few years ago and has written about the experience in her forthcoming memoir,Immaculate Misconception.
In the early ’80s, her two moms found a doctor who inseminated them with sperm from an anonymous donor. She says many of her parents’ friends then went to the same doctor for a sperm donor.
“I look back now at these photographs of myself, and some of these other women who were the offspring of my parents’ friends, and there’s a remarkable similarity between all of us,” she says.
She says there was some speculation over the years that maybe they were related, but those suspicions weren’t confirmed until 2018, when Dr. Bass finally decided to try Ancestry to see if she could find her sperm donor and any biological siblings.
All told, she found 10 siblings using Ancestry and 23andMe.
“Especially growing up in a family where we vehemently were like, ‘Love makes a family; DNA doesn’t matter,’ to then connect with siblings who shared DNA with me, who have really remarkable characteristics — both physically and general personality characteristics that are so similar — was shockingly grounding for me,” Dr. Bass says.
Once she connected with her biological siblings, they combed through their overlapping family trees to find their biological father.
One of her sisters connected with a group on Facebook that helps people track their genealogy. She shared all of their information (including logins to the various DNA sites they had used), and the group produced a 200-page report that helped them discover the shared donor.
Although he had died, Dr. Bass says her siblings were able to connect with a couple of his relatives through Ancestry.com to learn more about him.
FAQs and expert advice for finding people online
These are some tips for finding people online:
How to find birth parents: How do I find my parents with no information?
If you’re looking to find your parents but you don’t have any information about them, consider using a service like Ancestry.com as a starting point.
“We’ve had clients come to us after using a service like Ancestry and say, ‘You know, I started out with my mom’s name or my brother’s name and from there, I was actually able to locate another sibling I didn’t know I had,’” Crispo says.
When you sign up, you’ll take a DNA test to see blood relatives who’ve also taken a DNA test through Ancestry. From there, you can view family trees of your DNA relatives and message them.
Troxel suggests looking to see if any of your DNA relatives have created family trees because that can help you find the details you’re looking for more quickly than combing through each DNA relative one by one.
Once your results are in, Ancestry suggests viewing all your DNA matches and looking at the family trees of the closest ones (these will be at the top of the list as the list goes in descending order).
If you see a green tree, that means their family tree is public and that you have a common ancestry. If you see a gray tree, that means their family tree is private and you’ll have to message them to ask if you can access it.
You can also click on a name and message your DNA relative. Ancestry.com advises being as sensitive as possible because your message might come as a surprise. You can also look at your shared matches to see if you and a DNA relative have any other relatives in common.
Above all, Dr. Bass suggests going into the process with few expectations and having boundaries.
“I wanted to be really clear that not only was I going in with the expectation that I’m here for whatever feels positive and generative but also I’m not here to fill anyone else’s holes,” she says.
“I have my own life, I’m my own person. I’m totally down to be a kind and respectful person because that matters to me as a human, but I’m not going to try to fix someone’s lifelong struggle with their identity.”
How do I find a friend I lost contact with?
There are a lot of different ways to find an old friend. Start by typing their name and any other relevant information you know about them (like where they’re from or where they went to school) into a search engine to see what comes up.
Crispo says when her team does an initial Google search on someone, they’ll use a combination of words, like the person’s name and location.
“This will help us produce more results,” she says. For example, they might try searching something like, “John Smith in Hamilton, Ontario.”
You might be able to find articles that mention them to help you glean additional information, Crispo says. For example, maybe you’ll find an article dated 2020 that says the person you’re looking for was arrested, Crispo says. That could help you figure out where the person is now.
You can also search someone’s name on social media sites like Facebook or look through friends of your friends on social media to see if you can find them.
Martin suggests looking through friends of friends on Facebook. Think about whether you can identify five people who might’ve known that friend and look through their friends to see if you spot the person, he says. “It could take some time, but, but you could find people, for sure,” says Martin.
You may also be able to find old high school friends by signing up for Classmates.com.
I signed up for a free account to see how it worked. After putting in all of my information, I was able to view the profiles of more than 90 people from my graduating class who had also signed up. With a free account, I could see their birthdays, any photos they had uploaded, and I had the ability to send them a private message if I wanted to.
How can I find the father of my child?
If you are looking for the father of your child, your state’s child support office may be able to help locate him (or the mother, if she owes child support). This information will help locate him or her:
Social Security Number
Address or P.O. Box Number
Names of the parent’s friends, employers, coworkers, or family members
Copy of the order for child support
The date of birth of the obligated parent
Addresses of past and/or present workplaces or residences
If your state agency cannot help connect you with the father, you may consider enforcing child support punitive measures to force him to get in touch:
Wage garnishment
Withholding state benefits like social security, disability, unemployment or welfare
Denying the parent a U.S. passport
Freezing bank accounts or accounts from other financial institutions
Property liens
Suspending a driver’s license or professional license
Intercepting tax refunds
You can reach out to his family, hire a private investigator, use an online people location tool like Truthfinder or even Ancestory.com.
Social media — may involve lots and lots of searching
Classmates.com has a free version
Occasionally you can get a info from the free version of WhitePages.com
Some government sites like property listings, sex registries, lawsuit filings and other records
Reach out to the person’s friends, family, colleagues
How can I find a person by name?
If all you have is someone’s name — first and last — here are a few ways you may find them:
Google their name along with any and all details about them — where they lived, phone and email, schools, jobs, hobbies and alumni directories:
Use a service like TruthFinder or WhitePages.com
Bottom line: Make finding people online easier with the right tools
If you have time, patience and creativity, you can find a lot of people online for free through Google, social media sites and government databases. However, often the quickest way to find that missing friend, relative or enemy is through an online people search site like TruthFinder, which has an A+ BBB rating.
How do I find my parents with no information?
If you’re looking to find your parents but you don’t have any information about them, consider using a service like Ancestry.com as a starting point.
Whether your old clothes are outdated, worn, or no longer fit, we put together the best ways to get rid of unwanted clothes — and maybe earn a little cash in the process:
If your old clothes are still wearable — meaning they’re free of any significant stains, rips, smells, or other wear and tear — here are a few things you can do:
1. Give them away
Do you have a friend or family member who is about your size? Ask them if they’d like the clothes you’re clearing out. You can tell the person to donate whatever they don’t want to keep, or you can give those clothes to someone else.
2. Resell your old clothes at a yard sale
Price your clothes at a few bucks per piece and sell them at a yard sale. You can also package similar style or same-sized clothing and sell as a bundle.
Some neighborhoods and communities organize yard sales where anybody can participate. However, you can also create and advertise your own yard sale.
Put up signs on surrounding roads to advertise your sale, or create a social media event. There are also a few websites and apps where you can list your garage sale to people looking for garage sales in your area:
Gsalr – You can post information about your garage sale and pictures of what you’re selling for free on Gsalr’s website or app. Gaslr sends out a daily digest to its subscribers with upcoming local garage sales.
VarageSale – VarageSale is a website and app that acts like a virtual garage sale. You have to have a Facebook account to join and connect with other people in your community. Users post their items and arrange pickup with buyers.
Craigslist – Post photos of some of your items on Craigslist or advertise your garage sale. Check out these other sites like Craigslist.
3. Resell your old clothes at a consignment shop
When you sell your old clothes at a consignment shop, the shop will either pay you upfront for the items they accept or pay you a percentage of the sale price once an item sells.
Every consignment shop sets its own commission rates. For example, Plato’s Closet sells merchandise at about 60-70% off its original retail price and offers the seller about 1/3 of that projected amount upfront.
4. Resell your old clothes online
You can also resell your old clothes through an online consignment store or marketplace. These are some popular sites to sell your clothes online:
You can donate your clothes to a thrift store or nonprofit organization like Vietnam Veterans of America, which will come to your home and pick up bags of unwanted clothing and other household items.
These are some other organizations where you can drop off or request a pickup of your unwanted clothes:
Salvation Army
Habitat for Humanity
Goodwill
AMVETS National Service Foundation
The Arc
GreenDrop
While consignment shops are generally for-profit businesses, thrift stores normally benefit a charity or nonprofit and do not pay you for your clothes.
6. Participate in a clothing swap
Organize a clothing swap where you get together with a group of friends and everybody brings a bag of clothes they no longer want. Obviously, everyone who participates should have at least one other person who wears the same size.
You’ll go home with a fresh closet, and any leftover items that nobody wants can be donated.
7. Upcycle old clothes
Get more use out of your old clothes by upcycling them. If you can sew, great — but if not, don’t worry! There are still plenty of creative options. Your clothes could become a:
Throw pillow
Quilt or blanket
Dog or cat toy
Wreath
Rug
Scrunchie or headband
Handbag or tote bag
Infinity scarf
Find a tutorial online and have some fun. Then save your creations for yourself, or sell them to others for a few extra bucks.
What to do with old jeans
If you’re wondering what to do with old jeans, denim can be sold or donated if it’s in good condition. But there are also several creative ways to recycle or repurpose your jeans. For example, try turning your jeans into:
Purse or wallet
Organizer
Apron
Throw pillow
Rug, blanket, or quilt
Slippers
Jewelry
Upholstery
Pet toy
Or recycle jeans through a nonprofit like Blue Jeans Go Green, whose partner stores offer discounts on future clothing purchases for dropping off your jeans.
What to do with old clothes that cannot be donated or worn
If your clothes are in such bad shape they can’t be donated or worn, here’s what to do with them:
8. Repurpose those clothes
Keep old clothes around the house to wear when you’re doing messy projects, like yardwork or painting. If the clothes are unwearable, grab your sewing kit and mend whatever you can or transform old clothes using one of these ideas:
Turn old socks into sock monkeys or coffee cup cozies
Turn old sweaters into socks, a beanie, or boot cuffs
Turn a baby hat into an infinity scarf
Add paint or other embellishments to old shoes
Give old clothes to your kids to play dress-up
9. Give them to an animal shelter
Call your local animal shelter or humane society and see if they need any old clothes. They might accept items like sweaters or T-shirts to make beds and blankets for the animals.
10. Recycle old clothes
Recycle old clothes at any of these textile recycling facilities:
These are some tips if you want to get rid of old clothes you no longer wear:
Should you get rid of old clothes?
World-renowned organizer Marie Kondo once said:
“To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. To throw away what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful.”
Clothing that no longer fits you or that is overly worn or outdated is just taking up space in your home that could be used for other things.
If your old clothes are in good condition, you can get rid of them by reselling through an in-person or online consignment shop, or you can donate to a thrift store or nonprofit organization.
You may be able to recycle or compost old clothes that cannot be donated.
What do you do with lots of old clothes?
If your clothes are in good condition, you can bring them to a consignment shop and try to make some money.
If you don’t care about making money on your old clothes, you can request a bulk pickup from a nonprofit organization like AMVETS or drop them at Goodwill.
If your clothes are unwearable, you can also recycle them at places like Terracycle or FABSCRAP.
Can you recycle old jeans for cash?
There are a few stores that will recycle old jeans and give you coupons for your donation:
Madewell accepts old jeans and recycles them into insulation via the Blue Jeans Go Green program. They’ll give you $20 off any full-price pair of Madewell jeans in the store for your donation.
Anthropologie accepts jeans and other old denim items as long as they’re at least 90% cotton. They occasionally run promos for $20 off a $100 purchase in exchange for your donation.
American Eagle Outfitters recycles clothes to benefit people in rural India via the Clothes Box Foundation and through Blue Jeans Go Green. For your donation, you’ll get money off a new pair of jeans (promotions vary).
H&M accepts bags of old clothes (not just jeans) in exchange for a 15% off coupon.
You can also box and ship your jeans directly to Blue Jeans Go Green.
Clothing that no longer fits you or that is overly worn or outdated is just taking up space in your home that could be used for other things.
What do you do with lots of old clothes?
If your clothes are in good condition, you can bring them to a consignment shop and try to make some money. If your clothes are unwearable, you can also recycle them at places like Terracycle or FABSCRAP.
Can you recycle old jeans for cash?
There are a few stores that will recycle old jeans and give you coupons for your donation: Madewell, Anthropologie, American Eagle Outfitters, and H&M.
If you’re looking for a flexible stay-at-home job, part time or full time, you can become a remote (virtual or online) bookkeeper with little to no experience or degree.
Nicole Gallicchio-Elz of New York is the COO of Virtual Assist USA, a company that regularly hires bookkeepers to assist its clients. She says that how much you make as a bookkeeper is largely dependent on your experience and whether you work as an employee, specialize in a specific type of bookkeeping, or run your own business.
She’s seen pay ranges starting around $15/hour for entry-level bookkeeping jobs up to $60/hour for independent bookkeepers who set their own rates and work with multiple clients. Many work from home, some full- others part-time. Highly experienced bookkeepers with certifications may command as high as $126 per hour.
We’ve put together the best resources for finding full-time, part-time, and freelance virtual bookkeeping jobs, including Bookkeeper Launch, an A+ BBB-rated course that offers:
Training to help you build a website, market yourself, and get high-paying clients
Access to an exclusive community of bookkeepers for networking and advice
Continue reading on how to find high-paying online bookkeeping jobs:
These companies have current job postings for remote bookkeepers:
Beech Valley Solutions
Beech Valley Solutions is an Atlanta, Ga.-based tech staffing firm. They match bookkeepers with opportunities to help them build a list of clients. All work is remote. The company has a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Glassdoor based on 24 employee reviews.
Here’s a remote bookkeeper position at Beech Valley Solutions posted on the BeechValley.com in March 2024:
Intuit
Intuit is looking for bookkeepers of all experience levels from entry-level to expert. You can join the Intuit Talent Community to get up-to-date information on remote job opportunities. Based on employee feedback, Intuit has a 4.2 out of 5 rating on Glassdoor, and is number 57 on Glassdoor’s 100 Best Places to Work in 2023.
Here’s an Intuit remote bookkeeper job posting found on Intuit.com in March 2024:
StellaLife
StellaLife is a dental hygiene product company. It has a 4.5 rating out of 5 on Glassdoor and a 4.7 rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
Here’s a remote bookkeeper position from StellaLife listed on ZipRecruiter in March 2024:
10 other companies that regularly hire bookkeepers
These companies are known for offering virtual, on-site, and/or hybrid (a mix of online and on-site) bookkeeping gigs regularly:
1-800Accountant
BBB-accredited and A- rated 1-800Accountant is currently hiring virtual bookkeepers to support its base of business owners and startup companies. They hire professionals with at least three years of bookkeeping experience, aptitude with QuickBooks, and those who are able to work at least 30 hours per week.
Backyard Bookkeepers has online bookkeeper openings and offers flexible hours. You can work as few as 15 hours per week and up to 30. You’ll need QuickBooks experience, knowledge of accounting, and excellent communication skills.
CFS offers a variety of temporary and direct-hire opportunities for bookkeepers with flexible work hours. Positions are either on-site or online, hourly or salaried, depending on the CFS client. You can browse and apply for available jobs or work with a CFS recruiter for more individual help landing a gig.
LHH connects job seekers with businesses who need their help. The jobs are a mix of full- and part-time contract/temporary or contract/temporary to hire with hourly or salaried pay. Experience requirements vary by employer, but most will require demonstrated knowledge of bookkeeping and accounting principles.
Some opportunities are remote but require you to live within a 50-mile radius of the office you support. Search bookkeeping jobs or connect with an LHH recruiter.
Pinion (formerly KCoe Isom) is a U.S. Top 70 accounting and consulting firm. The company often advertises virtual bookkeeping jobs. You’ll need at least two years of bookkeeping experience and knowledge of QuickBooks and/or Xero. Most bookkeeping positions will pay between $15-$25 per hour.
BBB-accredited ProLedge Bookkeeping Services works with small businesses up to 50 employees, providing in-person, remote or hybrid bookkeeping support in the following Texas cities:
Austin
Dallas
Fort Worth
Houston
San Antonio
If you live outside of these areas, you can apply for a remote bookkeeping position. At a minimum, you’ll need one year of bookkeeping and QuickBooks experience and at least two clients.
Having a QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor certification could boost your marketability as a bookkeeper. In addition to helping you find bookkeeping jobs or clients, QuickBooks also looks for people holding its certification to fill internal bookkeeping positions.
QuickBooks offers full-time and part-time positions, and workers can choose a schedule that works best for them. Aside from holding the certification, you’ll also need at least one year of experience with QuickBooks, strong technical proficiency, and three years of experience as a bookkeeper.
If you’re aiming to move beyond bookkeeping into management accounting roles or to increase your rates, consider the CMA credential. For a clear breakdown of pass rates, scoring, and study tactics to help you improve your CMA pass odds, this guide explains what to expect and how to prepare.
Randstad
Randstad manages more than 94,000 people each week who support their clients in multiple industries including accounting and finance. If you are looking for a bookkeeping position, you can search jobs through Randstad and filter your results for remote positions as well.
Randstad offers entry-level to advanced bookkeeper jobs, so experience requirements vary depending on the position. Experience with QuickBooks is necessary for most roles.
Robert Half has been connecting businesses with talented professionals since 1948. The company has an A+ rating with the BBB and offers online bookkeeping jobs. You can apply for jobs or upload your resume to work with recruiters to find the right job fit.
These positions are contract-based and are temporary, temporary to hire, or permanent. At a minimum, you’ll need experience preparing financial statements, accounting experience, and knowledge of accounting software. Each job will state exact requirements.
Founded in 1990, Solomon Page is a staffing agency based in Ohio that was named one of America’s best recruiting firms by Forbes magazine. The Accounting and Finance division of the company matches bookkeeping professionals with clients who need their services.
There are a mix of on-site, remote, and hybrid job postings for contract, temporary to permanent, and permanent positions. Most jobs require at least two years of experience with accounting.
5 job search sites and more where you can find online bookkeeping jobs
If you’re looking for a full-time or part-time online bookkeeping job, start with these places:
Job boards
Job boards like Indeed and ZipRecruiter are free for job seekers to browse, and you can narrow your search by location, salary, and work schedule. If you want to work from home, you can set your location to “remote” on most job boards to find virtual or online bookkeeping jobs.
Online communities
Online communities and groups provide resources for bookkeepers to learn from one another, market themselves, and network with other bookkeepers.
For instance, Bookkeeper Launch offers an online community for members to ask questions and get support from other members. Members also frequently post job openings for other members to apply for:
Tatiana Tsoir is a CPA and business coach based in Mount Kisco, N.Y., who began her career as a bookkeeper. She now offers her own bookkeepers training course and has written a book about becoming your own boss.
She says online communities can be an excellent way to connect with people searching for bookkeepers.
The Dubsado Community, Virtual Assistant Savvies, and Virtual Bookkeepers are Facebook groups where people regularly post job openings. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Reddit also have robust communities for bookkeeping professionals.
In these communities, you should try to be active in answering questions people post to establish a reputation and show you know what you’re talking about.
Company websites
Companies typically list open jobs on searchable career pages, so you can use the keyword ‘bookkeeping’ to find them.
Accounting firms and small businesses, such as local retail shops, tax agencies, and solopreneurs, are good places to start.
FlexJobs lists these companies as some of the top employers of bookkeepers (they are ideal for virtual jobs):
1-800Accountant
Creative Financial Staffing (CFS)
KeyBank
Kforce
Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH)
Pinion
ProLedge Bookkeeping Services
Randstad
Robert Half
Solomon Page
If you’re going the direct-application route, Gallicchio-Elz recommends separately emailing the hiring manager or someone in upper management after you’ve applied.
She adds that writing a cover letter that’s tailored specifically to that company rather than a one-size-fits-all letter can set you apart from other applicants.
Bookminders
Bookminders is an accounting service for small businesses and nonprofits that hires full-time and part-time accountants and bookkeepers. Their jobs are mostly online, though you must be willing to occasionally travel to one of the following locations:
Austin
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Cherry Hill, N.J.
Candidates can apply through the Bookminders careers page for positions in their nearest city. Fill out the form manually or use your saved Indeed information to complete the application.
A Bookminders recruiter will contact qualified candidates to attend an open house and complete an exam before calling shortlisted candidates for interviews.
Upwork
Upwork is a platform to connect freelancers with businesses who need their services. You can sign up for a free Upwork account and search for virtual freelance bookkeeping jobs. Upwork charges a 10% fee on your earnings from the clients you connect with on the platform.
6 places where you can find online, freelance bookkeeping jobs
Freelance bookkeepers tend to have more flexibility than part-time or full-time bookkeepers because they can choose which clients to work with, when to work, and how much to charge.
“The future of bookkeeping is virtual, fractional, and outsourced,” Gallicchio-Elz says. “Paperless receipts, online bookkeeping platforms, and the ability to outsource and not pay for the overhead of an employee is extremely beneficial for business owners.”
These are some of the best places to find virtual bookkeeping clients for a bookkeeping business:
Bookkeeper Launch
Bookkeeper Launch walks you through the process of landing your first client and shows you how to build a business based on referrals. Ben Robinson, the site’s founder, encourages members to begin building a portfolio of clients even before they’ve finished the course.
Members also regularly post about potential clients in the Bookkeeper Launch online community.
Social media
Tsoir uses social media to build her network and foster relationships with other entrepreneurs. She posts thought-provoking LinkedIn and Instagram content to talk about her clients’ pain points and her solutions for those pain points to spread awareness for her services.
Following and commenting on potential clients’ content can also put you on their radar.
Bookkeepers can use hashtags like #freelanceopps or #hiringbookkeeper on Twitter and Instagram to find relevant posts from people or companies that want to hire bookkeepers.
Freelance marketplaces
Freelance marketplaces connect clients with freelancers in various areas, including bookkeeping. Bookkeepers can sign up for these marketplaces to market their services and search for posted bookkeeping jobs.
Bookkeepers on Reddit suggest finding freelance gigs through sites like Upwork and Craigslist:
Some people even said they hired a bookkeeper through Reddit:
From a hiring perspective, Gallicchio-Elz notes that Upwork is especially helpful in finding bookkeepers with specific skills, like Quickbooks or some accounting experience.
Freelancer.com, Guru, and Fiverr are a few more popular marketplaces to find bookkeeping gigs.
Website leads
A website can act as an online resume for your virtual bookkeeping business. Add SEO-optimized pages and blog content to your website to draw potential clients to your site to learn more about you and your bookkeeping services. Hubspot offers a free SEO certification course to get started.
Part of the Bookkeeper Launch course is creating your own website. Robinson will walk you through the process of building a successful website and securing high-paying clients through it. Read our full Bookkeeper Launch review to learn more about the course and other class offerings.
Referrals
In addition to finding bookkeeping work in online communities and job boards, Tsoir says referrals from past clients and people in your sphere of influence (family, friends, acquaintances, etc.) can send people to your business.
Referrals can happen naturally when you consistently deliver quality work to your clients. However, you can also reach out to past clients or relevant people in your network to ask them to pass on your information to others who might be interested.
Build rapport with people in your sphere by sending birthday and holiday cards, sending an email to occasionally check in, and referring people you know back to their business.
Belay
Belay is a company that offers virtual assistant services, including bookkeeping, to clients all over the world. The company hires both freelance and full-time bookkeepers to provide virtual bookkeeping services to its clients.
5 places where you can find online, part-time bookkeeping jobs
Part-time work is beneficial for bookkeepers who have a few hours each day to devote to bookkeeping, like when their kids are in school. You can find part-time virtual bookkeeping jobs in the following places:
Google search
Google curates jobs from various job postings all over the web to show them in one convenient spot in Google’s search results. Simply search for “part-time bookkeeping jobs” or “part-time virtual bookkeeping jobs” to find matching results.
Recruiters
Recruiting agencies match companies with bookkeepers and vice versa, similar to how Gallicchio-Elz’s Virtual Assist USA looks for bookkeepers to meet its clients’ needs.
When you sign up with a recruiting agency, you work directly with a recruiter who alerts you when a job opening fits your skills, scheduling, and other criteria.
Consult with other professionals in your industry through online communities to find a reliable staffing agency, or search job boards and social media.
Local accountants
Even if you’re looking strictly for online work, use your local community as a guide. Tsoir says that reaching out to local accounting or tax preparation firms that hire CPAs or EAs could lead to some overflow work for you. Although she admits they may not pay as much as full-time bookkeeping jobs, they’re ideal for adding experience to your resume.
When contacting an office, mention that you’re specifically interested in part-time, virtual work.
Exploring a career as an online bookkeeper? Here are some answers to common questions you might have:
What are the different types of online bookkeeping jobs?
A virtual bookkeeper can find full-time, part-time, or freelance jobs. These are some of the online positions a bookkeeper can apply for:
General bookkeepers: General bookkeepers perform basic bookkeeping functions for one or multiple companies. Duties might include entering revenue and expenses into a ledger, creating invoices, submitting financial statements, and verifying receipts.
Full-charge bookkeepers: Full-charge bookkeepers have similar duties as general bookkeepers, except that they spearhead a company’s accounting. Therefore, they tend to have more managerial responsibilities and are expected to report directly to a financial manager or owner of the company.
Auditing: Auditing clerks are responsible for checking the accuracy of financial statements, receipts, invoices, and other financial records. They may oversee the work of other bookkeepers and accountants.
Tax preparation: Bookkeepers with tax preparation skills can prepare and file taxes for individuals or companies. In addition to typical bookkeeping duties, these bookkeepers organize tax-related documents, help clients find tax deductions, and review tax forms for accuracy.
Payroll specialists: Bookkeepers sometimes double as payroll specialists for small businesses, tracking hours and issuing paychecks to employees.
Is there high demand for virtual bookkeepers?
Yes, there is high demand for virtual bookkeepers. FlexJobs reports that accounting and finance (which includes bookkeeping) is one of the top seven careers for online work.1
While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (BLS OOH) shows a projected 6% decline through 2032 for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, there are more than 183,000 openings for these jobs each year.2
With so many openings for virtual bookkeepers and training like Bookkeeper Launch from Bookkeepers.com, the profession is growing.
Are there any virtual bookkeeping jobs with no experience?
Yes, you can find virtual bookkeeping jobs without experience. Gallicchio-Elz says that her virtual assisting company is open to hiring bookkeepers with certifications or degrees, even if they have no prior experience.
Consider reaching out to a recruiting agency or browsing job sites to match with companies hiring entry-level bookkeepers.
Likewise, having a certification through a reputable program like Bookkeeper Launch can help you get your foot in the door without any experience.
If you are looking for a job with a quick certification process that allows you to start working without experience, bookkeeping is a great option.
Yes, online bookkeeping can be an excellent job for people looking for a flexible and potentially high-paying career. According to BLS OOH, the median bookkeeper salary is $45,860 per year or $22.05 per hour as of August 2024.3
According to Bookkeepers.com, you can earn anywhere from $20 to $50 per hour based on experience or charge a minimum monthly retainer of $100 to $150 to small business owners who only need a few tasks completed each month.
Check out this video from Bookkeepers Launch about why bookkeeping is a great career for stay-at-home parents:
Bottom line: Can you work remotely as a bookkeeper?
Yes, there are companies hiring bookkeepers who work remotely from home.
However, you can also work for yourself.
If you want to launch a successful bookkeeping business, we recommend taking a course through Bookkeepers Launch because:
A+ Better Business Bureau rating
Thousands of people have started successful bookkeeping businesses and learned to attract high-paying clients, often earning $100,000+ per year
What are the different types of online bookkeeping jobs?
A virtual bookkeeper can find full-time, part-time, or freelance jobs. These are some of the online positions a bookkeeper can apply for: general bookkeeper, full-charge bookkeeper, auditing, tax preparation, and payroll specialist.
Are there any virtual bookkeeping jobs with no experience?
Yes, you can find virtual bookkeeping jobs without experience. Consider reaching out to a recruiting agency or browsing job sites to match with companies hiring entry-level bookkeepers.
Sources:
“7 Growing Career Fields with Fully Remote Jobs in 2023” FlexJobs https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/fastest-growing-remote-career-categories/
“Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook September 6, 2023 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/bookkeeping-accounting-and-auditing-clerks.htm#tab-6
“Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook September 6, 2023 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/bookkeeping-accounting-and-auditing-clerks.htm#tab-1
Not sure what to write in your online dating profile?
We put together tips to craft an online dating bio that will help you attract quality dates you’re actually compatible with.
Chris Gillis, a dating and image consultant, hosts a podcast with more than 2 million downloads called “Life Check Yourself” with fellow dating coach Marni Battista.
When Battista became single more than a decade ago, Gillis was her dating coach. She has since appeared on Dr. Phil and has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and O, The Oprah Magazine, among other publications.
These are Gillis’ tips for writing a successful dating profile bio:
1. Be honest and authentic
If you exaggerate or lie about yourself, you’ll have to keep up that ruse or admit you weren’t being honest if you actually meet someone with long-term potential.
For example, don’t say you run marathons if you ran a half marathon 15 years ago. Don’t fudge your age or height or post pictures of yourself from 20 lbs ago.
“Remember that the goal is to attract someone who is compatible with you, so be true to yourself and don’t try to be someone you’re not,” Gillis says.
2. Keep it positive
Gillis says you should focus on the things you like about yourself and what you’re looking for in a partner rather than referencing past negative experiences or the qualities you don’t want in a partner.
One dater on Reddit talked about seeing too much negativity on online dating profiles:
A well-written and specific bio is more likely to attract potential matches who are interested in getting to know you, Gillis says, since it gives them a sense of who you are as a person.
Generic and overused statements, like these examples from Reddit, don’t give potential daters a sense of who you are or what you’re looking for in a partner:
Gillis says a good sense of humor can be attractive and make your profile more engaging.
“Inject your own personality in your bio with whatever it is you want to say,” he says.
Gillis suggests writing something interesting about yourself followed by a zinger or funny/sassy line.
For example:
“I love the beach but can bring a pop-up tent if you burn easily.”
“Small talk is the worst. Let’s dive into the things that truly matter — like what actually happened to Carole Baskin’s husband.”
5. Show, don’t tell
Gillis suggests using descriptive language and anecdotes to give people a sense of your personality and interests, rather than just listing them.
For example, if you love to ski, include a brief sentence or two about a recent ski trip you took or your dream to travel to a specific ski destination.
6. Proofread
Make sure your profile is well-written and free of spelling and grammar errors to make a good first impression and show you’re serious about dating.
This dater on Reddit said she had a hard time connecting with a match because of his poor spelling:
First, let’s review what your dating profile should include. Generally, you want it to be a reflection of your true self. More specifically, here are 5 things you should include in your online dating profile:
What you’re looking for in terms of values and dating goals
A glimpse into your unique personality and hobbies
Why men and women should include income in dating profiles
When I first ventured out into the new-again world romance after my divorce, I omitted my income on dating apps.
Why?
Well, for all the usual reasons: It is considered impolite to talk about money. I didn’t want to come across as being obsessed about a guy’s income. And, because my income is high, I didn’t want to scare off potential suitors.
However, some months into my dating venture I found that I wasn’t meeting guys I really dug — and that includes many qualities, including that they are professionally ambitious.
I usually dated men my age and older (check out our post on dating an older man). And in middle age, if you aren’t established or very well on your way in your career, the likelihood that will change is slim.
I wasn’t looking for a guy with many millions of dollars, and in fact preferred to date someone with a similar financial picture as my own, as I found we would have more in common (see below).
My career is important to me, and I identify best with men who feel the same. Being financially stable usually comes with professional accomplishment, even if the guy may earn less than me.
And so in the right-hand column of my OKCupid profile that highlights the key personal details, I changed my status from blank, to my six-figure income. Almost immediately I started meeting very interesting men. Lots of them.
Torabi advocates for high-earning women to disclose their finances early in a relationship, in an act of transparency that allows for any resentment to be worked through early in the courtship.
After all, the chances of divorce in couples where the women earn more than their husbands is double that when the inverse is true.
Why high-income women should include their salaries on dating sites:
1. Sharing openly about my income says a whole lot about me — including that I’m not in the market for a sugar daddy. Torabi writes:
Emma Johnson disclosed her income in her online dating profile after not finding guys she was interested in to date. As soon as she disclosed her six-figure income, quality men started to contact her. “I’m a single mom and freelance writer,” she told me. “If that doesn’t scream poverty, I don’t know what does.”
2. Successful middle-aged men are usually divorced, paying alimony, and really, really upset about it (including the very progressive, feminist ones I hang out with). I told Torabi:
“The divorced guys I date love the fact that I’m financially independent because they’re so angry that their ex-wives stayed at home, so angry they’re paying alimony. In their opinion they think, ‘She was lazy. I wanted her to get a job. I didn’t want her to stay at home.’ ”
3. Take shame out of the equation. You are professionally successful, so why hide it? Of course, if a guy is threatened by your success …. I don’t even need to finish that sentence.
4. If you’re passionate about your career, you want to discuss business with your partner. The man I’m dating now is also independently employed. One of the main things we connect on is business, which I find incredibly hot.
5. Successful guys like to talk about work and business with successful people. Including women. Including women they date. See above. Flip the equation. Not rocket science dating advice.
6. Take one for the team. Yes, there is still a contingent of successful men who are truly intimidated by high-earning women, and openly seek a homemaker with a low IQ they can manipulate. More commonly, I find, are men who are quite progressive and respect women of all incomes, and are perhaps unconsciously influenced by centuries of socializing that makes them squirm at the notion they may be the lesser earner in a relationship.
In the spirit of pushing the tide forward, I say: Ladies, include in your profile your real income. Do not hesitate to share your professional success. Do it for yourself. And do it for women everywhere.
Online dating mistakes: What not to include in your profile
eharmony advises: “Never lie. Ever. Don’t lie about your height, age, or weight: you’ll be found out soon enough. Don’t pretend to have a better job than you do or that you’re more prepared for long-term commitment than you currently are.”
The site also warns against saying disparaging things about online dating: “Insulting the method — or the people using the method — of finding love that you’re currently giving a try is a huge turn-off,” eharmony says. “You’ll come across as condescending and judgmental. Don’t bite the hand that might be feeding you your soulmate.”
Gillis says these are some things you shouldn’t do in your online dating profile:
1. Hide kids if you have them
“Being upfront about being a single parent can attract the right people who are looking for someone with similar life experiences and values,” Gillis says.
While you shouldn’t pretend like you don’t have children, you also don’t want to make them the primary focus of your profile. Gillis says you should show your personality and independent interests.
3. Put up too many walls
“Don’t be afraid to open up and be yourself, but also be mindful of how much personal information you’re sharing online,” Gillis says.
You can always privately run a background check (paid or informal) but be open to a connection, fun and even love.
4. Lie or exaggerate
“This will only lead to disappointment later on when your date finds out the truth,” Gillis says.
5. Complain about past relationships
“Nobody wants to date someone who is bitter or still hung up on their exes,” Gillis says.
6. Use cliche phrases or generic language
There are a million online daters who “love to laugh” and are “down to earth.” Be specific about your likes and interests to find the most compatible matches.
7. Post old or low-quality photos
Gillis says you should use recent and clear photos that accurately represent how you currently look.
“Avoid using group photos where the person has to play ‘Where’s Waldo?’ to figure out which one is you,” he says.
8. List too many demands or requirements
Having high standards is one thing, but listing a lot of specific requirements can come across as picky or arrogant. Your matches don’t want to feel like they’re on a job interview.
9. Get too sexual
Unless you’re specifically looking for a hookup or something more casual, keep your profile PG.
“You want to attract people who are interested in getting to know you as a person, not just for your physical appearance,” Gillis says.
10. Use offensive or discriminatory language
This will turn off a lot of potential matches and can also get you banned from some dating platforms.
What is a good headline for a dating profile?
Gillis says some of the profiles he finds most funny or endearing have headlines that read like: “Top 5 Reasons You Should Date Me,” followed by photos that correspond with those reasons.
“If it’s a photo of the person at their martial arts or wrestling club, they list that they can protect you, take you to travel the world on fun tournaments, or better yet, be a professional cuddler (since that is basically wrestling),” Gillis says.
He also likes when daters use visual aides like this:
Or funny movie-like reviews on why they are a great catch:
He offers these other examples for specific types of daters:
“If you’re over 35, then it’s time to forget about young girls and date a woman who can recognize the signs of stroke.”
“I’m not hot enough to be a bot.”
Gillis says it’s OK to have fun with your headline if that’s your personality, like making light of how silly online dating can feel:
“Photoshopped photos where the person is in some ridiculous situation (rap battling Eminem or accepting the NBA championship trophy with your favorite hometown team) or with a celebrity will almost always at least catch a person’s attention,” Gillis says.
If you have an interesting name, he says you can use it to your advantage:
“If your name is Margo: ‘Getting lost in the supermarket as a kid was scarring. When my mom called out my name, everyone would yell out POLO!’”
These are some more headlines eharmony suggests:
“You’ll never believe why I moved to ___.”
“Seeking someone to do ___ with.”
“Willing to lie about how we met.”
“I am sweet, ambitious and thoughtful.”
“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”
“Looking for my Netflix & chill.”
“I have an MBA, love tacos, and am looking for someone to play video games with.”
Words to use to describe yourself in your profile
Gillis says using certain words in your headline or About Me can help you attract the right people to your profile. This is what he says the following words communicate about you:
“adventure” or “explorer” – You’re spontaneous and love to try new things.
“passionate” or “driven” – You’re ambitious and do things with purpose.
“kind” or “compassionate” – You have a caring and empathetic nature.
“fun” or “lighthearted” – You have a positive attitude and sense of humor.
“family-oriented” or “homebody” – You have a strong sense of family values and desire for a stable home life.
“fit” or “health-conscious” – You’re committed to taking care of yourself and living a healthy lifestyle.
“creative” or “artsy” – You’re interested in the arts and have a unique perspective on life.
“intelligent” or “well-read” – You love to learn and expand your knowledge.
“independent” or “self-sufficient” – You’re confident and resilient.
“responsible” or “mature” – Your partners can depend on you.
“nurturing” or “caring” – You like to take care of people.
“flexible” or “adaptable” – You’re willing to work around busy schedules and don’t need a lot of attention.
“balanced” or “well-rounded” – You strike a good balance between work and play.
“open-minded” or “non-judgmental” – You are open to different types of people and relationships.
“enthusiastic” or “optimistic” – You have a positive attitude and are willing to take risks and try new things.
“supportive” or “encouraging” – You understand and support the needs and goals of a potential partner.
What to write about yourself on a dating site
Gah! This can be so overwhelming. Worse than a resume or LinkedIn profile. Here’s what our experts say about dating profile decorum:
1. Keep it short
“Keep it short,” says Sandra Schwartz, founder of HerNorm.com, which helps women understand men.
She says if you put everything about yourself on your profile, there might not be anything interesting left to say when you decide to talk to each other online and in person. Just highlight the important things.
2. Tell people what you are looking for
Also, make sure to let them know what you are looking for, says certified sex educator Suzannah Weiss.
“You want a line about what you’re looking for so that you can weed out people who aren’t looking for the same thing,” Weiss says.
She says it doesn’t have to be as direct as saying you’re looking for a relationship — though it can be.
“Try painting a picture of the kind of relationship you want — for example: ‘Looking for someone who will go hiking with me, then snuggle under the covers afterward,’ or ‘Looking for someone to co-parent a cat with,’” Weiss says.
She says you can make it easier for people to ask you out by suggesting a date activity in your bio.
3. Talk about your interests and hobbies
This can give potential matches an idea of what you like to do in your free time and what you’re passionate about. You can also keep it fun and list some of your favorite foods, musical artists, and movies.
Janell O’Leary, head dating coach at EliteDatingManagers.com, a website that helps people with their online dating profiles, suggests ending your prompts with a question for people to reply to:
“For example, a sentence about liking music/cooking/travel, then ‘What’s your favorite recipe/song/next destination?’”
4. Your job and career
Briefly explain what you do for a living and what your work schedule might be like. If you don’t have a lot of time for dating, be upfront about it to avoid getting matched with someone who isn’t flexible.
5. Your goals and aspirations
Talk about where you see yourself in the future, in your relationship, career, family, etc. Do you want kids? Do you want to live in the same area long term or travel the world? Including this information allows you to weed out non-compatible matches.
Dating ‘About me’ examples
Says Schwartz: “The shorter the introduction the better, as it leaves your reader more curious about you. For instance, you can say:
“Founder of a website. Yoga enthusiast. Loves traveling to different and far away places. What’s your story?”
Relationship coach Michelle Devani agrees and offers this sample dating profile:
Four things I couldn’t live without:
My iPhone, my face mask and shield, my best friend, and of course cocktails.
Romantic, caring, passionate, creative, and friendly.
The three things I’m most thankful for:
1) Getting to travel to countries I love visiting.
2) My great friends and loving family.
3) Doing a job that I love.
This is from Starbuck’s own dating profile:
I love love love my work as a collaborative writer, helping others tell their amazing stories. Seriously, best job ever. (Athletes, entertainers, overcomers…) I’m grateful for my beautiful community (ask me!) & I have a lot of energy for life. I love being active outside for a few hours each day—walking, skating, swimming. Have I done standup? Yeah … I have. Was I recently recruited to do roller derby? Also yes. (Still deliberating this one … because not being injured is my favorite.) I try to love folks on the world’s margins the way Jesus did. Wall of heroes in our kitchen includes Jesus, MLK Jr., Oscar Romero, Bree Newsome, and Colin Kaepernick. I’m looking for character and for someone who’s giving back. And he’ll be a man of faith.
Gillis offers this as an example of a good dating profile bio:
“Hey there! I’m a fun-loving and adventurous person who loves to travel and try new things. I’m not saying I’m the best catch out there, but I’m definitely an upgrade from your ex. I’m also a huge animal lover and enjoy hiking and exploring the great outdoors. I’m a nurse and I’m passionate about helping others and making a positive impact in the world. In my free time, you can find me reading a good book or trying out new recipes in the kitchen.. I make a mean grilled cheese. I’m looking for someone who is kind, genuine and has a sense of humor. Bonus points if you’re a travel companion and food lover too! I’m looking for someone who can keep up with my wit and sarcasm, and who’s not afraid of a little cheese. Bonus points if you’re a fan of dad jokes too, because I’ve got plenty to go around.”
Gillis says in this example, the person gives a clear sense of who they are and what they’re like, both in terms of their personality and their interests.
“They use specific examples and anecdotes to give a sense of their personality and interests,” Gillis says.
He says this is an example of a bad dating profile bio:
“I know online dating is a shot in the dark, but my friends are making me do this. I’m just a normal girl looking for a normal guy, unlike my ex. I like to go out and have a good time, but also like to stay in and watch movies. I’m not really picky and will pretty much try anything once. So, if you’re interested just message me and we’ll see where it goes.”
Gillis says this bio is poorly written and unspecific. The person doesn’t mention their interests or what they’re looking for in a partner.
“A well-written and specific bio is more likely to attract potential matches who are interested in getting to know you, as it gives them a sense of who you are as a person,” Gillis says.
Keep your eyes open for these common sneaky divorce tactics
We consulted divorce attorneys and sought advice from real divorcees to learn some of the most common sneaky divorce tactics and how to avoid them:
1. Hiding and restricting access to money
Partners may try to hide money or restrict access to shared finances before or during the divorce process.
Sandra M. Radna, a New York based divorce and family law attorney, says you should meet with an accountant, financial advisor, and trusts and estates attorney as soon as you suspect something is going on.
Sometimes, a person will try to accumulate debt and then quickly divorce their partner to leave them with the payments. However, people don’t always get away with it.
Depending on the state you live in, Radna says marital debt (debt accumulated during the marriage) is often shared equally just like marital assets.
If you live in a community property state, any assets and debt acquired by either spouse during the marriage are supposed to be divided equally between both spouses.
These states are:
Arizona
California
Idaho
Louisiana
Nevada
New Mexico
Texas
Washington
Wisconsin
This doesn’t necessarily mean every asset and debt will be split 50/50, but rather that the sum of your assets and debts should be divided equally. For instance, if you live in a community property state and your spouse has a lot of debt and you don’t, they may be entitled to a larger share of your shared assets to make up for it.
If you live in an equitable distribution state, a judge will determine how to divide assets and debt, unless you come to an agreement with your spouse ahead of time or work with a mediator to determine how to fairly divide them.
If you are an authorized user on one of your spouse’s credit cards, your spouse can cancel that card without your consent or remove you as an authorized user.
However, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, in most cases, you can’t be removed from a joint credit card or bank account without consent.
Real examples:
One woman turned to Reddit for advice after her husband said he removed her from their joint checking account, though it’s unclear whether he would actually be able to do that or simply changed their account login/froze access to her debit card:
Refusing to cooperate during the divorce process is not only extremely frustrating but can delay your divorce completion, prevent you from moving forward, and cost you a lot of money.
While it is possible to settle the terms of a divorce amicably and without court intervention, sometimes filing a court action is best in a contentious situation, says Penelope Hefner, family and law attorney at Sodoma Law in Charlotte, N.C.
“Filing an action does not mean you can’t or won’t settle,” Hefner says. “But if one partner is refusing to cooperate, the court process will provide a timeline and requirements that will push a case forward.”
She says that those court-imposed consequences may convince the partner to have a change of heart. If not, mediation may be required.
Real examples:
“[My ex] refused to cooperate and provide any documentation,” one single mom on Facebook said. Her ex also refused to buy out their house and give her access to her inheritance.
Sometimes divorcing spouses take extreme measures to sway divorce proceedings and make their ex partner suffer:
5. Withdrawing all the money from bank accounts
Some spouses drain or secretly siphon money from shared bank accounts before or after filing for divorce. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep your own money in a separate account.
Radna says if your spouse starts dissipating marital assets, you should get an attorney as soon as possible to stop them with a court order. She says the judge can force your spouse to return your share of the money.
“This means that should a parent take the kids and flee the state, there are national laws in place to address that,” Radna says.
The UCCJEA does not decide where the child has to live but rather which state’s court will determine custody parameters.
Radna says if a parent moves the children outside of what was determined in a court order, that may be grounds for a court to modify custody. Increasingly, judges are not tolerant of parents moving the children away from another parent.
If your partner removes shared possessions from your home — like electronics, jewelry, antique or expensive furniture, or important family heirlooms — this could have legal consequences, depending on which state you live in.
“During the divorce, make sure that you have proof of the value of all assets, including digital assets, before you finalize the divorce agreement,” Radna says.
If you’re looking to get your possessions back, Hefner says the best protection is to document all items as soon as you know that separation is a possibility. To document everything, take photos and create an inventory that includes details like date of purchase and purchase price for each item.
10. Disconnect utilities
Your cable, electricity, or telephone might be cut off by your spouse without any warning, leaving you in the dark.
Hefner says most courts frown upon spiteful behavior like this.
“That type of behavior can result in an award of attorney’s fees for the injured party,” she says.
It can also be used against the offending party if children are involved and custody is in question.
Real example:
One Reddit user asked for advice on how to handle this situation:
Commenters told the original poster to get a lawyer and get herself and her children out of the abusive situation.
Divorce tricks men and women might try
Both men and women can be guilty of sneaky divorce tactics. These are some tricks your husband or wife might try to pull off:
11. Trying to delay the divorce
Dragging out a divorce longer than necessary is a sneaky, annoying way to make the whole process more painful — and more expensive.
One single mom on Facebook said that her ex “took five years to get divorced out of retaliation.”
The best way to avoid dragging out the divorce process is to follow court-imposed requirements and deadlines, she says.
“You don’t want to accuse the other side of not following the rules if you haven’t followed them yourself,” Hefner says.
She suggests holding the other person accountable by notifying the court if a deadline passes.
“Don’t condone bad behavior,” Hefner says.
12. Pressuring you to settle before you are ready
If your spouse is trying to rush you through the divorce process, beware. This might mean they’re hiding assets, or that they plan to stick you with a settlement that’s less than you should receive.
If you know your partner is thinking about divorce, Hefner says you should start learning everything about the process that you can.
She suggests reading books, meeting with a divorce lawyer, scheduling ongoing sessions with a therapist, and meeting with financial professionals. Connect with a certified mental health professional through BetterHelp.com. Read our review.
“Being prepared means you will be ready to make big decisions when the time comes,” Hefner says.
Some ex-husbands and ex-wives might conceal a source of income or try to get out of paying spousal or child support. Hiding assets or failing to pay support is illegal.
Hefner said that if you believe the other party is hiding income or assets, it may be worth it to hire a forensic CPA.
“That work will not come cheap, but it can mean the difference of thousands of dollars depending on what they are able to find and trace,” she says.
Real example:
In this Reddit thread, one user shared how her sister’s ex-husband paid as little as possible:
Whether they do it intentionally or unintentionally, some mothers and fathers say bad things about their ex that cause the children to turn against the other parent.
However, studies have shown that children benefit when both parents are an active, involved part of their lives.
Real examples:
This happened to one Reddit user, who shared his sadness about how his ex-wife weaponized their kids.
Women and men may create unnecessary drama in a divorce. This might include starting rumors about an ex, escalating situations with police involvement (unnecessarily), and seeking restraining orders.
Even if you hate or resent your soon-to-be ex spouse, it’s best for everyone involved — especially if you have children — to play nice. Avoid the temptation to employ these divorce tricks:
16. Don’t serve papers to embarrass them
Some people may choose to serve divorce papers in front of others — at their workplace, or at a family gathering — but this creates unnecessary drama. Plus, your partner might retaliate to humiliate you in turn.
Hefner says most states allow parties to voluntarily accept service rather than being sent the documents by certified mail, by law enforcement, or by a private process server.
“The worst thing you can do is serve someone at work (likely an embarrassing situation for all involved) or in front of your kids (this can be traumatic and confusing for them),” Hefner says.
17. If there was an affair, stay out of it
It might seem tempting to sabotage your partner’s new relationship or start a relationship of your own just to make your ex jealous. However, you should resist the urge to cause drama for your ex and their new partner.
18. Don’t do any of the above sneaky divorce tricks
The divorce tactics listed here are brutal. If you’re going through a divorce, choose to be the bigger person by staying out of the drama. Don’t play any of these tricks on your partner or your ex.
“Be aware that everything you text or say can be used as evidence in your divorce,” Radna advised. “Don’t say things out of anger that you will later regret. Keep your emotions out of it — just communicate what you must about the children or finances, nothing more.”
Bottom line: Know these sneaky divorce tactics so you can overcome them
Divorce can be brutal, especially if your ex insists on playing dirty. Trying to settle a divorce amicably and without court involvement is the best way to avoid these situations, like through the use of an online divorce service.
