If you’ve been online, you’ve probably, at some point, heard someone express that they’re ready to give up on their 9-5 and sell used underwear instead.
In fact, a viral video in which a woman tells an interviewer she made £400,000 from selling used pants recently did the rounds on Twitter.
“Women really got life on easy mode,” the caption read.
Melissa Cook, a resident sex therapist at FunWithFeet and SofiaGray (the used underwear site mentioned in the video), told HuffPost UK she’s “read stories about people who are making thousands every single month from selling used underwear”.
“Prices for used underwear start from around £20-£40 but custom requests can go way into the hundreds,” she added.
The anonymous, low-hassle nature of the work might seem especially appealing to those looking for a side hustle.
Although you can’t help but wonder: if selling your knickers was so incredibly lucrative, well, why would we still have jobs?
Earnings seem to vary – a LOT
First of all, it’s important to keep in mind that many underwear-selling sites charge their... suppliers(?) a fee to join. One Vice journalist attempted to get in the biz for some added dollar, only to find that “most first-time sellers were likely to make maybe $200 per month (if that)”.
Her attempts to earn some covert cash included posting to Reddit boards, reaching out to individual buyers, showing racy pics of herself in the garments, and even going into talks about “masturbation vials”, which is apparently a vial that you wee or spit in (only to be ghosted by the prospective buyer).
Of course, it helps if you have a large OnlyFans or Instagram following. And to some extent, you get back what you put in – “it takes consistency, patience, avid relationship building and, yes, more time. I lose interest in things quickly if they’re not working out in my favour. This was one of those times. It’s likely that a month and a half was not long enough to build a loyal fan base or a diverse shop,” the journalist said.
Other, more seasoned sellers spoke to Metro with one saying she makes £611 per month “on a very, very good month”. The other said that an exceptional week for her would see her earn £500.
“Typically in the UK a pair worn for 24 hours sells for £15-£20, however people pay extra for wearing longer, worked out in or pee,” a seller named Misssmithxxx told the publication.
Of course, there appear to be true ballers in the game, too – the big earners tend to have built specific relationships with reliable clients. “On average, I make about £1,400 per month but sometimes I’ve made close to £4,000,” a seller told Metro.