Things that I hunt for at garage sales / thrift stores

[Deeseven]

any rpg from the playstation 1 or 2 is almost a promise you'll get profit depending on the condition

 

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[Eagle101]

I stay away from all the sports games unless they are the current years. The only exception is FIFA soccer I will buy those going 3 years back.

When I go to a yard sale and see they have around 20 or so Xbox 360 or PS3 games 90% of the time i can bundle them together and get them for less than $2 each. Usually there are 4-5 games I sell for $20 each. The rest I put as a lot on eBay and get really good money for them. Off of $40 within a week I will make a couple of hundred of them depending on the game.

 

[cyberdan]

Recent completed listings.

famousturtle2010 | eBay

you sold a big mouth billy bass for $35?
I probably see one every week at yardsales.

Who is the model in your listing: Desert Tan Seal Small Regular Military Blouse Shirt

 

[DennisOz]

I'm a trift store, antique shop, pawn shop, yard sale, church sale, flea market, craigslist & parking lot sale "Freak". To me its the best way to get my mind off any stress, worry or undesirable thoughts that any bad day could throw at me. Its a great fact that No One Giant Corporation could ever capitalize on the billions of dollars of used items available on this planet. The best is you can make money on all this treasure out there. Knowledge is a key factor in finding a deal and the list of these type treasures is vast. My partners when we all find our selfs together in Nevada thow all their money in the penny slots, I spend time looking for a sure bet. As for me, one of the best treasures I've found are the retired widows on a limited income, the fellow who wasn't finding a job to pay all the bills and many others great folks doing the same as I. Those are the treasures I call now friends that I run into on the hunt. We boast about what we found, swap stories, give tips and share ideas. We greet each other ever time with a smile.

I will share this idea with you all. Some time back I was selling an item online and I always look at buyers records to see how they spend their money. One fella spent a good amount on many pieces Hartmann Luggage. I thought I better check out the thift store areas with all those bags, suitcases and briefcases. I look now ever time and have found some good money makers in that section of the store. I found this Carry on Hartmann for 6 dollars, but I kept it as I travel a bunch in my job and its just a well built bag. When I got it I looked at the sales history and found that one used and exactly like it, just sold for close to 300 dollars. This one I'll keep.

What a great list and I picked up some tips...Thank you!

Great advice.

 

[frankendime]

Old steel implement/ wagon wheels. Can't go wrong...

 

[lookin-for-treasure]

What are RPG playstation games?

 

[Eagle101]

Role playing games.

 

[lookin-for-treasure]

Role playing games.

Thanks, I appreciate it.

 

[jerseyben]

Vinyl records...

Vinyl has made a comeback in the past 10 years and is rapidly growing as a market. It is not too late to get in on this. I STILL find countless vinyl records at most thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales. Vinyl collectors are often hard-core die hards! They know what they want and are willing to work (and pay) to get it. Condition is very important! The average price is $1 per LP and 50 cents to $1 per 45. If a vinyl bin looks "picked over", it probably is.

What to avoid: Try not to pay more than $1 per LP. Avoid most records older than 1950. Avoid most soundtracks, big band, brass band, holiday music, musicals, childrens music, disney, jazzercise, speeches, political, cheesy/smooth jazz, "best of the 40s", or anything that your (older) grandparents or toddlers would listen to. I also personally avoid all DJ dance club records. Avoid records that are badly damaged (anything other than a few scuffs or scratches is no good). Avoid LPs missing their covers (also avoid covers that are moldy or water damaged). It is usually easier to buy 45s in bulk and I never pay more than $1 and usually it is more like 25-50 cents each. 45s are actually your best money maker. People tend to buy these to fill old jukeboxes. People who collect 45s tend to hoard them and are not discriminate about genres. 45s are ok to buy loose and if they have a picture sleeve that is a huge bonus. I cannot stress this enough - try to buy 45s in bulk, as there are so many that buying 1 or 2 is almost pointless.
Also, just because you found a record of an old band you liked in the 70s does not mean it is valuable today.

What to look for: I think the popular/valuable records are fairly obvious. Classic rock (beatles, rolling stones, etc) and 60's contemporary (mammas and pappas, beach boys, and most hippie music). The valuable records are often the most obscure bands on obscure labels that no one has ever heard of. This is very hard and I take $1 gambles on these types of records all the time. Most times, I do not come out ahead. One time I gambled $1 on a record and sold it for $250 (plus countless other $20 scores), so it does happen. The best kept secret for buying records is to buy any and all sealed (in original shrinkwrap) records regardless of what it is (if you can get it for a buck). Any sealed record (95% of them) is worth more than a dollar. Also, look for UK or Japan pressings of US releases. They are almost always worth more than their US counterparts (even when the US version is worthless). Punk rock, hardcore, and death metal are often released on vinyl and they can be quite hard to find (many are pressed in quantities of 500 or less). These are almost always worth buying. Most obscure psychadelic, cosmic, hippie, paranormal, occult type records are worth buying (the weird stuff). Also, buy any record that says MFSL (audiophile pressings) on the top in a colored border.

 

[lookin-for-treasure]

Vinyl records...

Vinyl has made a comeback in the past 10 years and is rapidly growing as a market. It is not too late to get in on this. I STILL find countless vinyl records at most thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales. Vinyl collectors are often hard-core die hards! They know what they want and are willing to work (and pay) to get it. Condition is very important! The average price is $1 per LP and 50 cents to $1 per 45. If a vinyl bin looks "picked over", it probably is.

What to avoid: Try not to pay more than $1 per LP. Avoid most records older than 1950. Avoid most soundtracks, big band, brass band, holiday music, musicals, childrens music, disney, jazzercise, speeches, political, cheesy/smooth jazz, "best of the 40s", or anything that your (older) grandparents or toddlers would listen to. I also personally avoid all DJ dance club records. Avoid records that are badly damaged (anything other than a few scuffs or scratches is no good). Avoid LPs missing their covers (also avoid covers that are moldy or water damaged). It is usually easier to buy 45s in bulk and I never pay more than $1 and usually it is more like 25-50 cents each. 45s are actually your best money maker. People tend to buy these to fill old jukeboxes. People who collect 45s tend to hoard them and are not discriminate about genres. 45s are ok to buy loose and if they have a picture sleeve that is a huge bonus. I cannot stress this enough - try to buy 45s in bulk, as there are so many that buying 1 or 2 is almost pointless.
Also, just because you found a record of an old band you liked in the 70s does not mean it is valuable today.

What to look for: I think the popular/valuable records are fairly obvious. Classic rock (beatles, rolling stones, etc) and 60's contemporary (mammas and pappas, beach boys, and most hippie music). The valuable records are often the most obscure bands on obscure labels that no one has ever heard of. This is very hard and I take $1 gambles on these types of records all the time. Most times, I do not come out ahead. One time I gambled $1 on a record and sold it for $250 (plus countless other $20 scores), so it does happen. The best kept secret for buying records is to buy any and all sealed (in original shrinkwrap) records regardless of what it is (if you can get it for a buck). Any sealed record (95% of them) is worth more than a dollar. Also, look for UK or Japan pressings of US releases. They are almost always worth more than their US counterparts (even when the US version is worthless). Punk rock, hardcore, and death metal are often released on vinyl and they can be quite hard to find (many are pressed in quantities of 500 or less). These are almost always worth buying. Most obscure psychadelic, cosmic, hippie, paranormal, occult type records are worth buying (the weird stuff). Also, buy any record that says MFSL (audiophile pressings) on the top in a colored border.

Very Nice Information Jersey Ben, hope I can return the favor someday on things I eventually find that sell well. What outlet are you using to sell? flea markets, ebay, craigslist...etc

 

[jerseyben]

Very Nice Information Jersey Ben, hope I can return the favor someday on things I eventually find that sell well. What outlet are you using to sell? flea markets, ebay, craigslist...etc

Yes, yes, and yes.

Also, have your own yard sale to "break even" on the crap that you couldnt flip for a profit. You can also try selling locally at coin club auctions. Network with people who buy/sell and try to do some horse trading. Go to major coin shows and sell to the dealers there. Don't be afraid to get creative.

 

[Fushek]

I stay away from all the sports games unless they are the current years. The only exception is FIFA soccer I will buy those going 3 years back.

When I go to a yard sale and see they have around 20 or so Xbox 360 or PS3 games 90% of the time i can bundle them together and get them for less than $2 each. Usually there are 4-5 games I sell for $20 each. The rest I put as a lot on eBay and get really good money for them. Off of $40 within a week I will make a couple of hundred of them depending on the game.

I do a lot of reselling of video games as well. What seems to be hot right now is the Super Nintendo system, especially if they have the original box with them. That's true with many of the old video games, if they are complete with all the components (box, manual, etc) then you can get a premium for them.

Other things that I look for include:

Old Board Games - Some game producers to remember would be Avalon Hill, 3M, TSR (think Dungeons and Dragons), SPI & Avalanche press. Most of these make old war strategy games. These sell for more if "unpunched" where the little cardboard pieces are still attached. Anything still sealed is a no brainer.

Old Computer Games - I've made big money on finding old computer software from the days of Commodore 64, Atari 400/800, TI-99 and the old TRS-80. Some of the computers themselves are valuable but if you're intimidated by working the old hardware (I grew up on it, so can test), even just the old games (once again, in the original box) can bring money. If the box says Commodore 64 and it shows "Dungeons and Dragons" type scenes on the front, take a chance and more than likely there's a decent profit there.

Books - I'm more hit and miss with books as there's a LOT of books out there and old definitely does not always equal $$$. If you ever run across the Three Investigators series by Alfred Hitchcock, take a chance!

Old 35mm cameras/lens - Yeah, I know NOTHING about this stuff, but if I stumble upon the right price, I've made really good money (Pentax ME cameras are like gold!).

Since I have a day job, I typically try to limit what I look for to things that I know and love so even if I do get burned occasionally I still enjoyed the walk down memory lane.

Good luck!

 

[jerseyben]

I do a lot of reselling of video games as well. What seems to be hot right now is the Super Nintendo system, especially if they have the original box with them. That's true with many of the old video games, if they are complete with all the components (box, manual, etc) then you can get a premium for them.

Other things that I look for include:

Old Board Games - Some game producers to remember would be Avalon Hill, 3M, TSR (think Dungeons and Dragons), SPI & Avalanche press. Most of these make old war strategy games. These sell for more if "unpunched" where the little cardboard pieces are still attached. Anything still sealed is a no brainer.

Old Computer Games - I've made big money on finding old computer software from the days of Commodore 64, Atari 400/800, TI-99 and the old TRS-80. Some of the computers themselves are valuable but if you're intimidated by working the old hardware (I grew up on it, so can test), even just the old games (once again, in the original box) can bring money. If the box says Commodore 64 and it shows "Dungeons and Dragons" type scenes on the front, take a chance and more than likely there's a decent profit there.

Books - I'm more hit and miss with books as there's a LOT of books out there and old definitely does not always equal $$$. If you ever run across the Three Investigators series by Alfred Hitchcock, take a chance!

Old 35mm cameras/lens - Yeah, I know NOTHING about this stuff, but if I stumble upon the right price, I've made really good money (Pentax ME cameras are like gold!).

Since I have a day job, I typically try to limit what I look for to things that I know and love so even if I do get burned occasionally I still enjoyed the walk down memory lane.

Good luck!

Vintage computing is extremely hot right now. Take a look on ebay for some examples, as I have none to cite. I know the older and more obsolete, the better. Your old Compaq PC is probly not worth much but old Amiga accessories and games probably are.

 

[Keilasdad]

Thanks to Famous Turtle for starting this thread, finding it brought me to this forum, which is AWESOME I must say!!
Back in April I had back surgery to fix a ruptured disc and was out of work for 5 weeks. The thought of having all that time on my hands with nothing to do terrified me, so my entreprenurial spirit got the best of me and I searched around for something to do to earn play money and got into selling on Ebay. That small hobby soon turned into a treasure hunting obsession and within a few months I became an Ebay Powerseller.

Now if I don't stop by at least one thrift store a day, I feel lost! I worry about what treasure I may have missed due to not stopping by. Luckily for me, there is one across the street from my work that I visit on my lunch break, and on the way home there are three Goodwills and a Goodwill outlet (which is the most awesome place in the world!).

I just wanted to take a second to thank you guys for the awesome information as well as to pass on some things I have learned along the way as well. Here are a few items that have served me well.

Video Game Items
Rock Band/Guitar Hero- I usually try to sell these as an entire set, but it seems that prices for individual items have gone up and that is the route to take most of the time to maximize profits. Beware of guitars and drum sets that require a wireless "dongle" to work. Ensure they have the correct ones with them before purchasing.
My best profits come from items for Wii and Xbox 360.

Super Nintendo Games- There is good money to be had here. Just research prices on Ebay before buying. I have yet to get my hands on a SNES system for a good price.
Original Xbox- Prices seem to have dropped on these, but I still find them for a few bucks every now and then, and sell working systems for around $35-$40.
Xbox 360 (white system) -Look for broken or working systems with HDMI ports for cheap.

Controllers- Wired Translucent Green and Blue Xbox controllers sell well as long as you get them for under $5, they can be sold for between $15-$25
Rare Controllers such as older NES joystick types, special edition controllers, special colors, clear etc. Keep an eye out for these because some can bring major profits!
Notable items in this category Microsoft brand steering wheel/pedals for Xbox 360 goes for close to $100 each; original (grey) nintendo blasters can bring over $20 each as they were required to make them orange for safety reasons, Super Nintendo Super Scopes can bring close to $50 each, especially if they are in the original box.

Games-As stated before, RPG games can bring some very nice profits, as do rare games (which you come across more often than you think). My advice is to make a list of closed auctions on games that seem to sell for over $20 and keep an eye out for them on your hunts. ALWAYS check the condition of games (especially CD's) as well as ensuring the manual is there and in good shape as is the game case.
*NOTE* for a small investment of just over $100, you can buy a machine that repairs scratched discs and make a KILLING! There are great deals on lots of scratched discs on ebay that you could repair and sell individually and stack a nice profit!

Electronics
DVD Recorders-This are great money makers! I have sold some that I have picked up for $10-$15 for close to $150! I have not figured out exactly why some sell for more than others yet though, so I just look all of them up on Ebay as I come across them. Some of them are DVD/VHS recorders, these sell just as well!
Vintage Sony (and other brand) Walkman Depending upon the age, condition, and look of these, the majority of CD versions sell for clost to $20, and the cassette versions a bit less, unless they are rare or desirable, in which case prices can skyrocket!
Boomboxes/Ghetto Blasters If you come across any of these, even smaller ones, most can bring decent profits. Come across the old silver ones with dual tape decks, big speakers, equalizers and require a ton of D size batteries to run, and you have just earned yourself a good $500! Look these up!
8 track players for cars I have not found these personally but there is BIG MONEY here.
High end coffee makers such as Flavia etc. turn great profits I regularly sell these for a minimum of $65
Cordless phone sets- I get very nice sets at the Goodwill Outlet with multiple phones and regularly sell them for $50+

Springbok Jigsaw Puzzles Old ones are pretty easy to find (black box) and regularly sell for close to or over $20. Biggest catch is that you have to put them together and include a picture of it in the auction to show that it has all the pieces. Once you see the pieces of one, you will know why they sell so well. Even ones from the early 60's still look incredible. They are made very well and have incredible color!

Hawaiian Shirts- You can find these at all thrift stores. True vintage Hawaiian shirts can sell for extrordinary prices! Nice versions, even modern ones sell for $20+ Keep an eye out for quality shirts with matching patterns on the pockets and where they button, as well as touches like coconut buttons. True Hawaiian shirts are always $100 rayon, and these sell much better than cotton etc.

Lego These are gold. Never pass up cheap Lego's. Sets sell great, lots sell well, if nothing else, you can get around $6-9+ per pound!

These are a few of the main things I look for, I will add more here in a little while as well as tips and tricks I have learned!

 

[Eagle101]

Excellent advice. What is the name of the machine that fixes the scratched disks? Let me know and I'm buying it instantly...lol.

Thanks, and welcome to the addicting hobby.

 

[lookin-for-treasure]

Thanks to Famous Turtle for starting this thread, finding it brought me to this forum, which is AWESOME I must say!!
Back in April I had back surgery to fix a ruptured disc and was out of work for 5 weeks. The thought of having all that time on my hands with nothing to do terrified me, so my entreprenurial spirit got the best of me and I searched around for something to do to earn play money and got into selling on Ebay. That small hobby soon turned into a treasure hunting obsession and within a few months I became an Ebay Powerseller.

Now if I don't stop by at least one thrift store a day, I feel lost! I worry about what treasure I may have missed due to not stopping by. Luckily for me, there is one across the street from my work that I visit on my lunch break, and on the way home there are three Goodwills and a Goodwill outlet (which is the most awesome place in the world!).

I just wanted to take a second to thank you guys for the awesome information as well as to pass on some things I have learned along the way as well. Here are a few items that have served me well.

Video Game Items
Rock Band/Guitar Hero- I usually try to sell these as an entire set, but it seems that prices for individual items have gone up and that is the route to take most of the time to maximize profits. Beware of guitars and drum sets that require a wireless "dongle" to work. Ensure they have the correct ones with them before purchasing.
My best profits come from items for Wii and Xbox 360.

Super Nintendo Games- There is good money to be had here. Just research prices on Ebay before buying. I have yet to get my hands on a SNES system for a good price.
Original Xbox- Prices seem to have dropped on these, but I still find them for a few bucks every now and then, and sell working systems for around $35-$40.
Xbox 360 (white system) -Look for broken or working systems with HDMI ports for cheap.

Controllers- Wired Translucent Green and Blue Xbox controllers sell well as long as you get them for under $5, they can be sold for between $15-$25
Rare Controllers such as older NES joystick types, special edition controllers, special colors, clear etc. Keep an eye out for these because some can bring major profits!
Notable items in this category Microsoft brand steering wheel/pedals for Xbox 360 goes for close to $100 each; original (grey) nintendo blasters can bring over $20 each as they were required to make them orange for safety reasons, Super Nintendo Super Scopes can bring close to $50 each, especially if they are in the original box.

Games-As stated before, RPG games can bring some very nice profits, as do rare games (which you come across more often than you think). My advice is to make a list of closed auctions on games that seem to sell for over $20 and keep an eye out for them on your hunts. ALWAYS check the condition of games (especially CD's) as well as ensuring the manual is there and in good shape as is the game case.
*NOTE* for a small investment of just over $100, you can buy a machine that repairs scratched discs and make a KILLING! There are great deals on lots of scratched discs on ebay that you could repair and sell individually and stack a nice profit!

Electronics
DVD Recorders-This are great money makers! I have sold some that I have picked up for $10-$15 for close to $150! I have not figured out exactly why some sell for more than others yet though, so I just look all of them up on Ebay as I come across them. Some of them are DVD/VHS recorders, these sell just as well!
Vintage Sony (and other brand) Walkman Depending upon the age, condition, and look of these, the majority of CD versions sell for clost to $20, and the cassette versions a bit less, unless they are rare or desirable, in which case prices can skyrocket!
Boomboxes/Ghetto Blasters If you come across any of these, even smaller ones, most can bring decent profits. Come across the old silver ones with dual tape decks, big speakers, equalizers and require a ton of D size batteries to run, and you have just earned yourself a good $500! Look these up!
8 track players for cars I have not found these personally but there is BIG MONEY here.
High end coffee makers such as Flavia etc. turn great profits I regularly sell these for a minimum of $65
Cordless phone sets- I get very nice sets at the Goodwill Outlet with multiple phones and regularly sell them for $50+

Springbok Jigsaw Puzzles Old ones are pretty easy to find (black box) and regularly sell for close to or over $20. Biggest catch is that you have to put them together and include a picture of it in the auction to show that it has all the pieces. Once you see the pieces of one, you will know why they sell so well. Even ones from the early 60's still look incredible. They are made very well and have incredible color!

Hawaiian Shirts- You can find these at all thrift stores. True vintage Hawaiian shirts can sell for extrordinary prices! Nice versions, even modern ones sell for $20+ Keep an eye out for quality shirts with matching patterns on the pockets and where they button, as well as touches like coconut buttons. True Hawaiian shirts are always $100 rayon, and these sell much better than cotton etc.

Lego These are gold. Never pass up cheap Lego's. Sets sell great, lots sell well, if nothing else, you can get around $6-9+ per pound!

These are a few of the main things I look for, I will add more here in a little while as well as tips and tricks I have learned!

Dang Man, you are a wealth of information. I really appreciate your thoughts and ideas. Threads like these are what I believe this site is all about and that's helping each other. Thanks again

 

[Keilasdad]

Dang Man, you are a wealth of information. I really appreciate your thoughts and ideas. Threads like these are what I believe this site is all about and that's helping each other. Thanks again

Glad to be able to help out! Wish I had someone pointing me in the right direction when I started! I just had to learn by trial and error. One thing I have picked up is if I think something is cool, there is a good chance someone else does too! Another thing is, if it is something I remember from my childhood that my grandparents had or used and it is in good shape, it is most likely worth something to someone. Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part it has always brought me profit. Now the thing to remember here is you have to buy stuff CHEAP. Honestly, I have never bought anything for more than $15. Will I one day? I am sure I will, but for now I am narrowing down the things that not only make me profit, but are worth the effort.

Just because I can make $15 bucks off something does not mean the profit is worth it to me. Here are some things to consider: How long does it take you to clean the item? How much of a pain is it to pack? How quick will it sell? All these are things I have learned over time. I started out with very cheap items such as knick-knacks, a few toys here and there, and some household goods. I was spending a few bucks on each item, and probably pulling $5-$7 profit per item on average. So in most cases, I was doubling or tripling my money, that is until you account for Ebay and Paypal fees (which add up awful quickly). Yes you can make it this way, but you will be spending TONS of time making listings and packing stuff to make that money. How much does that equal per hour for your time?? To me, if I am not making over $50 per hour of pure profit, it isn't worth it. Listing and packing is hard work! Soon, I hope to figure out how to make $100 per hour by only buying items that bring good profit. More to come later!

 

[cyberdan]

This needs a bump to the top and maybe a sticky at the top. there are so many good ideas here.

somewhere in here is a note about buying a Big Mouth Bill Bass. Bought one saturday for $3.00 listed it sunday and sold yesterday for $15.00 not the best return on my money but I see ole Billys all the time at sales. so they are on my perminant shopping list. next time I will do a BIN for $20.00

 

[jerseyben]

Ok, this one might seem obvious but here goes...

BROKEN Apple products.

This seems to be a pretty popular thing right now for people to buy up broken Apple items, fix them, and resell as "refurbished". I have passed up broken items at sales before. On Saturday, I was given an older iPod Touch with a cracked screen. I figured it might be worth a few buck because it still worked perfectly, minus the huge screen crack. Listed it last night and it sold within an hour at $30! Make sure you list this stuff as "for parts or repair only" and take lots of pictures of the damage.

Will probably work with other electronics too, I just don't personally know which ones.

 

[jnkhntr]

Canon EOS 35mm cameras with lens. I get these cameras regularly at garage sales for $10 and under. I know that the 35mm cameras are a tough sell, but The EOS lens work on the new EOS Digital Cameras and are a very quick sell.