My own version of retail therepy...

onceupon replies to a question I sort of turned on her***... What type of stuff IS your type of stuff? I was reading about your auction hauls and it sounds great - I am a fiend for stuff like that as materials for making new stuff - but I wondered what you actually look for when you go out to auctions or estate sales.

The shortest answer and what the answer should be is : Anything I think I can make money on. That is my gran's answer.

But it's not really the answer for me--even though I know it probably should be.

First off, there're often things there that go for very cheap--a table that would bring $450 in the antique mall that goes for $175. My budget simply isn't normally that large... so there goes that idea.

Secondly, I made a "promise" to myself when I started that I wouldn't buy things that were broken. I have missed on this one once or twice... but in general, if something isn't in good (not neccessarily mint, but good) condition I'll pass it by even if I do think I could make money on it.

Also, I try to get things that if I don't sell them... I like them well enough to keep--OR--I spend so little that I could toss them and not care.

And lastly--and perhaps most stupidly--I'm not really trying to make money. At least not much. The rule-of-thumb that Gran uses is pretty much she wants to double, or triple her money (and, of course, if she can do better, even better). For me, though... this is more of a hobby to pass the time, and an excuse to get out of the house and spend money... ...that has the ability to not actually be spending money. If I can get back what I paid for something, I'm pretty happy. If the net result* is that I'm down 10% of what I paid (remember, I don't pay much, my budget is small)... I'd still be pretty happy. It's better than buying crap that I don't need at WalMart.

Now, don't get me wrong... if I buy something for $2.00 and I think at $8.00 would still let it sell quickly and be a bargain price on it... I'm putting six to eight bucks on it.

What I haven't really done (and don't plan to) is more like... buying something at $2.00 that's really worth $30.00 to the right person... ...and putting $30.00 on it. I'd put $15.00 on it and hope another dealer (from our mall or from another mall) would see it and know they'd be able to make a decent amount on it---and letting them get a deal** and making it so they have to wait for that "right person."


*net result--after gas, tagging, and the % the mall takes out
**thereby making it more likely for them to visit our store again and look for another deal
***She posts, ask me a question... I asked, "What simple thing would you like to know about me?"