Are you a person that frequents garage sales? Do you stop at every thrift shop and flea market you see? If so why? I happen to be one of those people and not because I enjoy looking through endless piles of junk or pre-owned clothes, I do it to make money. It amazes me how much money is just lying around on some poor souls garage sale table waiting for me to take it. The old saying “ one man’s junk is a another man’s treasure” is absolutely true. I can’t tell you how many thousands of dollars I’ve made over the years off of other people’s junk.
I got started as a young boy watching my father hitting garage sales looking for antiques for his booth at the local antique mall. I watched as he haggled at each garage sale over a few dollars, this process totally amazed me. I soon took up following his lead, read books on many different types of antiques and collectibles, and soon learned the value of what I wanted to find. This later led me to become an auctioneer and open my own auction house but I’ll save that for another day.
My whole point with this article is to make you open your eyes and realize that this is something everyone can do to make extra money. If you want to be come good at the art of making money from garage sale and flea market finds you need to do some studying.
Spend time going to auctions, browsing eBay, reading antique price guides and magazines to get a solid foundation at knowing an items true value. Key things you need to learn to make money through garage sales are:
How old is it? - Look for maker’s marks. Learn the different ways manufactures marked their items. Usually you can determine an antiques age just by looking at the makers mark.
What is it made of? You need to learn the difference between pewter, lead, copper, bronze and many other metals. Know the different types of clay and pottery glazes. Learn to know the difference between acrylic and oil paints. If you ever going to make money through garage sales you need to learn.
Is it a fake? Just as important as knowing an antiques age and value is knowing when you have a fake. Many of the most popular antiques on the market today are reproductions and people just don’t know it. If it is a fake is it worth any money? Yes some are if you know which ones to look for. There are just as many books on reproduction antiques as there are on real antiques READ THEM. Knowing what your buying is one of the most important things when it comes to making money from garage sales.
If you get a basic understanding of each of these things you’ll be well ahead of most when it comes to making money from garage sales.
Make More Money Buying At Garage Sales
Make Extra Income From Garage Sales
In several of my previous posts I've discuss how making money from eBay relies on finding items to sell from garage sales, auctions and flea markets. Some things to keep in mind when your hitting your local garage sales. Spring time brings lots of sports items to look for. Little league is starting, fishing season is just beginning in most areas, golfers will be going nuts from now until the end of the summer, family camping trips start happening. If you keep the season in mind when your looking for items to sell on eBay you'll be way ahead of the game. Sell things people need not just junk you think looks pretty. While antiques and collectibles always sell well they will never surpass the demand of an item that is regularly used by everyone. Used golf balls and used fishing reels are some of my favorite items to sell this time of year.
Make Extra Income | Take Advantage Of The Economy
If you looking to make extra income through eBay, local auctions, garage sales or flea markets, now is the time. The US economy has many people and businesses scared for their lives. This fear means huge profit potential for you.
Anytime the economy gets weak retail outlets starts marking down prices on high dollar luxury type items. Electronics, computers, boats, and other non necessity items. This makes it a prime time to start looking for money making inventory that you can pick up cheap for reselling on auction. When the economy gets weak like this buyers start ignoring retail stores and looking towards discount sellers, eBay, and other non traditional retail options in search of bargains. Making extra income of these bargain seekers is super easy especially since they have turned their focus away from traditional stores.
Garage sales should be booming this year also as people are trying to make an exta buck to help with bills. My prediction is that there should be some very nice high quality items showing up that can be bought at a big discount. Boats, campers, and other types of high dollar non-necessity items should be everywhere. Don't forget you can sell large ticket items on eBay. Just because someone in your town has to sell their boat or pop-up camper, doesn't mean that there aren't buyers in other parts of the country willing to buy. I've made some real nice money selling fishing boats and motors on eBay.
The whole point of this post is to get you to focus on making extra income not worrying about the economy. Just like the stock market buy low sell high. You may find you can buy enough inventory during this economic down turn to keep you making more money the rest of the year.
Extra Income|More Money Through Garage Sale
Here are a few tips to get you started earning extra income. As I previously mentioned garage sales can be a great source of items to sell on eBay. Here are a few tips I have used to maximize my money making through garage sales.
1. Research spend some time going through the local newspapers, church bulletins and any other source of local advertising to find neighborhoods holding garage sales.
2. Focus in on the neighborhood garages sales. Were looking for quantity of possible places to find items to eBay without spending too much gas money. Don't forget your goal is to make extra money not spend it on gas.
3. Dont was time stopping at garage sales with lots of baby clothes and accessories, unless of course this is what you plan on selling on eBay. Typically young couples just starting out and usually don’t have anything worth reselling hold these garage sales.
4. The early bird gets the worm! With all the shows on PBS and all the eBay promotional ads you'll be surprised at how many people are trying to find items at garage sales just like you. Get creative I often go to the areas having garage sales the night before when they are setting up. This can be a great way to make some real good extra income. You will be surprised at how many people are willing to let you shop early and get all the goodies before most people have ever seen them. There will of course be those people that get offended and tell you to come back in the morning but try to get a look at what they are selling and decide if its worth coming back for.
5. Time is money! Dont waste time looking at every thing they have to offer. Remember you are out looking for items to make extra money not for a new pair of clothes for the kids. The time you waste shopping or talking to the owners the more likely the next garage sale will sell out of all the good stuff.
6. Organize your day. Before heading out the door to hit the sales make a plan. Again making money is the goal not wasting it on gas. If you take the time to plan out a travel route to maximize your time and miles you'll be in far better shape to make a big profit.
7 Take a change. To often people pass up items that will be big money makers on eBay because they are afraid of buying something that wont sell. Your at a garage sale take some risks and buy a few items on sheer speculation. That whatchamacallit you bought for a dollar might end up being your biggest profit maker.
8. Items to look for: here are some categories that always sell well on eBay. Any collectibles dealing with history, war, fishing, sports, NASCAR, coke, and Barbie to name a few will sell well. You'll learn as you go along what will sell and what wont. Since your buying it garages sales, the prices will usually be low and your change to make some extra income off these items is very likely
9. Buy for profit- before buying an item ask yourself can I double my money? Triple would be nicer but, I usually plan on at least doubling my money or I dont buy it.
10. Start small and simple. Stick with buying things that are easy to pack and ship. Remember you'll be selling on ebay. Nobody wants to try and box up a sofa and ship it across the country. Stick with the small items. They are easier to pack, photograph and advertise.
Oh yea I forgot NEVER buy anything damaged. You cant get a good feedback reputation selling complete junk. I hope this help you getting started making extra income through the use of garage sale finds.
