Month: November 2025

• I pay for date-night babysitters with money I make from selling my clutter on Facebook.
• Selling items at low prices helps move more volume and attract buyers.
• This win-win means more alone time with my partner and a less cluttered house.

Friday is coming and I’m itching to go out for a night on the town with my husband. Luckily, my next porch pickup is scheduled to arrive soon, so I’ll be adding a few more dollars to my wallet.

With everyone’s budget stretched thin, it seems that more people are turning to Facebook for a deal. This works out well for me and gives me an extra incentive to tidy up my house.

Selling items as cheaply as $5 adds up and has meant sending some substantial extra money into my pocket over the years. These days, I like to set this cash aside to have on hand when the weekend comes around and my husband and I need a little break from our five kids.

My tiny side hustle funds our date nights

That t-shirt I ordered online that didn’t fit right, that I can no longer return? I can get $7 for that. Some weird vase I got at a garage sale years ago and no longer use? Someone will probably pay me $5 for that. And they do.

By the weekend, I might have made $50 to $60 by selling items that I no longer need or want. One week, I offloaded two bins of kids’ clothes and made $125.

If I girl math my way through it, this extra cash means that I only have to really consider the cost of dinner and drinks, or an activity, rather than all that plus a sitter. So, date nights are more affordable and more likely to happen regularly.

I always have items to sell

I’ve been doing this for about 10 years, and I still haven’t run out of things that I want to trade for a few dollars.

Once I realized how lucrative this side hustle could be, I established a “sell bin” near my front door, where I stash things that are on my nerves, unneeded, outgrown, or otherwise need to leave my house ASAP. For me, this makes selling a little more mindless and a lot less stressful.

I’ve learned a lot through years of selling

If you want items to sell quickly — and I do — I’ve learned that you have to price them correctly. Many people overprice items on Facebook Marketplace, but I’ve found that pricing them very low — usually at just 10 to 30% of their original price — helps me move more volume.

Dropping prices can also attract more buyers to your item, as Facebook highlights when a seller reduces the price of items posted through Facebook Marketplace. Everyone loves getting a deal, and I’m usually happy to negotiate as well.

Another strategy I’ve seen work well, and have tried myself, is thinking way, way ahead when selling things like kids’ clothes. For example, if I’ve finished with my summer clothes, I put them in a box labeled “sell these summer clothes in spring of 2026” and then stash them in my basement until next year. Nobody wants to buy your old summer items when it’s November.

I prioritize safety when selling

I usually have buyers come to my home, where I have a security camera by my door. If I agree to meet a buyer in person for a sale, I try to bring someone with me and meet in a very public place, such as the parking lot of a grocery store.

While I sometimes post my items on Facebook Marketplace, I’ve found that I can sell just as many items by posting in smaller, more targeted groups. I belong to a handful of local mom groups on Facebook, so I often sell there and end up knowing some of the people I’m selling to, rather than frequently dealing with strangers.

I work from home, so it’s easy for me to be available for multiple pickups a week. However, I try to do mostly porch pickups for convenience.

The government shutdown is affecting thousands of travellers across the US, as airports grapple with air traffic controller shortages.

The Federal Aviation Administration has moved to implement a 10% reduction in flights at 40 airports across the country.

That began with a 4% reduction to operations on Friday. It will increase to 10% by November 14.

Around 780 flights had been canceled as of 1 p.m. ET on Friday, according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics firm.

Check back here for the latest updates on Saturday.

• Luxury brand The Row is as hot — and as expensive — as ever.
• One of the brand’s more affordable items, a white cotton T-shirt, costs $520.
• Here’s how a wardrobe staple can end up costing more than some laptops.

Last month, hundreds of people lined up at The Row’s Sample Sale — or paid linesitters as much as $40 an hour to do so — for the privilege of spending $130 on a plain white T-shirt designed by Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen.

That price, more than 10 times the price of a classic Hanes V-neck, is a steal for an item from The Row. The brand’s classic Tori tee — a 100% midweight cotton shirt with a ripped neckline — typically costs $520.

If a $130 shirt didn’t beg the question, a $520 one does: What makes one of a closet’s simplest items worth more than a round-trip flight from New York to San Francisco or some laptops?

There’s no logo, no cashmere, no silk. To the untrained eye, the only distinction is a straight line of stitching running down the back.

It’s emblematic of how expensive luxury goods have gotten. From 2019 to 2023, the prices of some handbags rose by as much as 100%, according to a September report from Morningstar, which called the increases “excessive.”

But excessive may be in the eye of the shopper.

“True luxury customers, specifically for these brands, are price-agnostic,” retail analyst Hitha Herzog told Business Insider.

Determining the exact price of a luxury item, whether it’s a handbag or a white tee, is more of an art than a science. Unlike with mass retailers like Gap or Zara, it’s less about the price of the materials and production and more about perception.

“Nobody needs a $500 T-shirt,” Nicole Marra, the founder and CEO of brand consultancy Fixer Advisory Group, told Business Insider. “They’re selling a dream.”

‘All cotton T-shirts are not created equal’

Most mere mortals have not seen a T-shirt from The Row up close, felt the cotton, or investigated the stitching.

If you did, chances are you’d be a little impressed.

“All cotton T-shirts are not created equal,” Marra said.

The process for creating a better one is more expensive at every step, starting with the design.

To achieve The Tori’s shrunken fit — “one that’s more luxe and hangs just right,” Marra said — The Row may have its (expensive) designer create and order a dozen (expensive) samples, each of which has to be sourced and produced.

Then, like with any item of clothing, there are materials and manufacturing costs.

In the case of the Tori T-shirt, that means expensive, extra-soft cotton and manufacturing in Italy, where labor costs more than in countries like China or Bangladesh, which produce your run-of-the-mill white shirt. Luxury clothing in Italy is made in small batches and hand-finished using the finest fabrics, Marra said.

“You can see the craftsmanship that goes into it,” she added.

That refinement — along with the brand’s marketing and retail experience — is baked into the cost. The Row’s boutiques are located on ritzy stretches of New York’s Amagansett and Upper East Side with top-of-the-line salespeople. And, while The Row doesn’t have flashy magazine ads or celebrity billboards, it does invest in fashion shows in Paris, photo shoots, and gifting for loyal customers.

“That’s all built into the price of that shirt,” Herzog said.

Those costs mean that even at $520, the margins are likely only slightly higher than average, Shikha Jain, the lead partner for consumer and retail at advisory Simon-Kucher, told Business Insider.

“A T-shirt from fast fashion could also still have a 50% margin versus a high-end T-shirt,” she said. “But the dollar value, that’ll be different. So 50% on $20 is $10; 50% on $500 is $250.”

The price of perception

While materials and production account for part of the cost, the remainder is less tangible.

The brand could probably sell its $520 T-shirt for $400 and still maintain a healthy profit margin, or $600 and still find a buyer.

“A product is more than just its physical attributes — especially in luxury,” Jain said. “We’re not just talking about the raw materials, the labor.”

That’s when the art of pricing comes in.

The merchandising, product, and finance teams set the product’s final price based on brand as much as — if not more than — the cost of actually making the goods.

After all, brand is perhaps what The Row is selling above all else — and its brand has value. The fashion label was the fourth hottest brand of the third quarter, according to The Lyst Index, which measures the popularity of luxury brands.

“A $500 tee from The Row is not priced based on cotton and stitching, but on meaning, emotion, and perception,” Daniel Langer, CEO of the luxury strategy firm Équité and Luxury Professor at Pepperdine University, told Business Insider.

Competition helps shape that perception. Pricing can be a crucial indicator of a brand’s position within the luxury ecosystem.

If one of The Row’s competitors, Khaite, say, were to sell its cotton tee for $300, customers might think The Row’s is a rip-off. If Khaite was selling a $700 T-shirt, shoppers might assume it’s better than The Row’s.

Scarcity, or as Herzog called it, “the brand’s ability to create a FOMO on a product,” can also play a role in the strategy. The Row’s $620 Ama slides — think Adidas shower shoe — were produced in a limited quantity this summer and swiftly sold out.

But there is still a real finger-to-the-wind quality to the exercise.

“It’s often still a gut feeling, looking left and right,” Langer said.

Then again, to the luxury buyer, the price may not matter all that much.

“If you can afford to be in on the coolest, most beautiful fabric, hottest T-shirt, that’s going to look perfect under your blazer,” Marra said. “Why not?”

And, to put it in some perspective, it’s a lot cheaper than The Row’s other T-shirt options. A cashmere model? That will cost you $1,050.

• Job seekers can access free resources and support to land a job in a tough market.
• Nonprofits and government programs offer free career coaching, clothing, and transportation.
• Zapier recruiter Bonnie Dilber shared numerous free resources from Lyft and other companies.

Unemployment has been steadily creeping up over the last two years, with many corporate and tech companies limiting their hiring and conducting layoffs. As a result, many people find themselves either seriously underemployed or unable to find an opportunity.

Unfortunately, this job market has also left job seekers vulnerable to scams or companies with predatory practices. When someone puts up an “open to work” banner on LinkedIn, they are flooded with comments and offers from résumé writers, career coaches, companies offering AI services, and more.

There are other job seekers who struggle to navigate job searching because, after months or even years of unemployment, the expense of childcare or transportation can be a barrier for them.

But here’s the truth: You do not need to spend any money to land a job. As a recruiter, I suggest the following free resources and services to job seekers.

Job seekers can gain access to free transportation and clothing

For those struggling with transportation, Lyft offers a free program to provide transportation to and from interviews, and even to your first few weeks on the job.

If you’re unsure of what to wear to an interview or your new job, nonprofits like Dress for Success, Career Gear, and your local Goodwill offer free clothing. There are lots of local nonprofits that offer similar services.

Beyond clothing, Goodwill is an incredible resource for job seekers, with many offering career centers where job seekers can get everything from bus vouchers or gas cards to feedback on their résumés.

Career coaching doesn’t have to cost 

While you will find no shortage of résumé writers and career coaches selling their services for hundreds or thousands of dollars, you can also get completely free support.

The nonprofit Pay Forward Coaching will pair you with a career coach or recruiting professional for a complimentary coaching call. Additionally, they have a Slack channel where you can receive support from coaches and other job seekers.

Never Search Alone is another organization that will pair you with a team of job seekers in your field so you can support each other through your job search.

Careeronestop.org is sponsored by the US Department of Labor and has resources for job seekers ranging from résumé advice and templates to tools for navigating specific challenges, such as job hunting as an immigrant or re-entering the workforce after spending time in the justice system.

Organizations provide a wide range of job search help

For immigrants, Upwardly Global is another nonprofit that offers a wide range of free support, including career coaching, courses to develop in-demand skills, and job placement support. Mid-career professionals, on the other hand, can lean on the Rework America Alliance for similar resources to support upskilling and navigating a job search.

Another organization that can provide resources for a wide range of needs is 211.org. Its services include resources for food, childcare, and healthcare needs.

Don’t underestimate the importance of community during the job search process

Finally, I would encourage job seekers to lean on their local community. Your neighborhood Facebook group could be a great place to connect with others who are searching for work.  You can build relationships and support one another, whether that’s through transportation, childcare, or identifying other community resources.

Community groups can also be a great way to find additional support from the local community. Some of the examples I’ve seen include:

• Dry cleaners that offer to clean interview clothes for free.
• Restaurants that will offer meals for families who are unemployed.
• Assistance with meals or transportation.
• And of course, referrals, résumé feedback, and job opportunities.

We all need support sometimes

In the US, independence is ingrained in us, and many of us may find it difficult to ask for help or let our community know when we’re having a hard time. However, there are tons of resources and people around who are ready to help.

Unemployment can be an extremely scary time, but know that you’re not alone.

Bonnie Dilber is the business recruiting team lead at Zapier and regularly shares free updated resources for job seekers here.