Wish me luck!

[apush]

Trying to make a meager go of it. Last week I hauled in a whopping $45 on ebay that cost me $9. Went to Goodwill today and purchased $80 worth of blue jean items. Many were vintage Levi's with a spurt of Mankind jeans (2 pair). I am not a big "player," but if I could earn . . . and I duly mean earn . . . $200 per month profit . . . that would pay for my trip to Galveston this summer! Hotel, gas, food, and of course the many beverages that would be consumed.

Does anyone else here go to garage sales just for a little "extra?" Sometimes I buy a tad of siver and gold with my meager finds . . . but it all adds up.

apush

 

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[Iron Patch]

Just stay at it. Even if you're not making as much as you'd like there's always the chance of hitting a good one... like a 3 month-er.

 

[mkulltra]

I work full time at a dot com company and do this on the side for extra money. It is very enjoyable and I have been making enough money to buy things that I would normally have to take out of my paycheck. I decided to spend some of my profits this month on a new living room set for the house. Also, we are going to Switzerland in June and our spending money will be coming out of our garage sale profits. I made over $1200 in profit this month so it is definitely well-worth the time spent.

 

[biggmike]

I think this is a part time or retirement thing for most of us. I guess I'm in the boat with mkulltra (about $1000 - $1500 a month in profit) but that is hardly enough to live on. You're off to a great start, I'll take 5 times my money. Find something you like and know a little about and try to find that (along with other stuff) to sell. I like to ask for gold, silver, or electronics. My son asks for cell phones but that's what he knows. You have to be open to anything though because it's hard to find one type item. It takes time but you will find that you start finding more treasure and less junk the more you do it. We have a yard sale when we get enough left overs and make extra money that way too. I might buy a lot of 20 Nintendo games at a sale for $20 but only list 5 that sell for good money. The rest go into the yard sale for $2 each and I usually sell every one. It's just like anything else. It takes time to get good at it. Good Luck

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I actually go to Goodwill for resale items...I look at things most people dont. in the last couple months, I found some Swiss "Wenger" Backpacks and a Laptop Case, they are very expensive when bought new, and they are pretty much bullet proof, When I was looking at the Laptop Case, I opened it, and relized it still had the 79.99 tags attached to it. I ended up getting it for 12 bucks, and the back pack for 10...But you are on the right track..Not all the good finds at Goodwill are in the knick knacks or old dishes, alot of them are in the clothes and Misc items

Good luck !

 

[Iron Patch]

I think this is a part time or retirement thing for most of us. I guess I'm in the boat with mkulltra (about $1000 - $1500 a month in profit) but that is hardly enough to live on. You're off to a great start, I'll take 5 times my money. Find something you like and know a little about and try to find that (along with other stuff) to sell. I like to ask for gold, silver, or electronics. My son asks for cell phones but that's what he knows. You have to be open to anything though because it's hard to find one type item. It takes time but you will find that you start finding more treasure and less junk the more you do it. We have a yard sale when we get enough left overs and make extra money that way too. I might buy a lot of 20 Nintendo games at a sale for $20 but only list 5 that sell for good money. The rest go into the yard sale for $2 each and I usually sell every one. It's just like anything else. It takes time to get good at it. Good Luck

There's certainly nothing wrong with those numbers per month for being on the side and no doubt something you enjoy. I wonder how much one's area has to do with success, if it's sort of the same way that detecting works for old finds. I say that because I just couldn't imagine making over a grand a month on what's available here, but then again I have never actually tried. I just can't see buying enough low end stuff and being able to move it, or hitting a very good score very often. I do know it would have to be a combination but just can't wrap my brain around being able to do it over and over again each month. I'm sure there's several on here that would like to know your trade secrets, but they're not really secrets are they, it's getting out there, there being enough to buy, and having a good sense of what an item is worth. Some people have a real knack for this, while others no matter how hard they try it just doesn't click.

 

[GibH]

I've done it as more of a hobby. I don't really keep track of how much I make. Starting in January I need to get a little bit more serious. I haven't worked in a year and all my leave runs out Dec.31. I applied for medical retirement back in Feb. and still waiting on that to come through.

 

[clovis97]

For many years, we only ebayed on the side for the fun, as well as a little profit.

Since then, both my wife and I sell on ebay and flea market for a living. Of course, as luck would have it, when we both started full time as our only source of income, I stumbled and fell flat on my face right out of the gate, even after years and years of buying and selling on a part time basis. I think we've found our groove, but I wish the economy would pick up some to make a few of the items more valuable.

 

[Iron Patch]

For many years, we only ebayed on the side for the fun, as well as a little profit.

Since then, both my wife and I sell on ebay and flea market for a living. Of course, as luck would have it, when we both started full time as our only source of income, I stumbled and fell flat on my face right out of the gate, even after years and years of buying and selling on a part time basis. I think we've found our groove, but I wish the economy would pick up some to make a few of the items more valuable.

I think the economy only played a small roll. I think the big factor was the online availability for many items drastically increasing, so now anyone who wants one can get one without too much of a fight. Since I started about 10 years ago I've had to constantly adapt, which in a way is a good thing because if you can do that there's much more chance you will survive. I could not start at the status I was 10 years ago and be able to do this today..... which is sort of scary because I did quite well even at the beginning.

 

[Red James Cash]

Theres big money in vintage jeans,levis to be specific.If you can get a contact in japan levis go for very big money there.I'm talking in excess of 500 bucks for a vintage pair.

 

[jerseyben]

Theres big money in vintage jeans,levis to be specific.If you can get a contact in japan levis go for very big money there.I'm talking in excess of 500 bucks for a vintage pair.

Some people even sell vintage "BIG E" Levi's on ebay.

 

[clovis97]

I think the economy only played a small roll. I think the big factor was the online availability for many items drastically increasing, so now anyone who wants one can get one without too much of a fight. Since I started about 10 years ago I've had to constantly adapt, which in a way is a good thing because if you can do that there's much more chance you will survive. I could not start at the status I was 10 years ago and be able to do this today..... which is sort of scary because I did quite well even at the beginning.

While you make a very valid point, I respectfully disagree, especially about the economy.

When the economy was booming, I was selling tools as fast as I could buy them, and it really didn't matter what type of tool it was. These days, it is hard to give tools away, both high end and low end.

Gas prices have had a shivering effect on our flea market sales. I've spent a good amount of time studying and tracking retail gas prices and our flea market sales. As gas heads to $4.00 a gallon, our sales, in this market, fall off sharply. As gas prices ease back to $3, our sales go up.

Back to tools, which are a mainstay for me: Housing and building in our area has fallen off drastically. Home improvement projects have been hit just as hard. I only know of one person who has built a new house in the last 3 years, and that was by someone who inherited a pile of cash and some land. Sales of construction power and hand tools are nearly dead. FWIW, I was in a pawn shop a few months ago, and they have a big sign on the door that reads "NO PAWNS ON TOOLS".

A few months back, I bought a set of framing slicks at auction for just $5. I immediately called my wife and said "We just made our payday!!!" These same slicks would have sold for $300 when the economy boomed, but now...I would be hard pressed to get $75 for them.

I understand that it is easy to be critical of me, especially when you haven't walked in my shoes. I know what the market is here, I follow it on ebay, I spend time trying to learn new markets and items each and every day.I talk to the other vendors, ebayers, mall owners, flea market owners, the real pickers, the auctioneers, and the retail buyers, and they all say the same thing "The resale market is getting hammered".

By the way, Iron Patch, do you live in the US?

 

[585925]

I live in the Philadelphia area and have been buying gold, silver, vintage costume and coins for 35 years. During the week I scour the paper and Craig's List and compile a running list of sales for the upcoming Saturday. The day before, I type the list into MapQuest which will layout the route in shortest order so I don't waste a minute or mile searching for sales. On Saturday morning I load the list into my GPS and I'm off around 7. Even if there is no jewelry on display, I pull the seller quietly aside and ask for gold and silver. I also hand out my card. I'm very polite but also very persuasive when I ask. Due to the economy, competition and price of gold, I've had to branch out beyond precious metals recently, but spend many hours researching profitable items on Ebay. I've been selling on Ebay since 1998, and my total sales have been over $170,000.00. Maybe half of that is profit, although for the life of me and I can't tell you where the money went. LOL! In my opinion, yardsales are the last frontier for acquiring possibly valuable items. I do stop in thrift stores from time to time and have found some nice items, but seems they are frequented by other re-sellers and pickens' are often slim. I think you are doing the right thing by starting small and learning your category. If you have a smart phone you can check UPC codes on items for retail pricing or just go to Ebay for comparable pricing on the spot. Although I work a full time job, buying and re-selling is my passion along with metal detecting. Life is a treasure hunt! Best of luck, and I hope you make enough to pay for your trip and then some!

 

[Iron Patch]

While you make a very valid point, I respectfully disagree, especially about the economy.

When the economy was booming, I was selling tools as fast as I could buy them, and it really didn't matter what type of tool it was. These days, it is hard to give tools away, both high end and low end.

Gas prices have had a shivering effect on our flea market sales. I've spent a good amount of time studying and tracking retail gas prices and our flea market sales. As gas heads to $4.00 a gallon, our sales, in this market, fall off sharply. As gas prices ease back to $3, our sales go up.

Back to tools, which are a mainstay for me: Housing and building in our area has fallen off drastically. Home improvement projects have been hit just as hard. I only know of one person who has built a new house in the last 3 years, and that was by someone who inherited a pile of cash and some land. Sales of construction power and hand tools are nearly dead. FWIW, I was in a pawn shop a few months ago, and they have a big sign on the door that reads "NO PAWNS ON TOOLS".

A few months back, I bought a set of framing slicks at auction for just $5. I immediately called my wife and said "We just made our payday!!!" These same slicks would have sold for $300 when the economy boomed, but now...I would be hard pressed to get $75 for them.

I understand that it is easy to be critical of me, especially when you haven't walked in my shoes. I know what the market is here, I follow it on ebay, I spend time trying to learn new markets and items each and every day.I talk to the other vendors, ebayers, mall owners, flea market owners, the real pickers, the auctioneers, and the retail buyers, and they all say the same thing "The resale market is getting hammered".

By the way, Iron Patch, do you live in the US?

For tools I would say we're both right because the slower economy would have created a surplus, and when there's a surplus, prices drop. (not to mention less people working means less tools needed) When I wrote my last post I had collectibles in mind, and they seemed to have bounced back fairly well.

I'm Canadian.

 

[dejapooh]

Get an Iphone and download Igarage sale. It has a map of all advertised sales in your area, you can access their ad, and it will automatically plot each one on your map ap. It then gives turn by turn driving instructions to get from sale #1 to Sale #2. I do not have to PREP and Plot, it does it for me. I get up, I go out and I start hunting.

 

[FloridaHunter]

Keep it up. Knowledge is power!!!!!!!!

 

[clovis97]

For tools I would say we're both right because the slower economy would have created a surplus, and when there's a surplus, prices drop. (not to mention less people working means less tools needed) When I wrote my last post I had collectibles in mind, and they seemed to have bounced back fairly well.

I'm Canadian.

I've talked to quite a few Canadians, probably more that you would guess, and they all agree that the economy in Canada hasn't been affected like it has here.

In my area, we have been insulated for a while, but it is finally hitting home here. I believe that we'll be the last to recover, even after the rest of the US gets back to normal, if that ever happens.

What I am seeing is that most collectibles have taken a hard hit, and still haven't recovered, at least in the categories that we know best.

Nonetheless, the craziness of the old economy and the stupid prices people used to pay...those days are gone for a long time, if not forever. I think it will be years until the markets fully recover, and credit extended again to anyone who is breathing and wants to take out 6 mortgages on their over-appraised home.

It has been hard to adapt to the changes, with the drop in collectible values, and people simply not having the extra money for consumables. When you are dropping an extra $60 a week into your gas tank, an extra $50 or more at the grocery store, and your household has either had a job loss or pay cut, you probably aren't going to buying 3 $10 shovels or a handful of vintage LP's at the flea market, and my guess is that you won't be bidding on any Post War Lionel trains either.

 

[Iron Patch]

I've talked to quite a few Canadians, probably more that you would guess, and they all agree that the economy in Canada hasn't been affected like it has here.

In my area, we have been insulated for a while, but it is finally hitting home here. I believe that we'll be the last to recover, even after the rest of the US gets back to normal, if that ever happens.

What I am seeing is that most collectibles have taken a hard hit, and still haven't recovered, at least in the categories that we know best.

Nonetheless, the craziness of the old economy and the stupid prices people used to pay...those days are gone for a long time, if not forever. I think it will be years until the markets fully recover, and credit extended again to anyone who is breathing and wants to take out 6 mortgages on their over-appraised home.

It has been hard to adapt to the changes, with the drop in collectible values, and people simply not having the extra money for consumables. When you are dropping an extra $60 a week into your gas tank, an extra $50 or more at the grocery store, and your household has either had a job loss or pay cut, you probably aren't going to buying 3 $10 shovels or a handful of vintage LP's at the flea market, and my guess is that you won't be bidding on any Post War Lionel trains either.

For me things have bounced back, all except for the more common type stuff, because like I said when there's too much there's little demand.

Not sure what the Canadian economy has to do with this because we are talking about American sales. If anything the strong Canadian economy has been the most damaging thing for me because I now lose money on my American dollars instead of gaining 50%, which it once was! I only wish I could do what I do now, and be able to have that exchange. I'd go from someone who just gets by to someone living pretty well.... but like I said in my previous post I have had to constantly adapt and not counting on many extra dollars when cashing out was a part of that. Back in those days I couldn't wait to turn goods into cash, but now I'm much more likely and interested to invest in more stuff as it just seems like a better idea than losing a few % right off the top. So with that that said, I can guarantee I'm as much of an 'American seller" as anyone on here having done it for many years with thousands of transactions. I feel good about where I am, but it could have been so much better if the US economy stayed strong, but not for the same reasons as you would have.


PS: I tend to look at how many people still have jobs and are willing to spend money, then those who don't and are having tough times.

 

[apush]

Thanks for all the wisdom! Right now I have 11 items on ebay with one pair of 7 for All Mankind jeans that will sell. Bought for $5.99 and got first bid at $19.99
It is a start!
apush

 

[Iron Patch]

Thanks for all the wisdom! Right now I have 11 items on ebay with one pair of 7 for All Mankind jeans that will sell. Bought for $5.99 and got first bid at $19.99
It is a start!
apush

It can be just like detecting.... the more and longer you do it, the more it can evolve into something bigger and better.