A new venue, or alternate title: It pays (literally #christraeger) to eavesdrop.

So last week I was at my favorite (although I have one that is coming in at a close second- more about that in a moment) thrift and I was leisurely strolling the aisles, and I overheard a conversation happening between a worker and a customer. They were talking about selling at a flea market. Hmm, silly me, I didn't even realize we had good flea markets down here, despite the fact that I've lived here for almost 4 years. I guess I thought that the flea markets that did exist down here were in poor neighborhoods. Well I listened eavesdropped for a bit and mentally recorded the names of the two locations they were speaking of. When I got home I checked their websites, and I was very impressed with how professionally done the websites were. A quick decision was made; I would try my hand at selling at the flea market!

So last Saturday we did just that. I only had a day to prepare, so I gathered a bin of plush, a bin of cake pans, and a few random oddities. We set up shop at around 6 am, paying only $10 for our space. In a short 4 1/2 hours, I cleared $78 (after fee). I also learned that I will not get eBay prices, so I will be varying my inventory for this upcoming weekend, and doing more or less "take this please I can't bear to look at it anymore" items. Here is what I did sell:

A bunch of comic books- $25 (free to me; from my dad)
An "I kiss better than I cook" sign, which actually went to an older man, which in hindsight, is creepy, $2 (probably what I paid for it- from a gs)
3 of DH's video games- $12 (he probably had $20 invested in them)
a curtain rod- $5 (originally purchased for our personal use but has been taking up space in the garage for 2 years- probably paid $12 ish)
a Hindu god statue- $10 (.50 at gs)
Attorneys at Flaw board game $2.50 ($1 gs)
Wineopoly board game $2.50 ($1.99 gw)
Likes and Gripes board game $3 (probably $1.99 ish VOA)
Toy Story travel pillow $3 ($1.25 I think, CVS clearance)
VS dog $1 (.50 VOA)
glow sticks $5 (originally paid $11.99, bought them for a school event my first year teaching but never used them)
Barbershop DVD $1 (IDK)
2 ties $10 for both (probably around $5 for both- Ohio Thrift)
another DVD $1 (free to me; from my dad)

As you can see, the profit margins are slim, but rookie mistakes, chalk it up to the learning curve, profit is still profit, and like I said, I know better what to bring next time!

As for that second favorite thrift I mentioned earlier...

Yesterday I had to go to the P.O. and on my way home I dropped off books at the library and I just had to check out the Goodwill. Cuz you know, I hadn't been thrifting in 6 days. But it was an instance when it PAID to stop. I stumbled upon a delightful assortment of vintage items, from the late '60s and '70s, all in their original packaging. I assume all donated from the same person. For whatever reason, Goodwill significantly underpriced said items. Which is quite a surprise because the Goodwills down here actually make a point of gathering their high-end merch for a live auction each weekend. But for whatever the reason, I was able to snag 3 red-line Hot Wheels cars, STILL IN THE ORIGINAL PACKAGING, for .99 each. Um. Guess what? Completed listings go up to $200 each!!! SAY WHAT! I have already listed one, and it already has two bids up to $60.99. Um. I paid .99!! I also got a new in packaging 1967 Barbie dress set. Completeds show around $80 and that's for USED. Golly goodness. I will keep you posted! Definitely had a WOW FACTOR moment! #storagewars

Up, up, and away!

My sales have been terrific lately! Of course, that is motivating me to list more and more.

First, let me tell you about an odd coincidence and thrifter's dream scenario from Mother's Day weekend. Carlos and I were back up north, visiting our parents. We had went to this little hole-in-the-wall thrift that I miss dearly, and then out to lunch. Carlos told me I could pick one more thrift to go to... You know, for some reason he doesn't like spending his whole Saturday at Goodwills! Go figure! So I picked the one across the street from our old apartment, because given the two GWs I had to choose from, this one is generally better to me. We make it to the GW and Carlos has to go to the potty quite badly, but apparently the cashier tells him the light is out in the bathroom. So he heads out to use the facilities in one of the nearby stores in the plaza. However, he comes back and says that 1. the hardware store doesn't have a public restroom, and 2. he wasn't going to go to the bathroom at Alco (discount store) because it was going out of business and looked like a ghost town. He said everything there was 90% off. I end up going into the Goodwill bathroom to check the light and low and behold, it works fine. So Carlos quickly does his business and then we are off to check out Alco! They had just marked everything to 90% off the night before. Literally 10 minutes before we got there, the manager announces that it is time to fill a cart for $10 because he wants to close the doors within the hour! I felt like a contestant on Supermarket Sweep! I picked up everything sellable, which wasn't even very much. But even still, I managed to get nearly $700 retail of items... vacuum filters, some pregnancy tests, catfish bait. You name it, if it was still sealed and not broken, I took it home with me. Paid $10.68 with tax.

Thank you Carlos's full bladder as well as the miscommunication about the GW bathroom light!

From Alco, so far I have sold:

Lot of 4 New NIB Remington Clean Xchange Razor Replacement Cartridges Nanosilver


Accepted best offer of $13.00 plus $7.30 shipping

and

4 New Sealed First Response Rapid Result Pregnancy Tests Expiration June 2014

Accepted best offer of $10.00 plus $7.30 shipping.

So I have already cleared my initial investment and then some.

Additionally I've sold:

NIB NEW HINK PINK Riddles Word Game by Discovery Bay Games
Sold for $19.99 plus $8.00 shipping; paid $4 (discount store)

New in Package Sealed Vintage Bar of Dial Gold Deodorant Soap 5 oz Still Smells!
The second bar sold, to the same buyer. $9.99 again and $4.00 shipping; paid .50 (estate sale)

New Pack of 5 Philips Norelco Nivea HQ150 Advantage Shaving Lotion Cartridges
$9.99 plus $2.80 shipping; paid 50 cents (VOA)

Lot of 5 Anthony Horowitz Books Alex Rider Series Scorpia Ark Angel Snakehead
Accepted $17.00 plus $4.00 shipping; paid $5 (VOA)

Lot of 10 New Mens Fruit of the Loom Boxers Size Sz Extra Large XL Underwear
Accepted BO of $20.00 plus $6 shipping; paid $8 (Morse Rd. GW)

And, saving the best for last...

Little Einsteins Pat Pat Rocket & Transform & Go Rocket Four Figures Included

Sold for $69.99 plus $15 shipping!! Paid $8 at a consignment sale!! In the words of Ms. Frizzle, ya-ha-ha-hoo!!!!

Best Feedback Ever

I got this feedback the other day...

"Thanks my Girlfriend Loves it, because it looks like me"

It cracked me up because it was for... The Chia Gnome.


Ch-ch-ch-chia.

Going with your gut

A few posts back I blogged about an estate sale I went to. I went once on the full-price day and returned on half-price day. I spent a total of $12. Well so far, I have sold the set of 3 vintage lip balms for $9.99 and I woke up this morning to having sold a vintage bar of soap for $9.99.

New in Package Sealed Vintage Bar of Dial Gold Deodorant Soap 5 oz Still Smells!


Sold for $9.99 plus $4.00 shipping.

It just humors me what people will buy. And this was an example of going with your gut. I walked back upstairs probably about 3 times to look at this soap (it actually came in a two-pack so I will still be able to list the second bar!) and I could not get eBay to work on my phone... So I just took a gamble. Paid $1 for both bars. And I think it was a pretty good turnaround!

I think that's most of the fun of selling on eBay... going on a hunch and seeing that it pays off.

Last week I went to a church sale on Friday evening. I've posted about this particular sale a few times before, I just love it. It's right down the street from my job, and they hold the sale twice a year. You pay what you believe is a fair offer. This time I was at first very disappointed, scanning through the toys and books and finding only junk. Then I went over to the craft table, and found a bunch of new cross-stitch kits. I have never sold cross-stitch kits but have heard some can be pretty profitable. I grabbed a handful, then kept shopping, finding a Boynton mug (my fourth!) before eventually stumbling upon the kids' clothes and getting a ton for the fall sales. I paid $7 for everything.

I listed one of the cross-stitch sets so far. I kid you not, it sold in 5 minutes.

New Displaymates CCS Counted Cross Stitch Kit Christian Inspiration 07324 Box

Sold for $17.00 plus $5.80 shipping.

Now, the downside is... this buyer, who has a 1293 feedback score, hasn't paid!! He/she purchased this on Tuesday. But, I'm not sweating it too much. If he doesn't pay, I am super confident I can resell easily, given the fact he bought it so fast!

Since last time, I've also sold:
New NIB Hands Free Black Bluetooth Blue Tooth Digital Watch with Microphone

Sold for $23.00 plus $8.00 shipping, paid $13 I believe at CVS 75% after-holiday clearance
I very much overestimated shipping here. I think it ended up being around $4. Which is good, because...


NEW NIB CHIA GNOME DWARF PET HANDMADE DECORATIVE PLANTER GRASS GROW A BEARD

Sold for $14.99 plus $5.00 shipping. Believe I originally paid $5 or less at CVS clearance

...I seriously underestimated shipping here. It was closer to $12! WHOOPS...

Off with a bang

Yesterday's start to garage sale season was excellent. We hit a handful of singles and two church sales. I came across 6 to 8 sealed blank VHS cassette tapes ($3 for all), two metal hooks with monkeys on them to consign ($1 each), a damask teapot (will try on eBay, and if it doesn't too well there I'll keep it--$2), and a huge bin of Barbies and Bratz like dolls for $3. I've already pulled them out and sorted them and listed them for the consignment sale this upcoming weekend. I listed $48 worth! Also I pulled out a few to try on eBay- one is a Harry Potter doll. He is wearing a Hogwarts sweater but no pants, LOL, and he is missing his glasses. Also two Indian Barbies wearing beautiful saris. The snaps seem to be messed up so I might ask my mother-in-law to sew them for me. But her track record at returning stuff is not so good, so I might also just list as is- looks like I could get 30$ or so. That's it for the singles. Oh yeah, also Carlos got a 22" Acer widescreen monitor for $20. I guess that's a great deal? Hopefully when he gets bored with it it will generate a profit on CraigsList.

The church sales were great. I hit both sales at half price time! Oh yeah! At the first sale I scored a vintage Pound Puppy (25 cents), a Jessie from Toy Story lunch box (25 cents), these things called Yoga Toes for 50 cents- um, what?, two play McDonald's headsets from the '80s (my cousin had this McDonald's drive-thru window thing where you had play McDonald's food- I loved it- and remember these headsets. They were $1 for both), some clarinet reeds (25 cents), a new in box Sponge Bob Christmas ornament for 50 cents, and that might have been it.

The final church sale was awesome!

 I scored this huge pile of teaching books. These are great resources, in fab shape, and easily resellable. I only picked the ones I wanted to read, but there were still so many left. Can you believe they were 2/25 cents?! What is even better- one of them I will need for a college class in the fall, and I would have had to shell out over 30 bucks to buy it on Amazon! Score! I also got the "my first curl" box on top, Harry Potter bed sheets and pillow case, a giant pen I need for a skit we're doing for the students tomorrow (to psych them up for state tests- ugh),  a box of kitschy vintage bridge score pads, a vintage Strawberry Shortcake game, a bag of Handy Manny PVC figures (thanks She Thrifts, She $cores! for that tip!), and a musical Weebles RV/camper.

Success! A great start, hopefully an omen for the future! Have a great week!

It's time!!

I am super excited for tomorrow!! It will be my very first garage sale Saturday of the year! It's been sooo long. I am finally done with teaching test prep, so Saturday mornings are going to be full of bargain hunting! Yeah, yeah! Is it pathetic how excited I truly am? I feel like I did as a kid for Christmas....

Like I've mentioned before, I'm in the middle of my consignment selling season. I've completed two sales, one is this weekend, and the final one will be next weekend. I'll just share a few of the better flips....

A book of dino mazes... Free to me as Carlos found them one day in the middle of the street. Sold for $1.50 (get $1.05 from that)... Yeah that's not a big flip by any means, but it was free to me... moral of the story is, you never know where you might find inventory!
arcade ball game... paid $5 at after-Christmas clearance at CVS... sold for $20.00 (I make $14 of that)
nerf gun... Same deal, paid $5 at after-Christmas clearance but this time at Kroger... sold for $20 so I get $14
Fisher-Price Incrediblock and 16 or so Peekablocks... Paid $2 at a garage sale last year... Had to pay a few bucks to put batteries in it... Sold for $30 (I will get $19.50)

Only 1 eBay sale since last time... A new in box Harry Potter trivia game sold for $16... paid $1.99 at Goodwill...

I have too much stuff.

I feel as though I spend more time in the cycle of buying, making a mess, and organizing than I do actually selling, listing, and shipping. Who feels the same way? eBay has been very slow for me lately, but I haven't really been listing, just relisting, and I guess a lot of what I've been relisting time and time again are duds. It's funny though, I'll have something listed for months, the listing will run out, it will sit unlisted for a week or so, and then when I go to relist it, bam, it sells within a few hours. Like the Lalaloopsy backpack below.

New with Tag NWT Lalaloopsy Sew Cute Heart Shaped Blue Backpack Back Pack Bag

Sold for $19.99 plus $4 shipping, paid $3.99 at GW. Still have a pink one to list too.

The only other sales since I last posted were:

Lot of 3 New in Package Sealed Vintage Chapstick Chap Stick Lip Balm Blistex 70s

Sold for $9.99 plus $4.00 shipping, paid roughly $2.75 at estate sale in last post.

SEASHELL SEA SHELL CIGARETTE ASHTRAY FOLK ART VINTAGE CANDY DISH? DECOR


This picture looks kind of stupid with the pen. Oh well I've never been one to care too much about my pictures, maybe I should, but I don't.
Sold for $9.99 plus $10 shipping to Canada. Free to me, from my dad's collection of junk of varying sorts.

NEW NWT DISNEY CLUB PENGUIN BEANBAG PLUSH RED PUFFLE SNOW ANGEL


This was one of those finally sold after listing a million times things. Sold for $14.99 plus $4 shipping (although I ended up paying more for shipping because I put it in a priority box and didn't wrap it all the way, just covered the markings up, so the clerk advised I ship it priority cuz one of the mailmen might charge postage due on the buyer's end...lesson learned) Paid only $1.80/.90 each at VOA.

Update soon about my consignment sales...