Ebay

Wondering what to do with that love seat you don't need? Or the motorcycle you no longer ride? How about the closet full of clothes and shoes that don't suit your tastes anymore? There's a new store in town looking to help you purge it. Josie's eBay Fun Finds specializes in selling many different items in a market that can reach a larger buying audience than the average yard sale or classified ad. "The whole eBay side is to help them make money," said Josie Stepan, owner of Josie's eBay Fun Finds.

LANCASTER - Christian Appalachian Project, a local human services charity based in eastern Kentucky, recently began exploring new fundraising options via online auction site eBay, and is finding the site to be a great way to increase revenue. The site, which draws millions of viewers from all over the world, partners with thousands of nonprofit charities to allow the organizations to auction off a variety of items, with the proceeds being used to help support their missions. Not only does this bring in much-needed program funding, it also exposes CAP to millions of people who might not otherwise be aware of its mission.

Escaping the constant talk about the recession and the economic hardship so many Americans are facing is nearly impossible. But the outlook isn't all bleak. Many resourceful people are finding ways to keep their finances intact, regardless of what happens in Washington or on Wall Street. Bobby Gipson has found his niche turning other people's trash into treasure for his bank account. Four years ago, Gipson decided to make some extra cash by selling items on the popular Internet site, eBay, and turned his expertise into his own business, Triple G Wholesale.

Diane Sullivan gets a kick out of her hobby. She finds boots for as little as $3 a pair in consignment stores and sells them for as much as $100 on eBay. In her hands, a purse bought for $1.75 results in a sale of $125. Normally, she reaps less, but eBay sales are profitable. Her earnings funded a trip to Ireland, an in-ground pool at her Lancaster home, a rehearsal dinner for her son's wedding and helped pay for her daughter's wedding. "I can do this better if I have a goal," she says, noting that she and her husband have outlined some travel plans.

Buying online can be a great way to get a deal. But if you shop on eBay, there are few things you should remember: 1. Always read the fine print: Sometimes the item pictured is NOT the item actually being sold. We recently saw an auction where the picture had hundreds of coins pictured but the winner was only going to receive 10 random coins from the picture. I'm guessing some of the bidders were not paying close attention. Their bid was way higher than expected for only 10 coins.  2. Check the seller's feedback: The seller's feedback can give you a great idea of what to expect from your purchase.

This week I present a question from my mailbag. Today's question comes from Mr. Roark. He asks, "Could you please tell me some local ISPs around here. I live in Lincoln County. It has to be a Stanford number to call, as I don't have area calling. " A: If you are referring to local ISPs with a local office to go in and pay in person, we still have Clay's ISP, located inside of Kid's Alley on Fourth Street in Danville. The service is only $9.50 per month and it has several Stanford access numbers.

"The Frugal Life" will discuss how to cut expenses, reduce debt and stash more cash. It will be held 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Inter-County Energy Building, 1009 Hustonville Road. It is sponsored by the University of Kentucky county extension agents. Deadline for registering is Feb. 21. A snow date for the meeting is April 18. Send registration form and a $10 check made payable to "Boyle County Extension Homemakers" to: Boyle County Extension Office, 446 N. Danville Bypass, Danville, KY 40422.

Every American is protected by the guarantees of the First Amendment, but protections for religious liberty and free expression apply only when government actions are involved ? and therein is the rub for some of our fellow citizens. ? A former Home Depot employee raised freedom of religion as a defense last week after he was fired for wearing a "One nation under God" button on his company apron. The worker says he was just showing his love of God and country, and showing support for his brother, who is about to begin a second National Guard tour of duty in Iraq.

Boyle County Community Education is offering the following classes. For more information and to register, call (859) 239-8986. Computer classes are $65 or $55 for those over age 55. Danville-Boyle-Kentucky School for the Deaf Community Education is at 202 S. Second St., P.O. Box 655, Danville. Sell This House!: 6:30-8 p.m. Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 at Boyle County High School. Realtor Maribeth Lovett has tips that will draw attention to buyers and bring more money. $24. Ins and Outs of eBay: 6-8 p.m. Feb. 6 and 8 at Community Education.

I haven't written a column about saving money lately, because - turn those pockets inside out - I haven't. I'm consoling myself at my frequent visits to the pump by swiping my debit card. It's less real than handing over cold, hard cash. Plus, I tell myself that I'm saving valuable time by not going in the store and standing in line waiting for everybody to buy their cigs, lottery tickets and soft drink. So, I knew a bargain was staring me in the face when I was assigned to work at Salvation Army for the United Way Day of Caring.

Buying online can be a great way to get a deal. But if you shop on eBay, there are few things you should remember: 1. Always read the fine print: Sometimes the item pictured is NOT the item actually being sold. We recently saw an auction where the picture had hundreds of coins pictured but the winner was only going to receive 10 random coins from the picture. I'm guessing some of the bidders were not paying close attention. Their bid was way higher than expected for only 10 coins.  2. Check the seller's feedback: The seller's feedback can give you a great idea of what to expect from your purchase.

LEXINGTON — As part of its seventh annual Roll Out the Rain Barrels campaign, Bluegrass PRIDE (Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment) placed 27 artistic rain barrels on display throughout central Kentucky. Two were created by local artists: “Leapin’ Lizards,” by Roni Gilpin of Mercer County; and “Genesis,” by Dorothy Green of Danville. Currently, each of the artistic barrels is on eBay, under keywords “artistic rain barrels.

Every American is protected by the guarantees of the First Amendment, but protections for religious liberty and free expression apply only when government actions are involved ? and therein is the rub for some of our fellow citizens. ? A former Home Depot employee raised freedom of religion as a defense last week after he was fired for wearing a "One nation under God" button on his company apron. The worker says he was just showing his love of God and country, and showing support for his brother, who is about to begin a second National Guard tour of duty in Iraq.

Escaping the constant talk about the recession and the economic hardship so many Americans are facing is nearly impossible. But the outlook isn't all bleak. Many resourceful people are finding ways to keep their finances intact, regardless of what happens in Washington or on Wall Street. Bobby Gipson has found his niche turning other people's trash into treasure for his bank account. Four years ago, Gipson decided to make some extra cash by selling items on the popular Internet site, eBay, and turned his expertise into his own business, Triple G Wholesale.

Wondering what to do with that love seat you don't need? Or the motorcycle you no longer ride? How about the closet full of clothes and shoes that don't suit your tastes anymore? There's a new store in town looking to help you purge it. Josie's eBay Fun Finds specializes in selling many different items in a market that can reach a larger buying audience than the average yard sale or classified ad. "The whole eBay side is to help them make money," said Josie Stepan, owner of Josie's eBay Fun Finds.

Stanford's ungrammatical but savory itsa restaurant! is for sale on e-bay. Sure enough, go to the online auction site and you can buy the restaurant for $329,000. "My nephew put it up there," said itsa! owner, Ilene Severance. "It's a darn good deal, if someone wants to run it. It's set up and ready to go, food and everything. " A Lexington television station reported earlier this week that itsa! was posted, along with Lexington's Portofino, which led reporters to the story in the first place.

Contours Express partners with Chicken Soup for the Soul Contours Express, the all-women circuit training gym franchise headquartered in Nicholasville, recently partnered with Chicken Soup for the Soul, the No. 1 best selling book publisher, to co-publish a new book called "Chicken Soup for the Soul Supplements for the Contours Express Member. " The book is a guide to weight loss and emotional gain, and features the signature Contours Express 29-minute express workouts, as well as the publishing company's new line of natural supplements.

Winchester residents and businesses that want to sell items on eBay can now turn over the entire process of listing, selling and collecting to a new service in Winchester: iAuction Express, at 901 W. Lexington Ave. While many people and businesses create their own listings on the site, many more would like to reach eBay's marketplace but do not have the time, equipment or ability to do so, according to the company. Trading assistants Steve Craycraft and Amanda Baber have formed their own businesses to carry out the complete selling operation for them.

Boyle County Community Education is offering the following classes. For more information and to register, call (859) 239-8986. Computer classes are $65 or $55 for those over age 55. Danville-Boyle-Kentucky School for the Deaf Community Education is at 202 S. Second St., P.O. Box 655, Danville. Sell This House!: 6:30-8 p.m. Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 at Boyle County High School. Realtor Maribeth Lovett has tips that will draw attention to buyers and bring more money. $24. Ins and Outs of eBay: 6-8 p.m. Feb. 6 and 8 at Community Education.

"The Frugal Life" will discuss how to cut expenses, reduce debt and stash more cash. It will be held 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Inter-County Energy Building, 1009 Hustonville Road. It is sponsored by the University of Kentucky county extension agents. Deadline for registering is Feb. 21. A snow date for the meeting is April 18. Send registration form and a $10 check made payable to "Boyle County Extension Homemakers" to: Boyle County Extension Office, 446 N. Danville Bypass, Danville, KY 40422.