Looking to make a little money?
With the cost of living crisis continuing to affect millions, many of us are turning to side hustles to bring in a little extra income.
For others, the solution to making some more money could lie in those toys, electronics and other items you’ve long since confined to the attic.
If you were a child of the 00s we can guarantee you will at some point have played a video game, bought into a fashion fad or even had the must-have toy of the year for Christmas.
Some of those items are worth revisiting because now, over two decades on, they could be worth a lot more than they cost originally – meaning it could be quids in for you.
Read on to find out which sought-after 00s items are now potentially worth a fortune – and how much you could get for them…
1. iPod/iPod Nano
If you honed your love of music in the 00s there’s a strong possibility you would have listened to it on one of these – the iPod Nano, a wafer-thin device which allowed users to download and carry around thousands of songs.
With all that music at your fingertips at any one time it’s no surprise this nifty little device helped change the way we listen to our favourite artists now – but with Spotify and streaming platforms now the order of the day you probably haven’t used your Nano for a while.
No matter. Like other outmoded tech, it’s now potentially worth quite a bit – although it does depend on what condition it’s in and whether it’s been used. Money Digest reported that in 2023 an unopened, sealed iPod in its original box was sold for $29,000 (£22,000) – but even if yours isn’t worth that much, the site reports it could still fetch you up to $250 (£192) depending on which model you have and whether it’s still in its original box.
Check the Apple website for info about whether your old model could be a valuable one.
2. PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 hit the shelves in 2000 and was an instant hit, with games such as Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy X among its many big sellers.
Of course it’s since been usurped by newer, snazzier versions of the console but has come to be something of a collector’s item among gaming fans, whether they want a nostalgia boost or the chance to own something they might have been too young for the first time around.
So if you did own a PS2 and you no longer use it, you could be in luck. Prices on this one do vary wildly though – collectibles website PriceCharting suggests a used PS2 out of the box might only fetch you about $90 (£69), an unused one in its box could net you as much as $1,000 (£770).
3. Bratz dolls
Back in the Noughties the rise of the Bratz doll was unstoppable. The four original dolls – Yasmin, Cloe, Sasha and Jade – hit the market in 2001, with the franchise spawning everything from Bratz Boyz and Babyz through to a TV series, a web series and even a live-action movie in 2007.
And they’re still popular today, of course – but if you were one of those who first snapped up a Bratz doll back in the day, could you be sitting on a fortune now?
Well like all these things it depends on which one you happen to have, and whether you ever took it out of the box – although a look on eBay currently confirms prices vary from a tenner through to a cool £1,000 for the rare Bratz twins Ciara and Donna, in their original packaging. So worth digging out those dolls and seeing which ones you have
4. Game Boy Advance
The Nintendo Gameboy might have revolutionised gaming in the 90s, but the handheld console upped things a notch when the Advance was launched in 2001. The SP model quickly became popular for its flip screen and rechargeable battery, not to mention its impressive library of games, some of which will also net you a fair bit of money if they’re in mint condition.
As for the console though, PriceCharting estimates you could get as much as $140 (£107) for certain models, although prices do tend to vary on this one. Over on CeX, prices range from around £60-£140 – again depending on which one you have and whether it’s still boxed.
So not enough to make you rich but still a nice little earner.
5. Super soakers
Who’d have thought your old water pistols might actually earn you a bit of money? Not us that’s for sure.
Super Soakers have actually been around since 1989, and still exist today but their continued popularity throughout the Noughties suggests that if you were a child in the first decade of the 21st century you might have one of these lurking somewhere – and it could well pay dividends.
While a new one won’t necessarily make you very much money at all, Marie Claire confirmed that some vintage Super Soakers could fetch as much as $400 (£308).
6. Lego
OK, so a pile of random bricks you might have played with back in 2006 won’t necessarily make you any money. But certain Lego sets which hit the shops in the 2000s are worth a tidy sum, two decades on. Such as 2007’s Lego Ultimate Collector’s Millennium Falcon, which is a very sought-after item for Lego enthusiasts.
If you have one of those lying around somewhere and it’s in mint condition you could well be sitting on a fortune – since one such model is available on eBay for an impressive $7,199 (£5,546).
As with all things the price may vary depending on the condition of the item (having bits missing is never a good thing) and whether it’s still boxed. And there’s no guarantee anyone will buy it for that sum, of course.
7. Tamagotchis
Ever kept a Tamagotchi in your bag or your back pocket? More importantly, have you remembered to feed it, play with it and generally keep the little electronic blob happy if you have?
Tamagotchis are still around these days, having expanded their reach to appear in video games, as well as the 2022 Pixar movie Turning Red, in which lead character Meilin owned a Tamagotchi called Robaire Junior. But while they first arrived in stores in 1997, the pocket pet remained popular throughout the 2000s, so if you weren’t born in time to nab a 90s model you don’t have to miss out.
Smithsonian Magazine reported in 2021 that a rare Mobile Kaitsu! Tamagotchi Plus from the era was sold for over $5,000 (£3,800) while other similar 90s Tamagotchis can also sell for around the $1,000 (£765) mark.
Only the 90s ones, mind – so if your Tamagotchi is still a 21st Century infant don’t expect a four-figure sum
8. Marie Antoinette Barbie
Let’s face it, if you have any sort of special edition Barbie sitting at home in your 2000s toybox you should check out its value. But the Marie Antoinette Barbie, produced in 2003 as part of the Women In Royalty series (which also featured a Queen Elizabeth I Barbie), is one which could potentially net you a nice sum of money.
The BBC reported that the doll sold at auction earlier this year for £640, while Barbie in all her Palace of Versailles glory can be found on eBay for prices in upward of £2,000.
It might not be that widely-owned Barbie but this is one piece of plastic which is, let’s be honest, fantastic.
9. Hasbro i-Dog
Hands up everyone who remembers the Hasbro i-Dog, the high-tech robot dog which burst on to the scene in the mid-00?
This was one dog which didn’t need walking or taking to the vet but would perform some nice dance moves when connected to an iPod – and if having a dog didn’t take your fancy you could also choose from i-Cat, i-Fish, i-Penguin or even i-Turtle.
Although the toys were discontinued in 2009 there’s still some knocking around on eBay – and if you’d like to add yours to the online marketplace you could get around £75 for it.
10. Yu-Gi-Oh cards
The popular manga series Yu-Gi-Oh appeared in Japanese magazine Shonen Jump between 1996 and 2004, centring on Yugi Mutou, a boy with an affinity for games, who solves the ancient Millennium Puzzle.
It was hugely popular, as was the accompanying trading card game – and here’s where the potential cash cow comes in, as rare Yu-Gi-Oh cards could land you a very pretty penny.
According to Hypebeast the most expensive card ever sold to date is that of Tyler The Great Warrior, who went for $321,311 (£247,935) in 2023 – although other pricey cards in the series do exist.
11. Hannah Montana Malibu Beach House
Finally, cast your mind back to the days when Hannah Montana ruled the airwaves – or at least after-school TV on Disney Channel.
The series, which turned Miley Cyrus into a big name star, ran from 2006 until 2011, and of course, as with any similar show, there was merchandise, including Hannah’s very own beach house.
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If you’ve got one of these lurking at the back of a cupboard somewhere, unplayed with for years, then it’s worth revisiting, not necessarily to recreate Hannah’s best comic moments but to line your wallet. According to Marie Claire one of these could net you as much as $200 (£154) (provided you haven’t taken a wrecking ball to it).
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