$1300 sits unused in the average home — and selling it could ease the fuel crisis pinch

The estimated value of unused goods in the average home is $1,300 — and turning that clutter into cash could help households weather rising fuel and living costs. Earlier this year, Trade Me reported that 75 percent of people have unused or unwanted items sitting in their homes. On average, each person holds 19 such items. Selling them does not require a salary increase, a bank loan, or a change in spending habits. It is immediate income, tax-free and accessible. While driving slower, switching power providers, or cutting discretionary spending can reduce outflows, selling unused possessions directly boosts household liquidity. For families feeling the squeeze from fuel prices that seem to climb every other day, that $1,300 is not just a number. It is a buffer. It is an option. It is money already owned, merely waiting to be reclaimed.