The devastation that follows the loss of a spouse is like a vibration that unsettles every part of your existence. It's particularly difficult when the deceased was the main (or only) income earner in the house. Traditionally it was the stay-at-home mom that struggled when dad died. But these days any partner may be the one left to worry about budgets and bills and keeping a roof overhead.

At first you're too consumed with shock and sadness to consider financial consequences, but eventually they must be faced. And while the loneliness seems like a hard punch in the stomach, learning to cope with your new financial reality can feel more like a slap in the face. On-hand money runs out quickly, and unless you have generous relatives or substantial cash reserves to immediately tap into, you will need to find an income source to fill your temporary needs until you have enough time to think about a more permanent solution.

But what can you do if just getting out of bed or getting dressed takes all the energy you have? If you need cash before you're ready to leave the comfort of your own home, online auction sites can be the answer.

You may want to deal with just your partner's belongings. Some people are able to do that. But if you're not comfortable selling such personal things to begin with, don't let that stop you. Almost all of us have some things we're ready to get rid of tucked away in a basement, garage or attic. Start there. Go through your stored "guilt free" stuff and choose a few "starter items." (This is a good place to let an experienced friend help guide you to some "sure-to-sell" selections.)

If you need help with the basics, take advantage of all the "jump start" information that's available to you (including here on the AuctionBytes site). Assuming you're beyond auction selling 101, (or are working with someone that is) here are some solid tips for turning your things or their things into much-needed cash.

Even if you need major money in the worst way, choosing your most valuable item first and hoping for a fast profit is never a good idea. Yes, it's easier to list a single large ticket item rather than a dozen smaller things, but making even a minor mistake in a major listing - like misjudging the best time for the close or underestimating the appropriate asking price - are errors best made on a $5 flashlight rather than a $5000 Tiffany lamp.

So start with something small and easy like extra tools, kitchen utensils, crafting supplies, used toys, CDs, DVDs or other ordinary easy-to-ship items. It will take you a few auctions before you develop a reputation (through positive feedback) and find your "seller's voice," so don't rush things at the start.

If you use a listing resource you'll have your choice of backgrounds and typefaces and a rainbow of colors. Set up a simple sales page that's attractive but non-specific. Later on you can adjust the appearance to match each listing if you like, but at the start you need to concentrate on selling not designing.

Spend that time working on the wording of your headers and item descriptions instead. And although some sellers include bits of their lives in their listings - don't include sad details about your partner's passing. That might make some folks feel sorry for you, but no one really wants that kind of history attached to something they're bringing into their own home.

It helps if you have multiple items to post in the same general category. Not only do you earn a buyer base more quickly, you also build up your feedback rating (if you're new to auctioning) as well as your confidence.

So if you're selling a box of toys, list them individually as "a gently used set of building blocks" or a "great plastic fire truck." On the other hand if you have a group of 20 different yo-yos, put them aside until you're sure you can word and time and price a listing to get top dollar for your "rare and valuable collection."

Aside from the pleasure of seeing the money mount up, there's another important aspect to selling inherited items through online auctions.

The process lets you interact with people that you don't have to deal with on a face to face basis. And best of all, there's a sense of excitement in checking your listings, responding to emailed bidder questions, watching the closings and sharing your successes with friends that gives you something to look forward to and helps keep you engaged in life. And under these circumstances, that has value too.

Part 1, "Online Auctions a Financial and Emotional Aid for Heirs":
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y208/m02/abu0209/s04

Part 2, "Good Friends Are Godsends after the Loss of a Loved One":
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y208/m03/abu0210/s04

Join the discussion on the AuctionBytes Blog:
http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2008/2/1203203368.html