Weekend hobbies for money #2: Garage sales can be an ideal spare time work at home business or hobby.

Illustration by Jeff 'Wizard of Draws' Bucchino at Cartoon Clip Art

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Your garage sale business or hobby can be as small or as large as you like. You may choose to hold one or two sales a year as a way to generate some extra cash. Or you may want to turn the humble garage sale into a full time backyard business, where you hold multiple sales, have stalls at local flea markets and maybe even promote 'Monster Sales' in your area. You may decide to have an online business as well. The choice is yours.

Is it hard to make serious money from garage sales? Not really but it does take some of your time and an awareness of a few merchandising tactics. To be really profitable, you must learn 'inside secrets' and know about careful planning. The problem is most people don't know the inside secrets that can turn the humble garage sale into an income producing pastime or booming home based business. The good news is ... it won't cost a fortune to set up your first sale.

You can have the 'Complete Guide to Making Big Money from Garage Sales' now to get you started right away. This complete guide is jam packed with inside secrets on how you could turn the humble garage sale into a booming home based business now. If you order now you'll also receive a free newsletter 'From Garage Sale to Ebay' which shows you the secrets of using Ebay to add a different dimension to your garage sales business. To read more or download and get started right away Click Here!

WHERE TO FIND ITEMS TO SELL

- Your own stuff, go through cupboards, drawers, storage boxes, nothing is excluded from garage sale material. Once my bestselling item was unused photo frames, who would have thought.
- Ask family, friends & neighbours to donate anything they don't need.
- Visit other garage sales in your area, pick out the bargains to resell at a profit.
- Visit charity or used clothing shops, again pick out the bargains.
- Local outdoor or flea markets.
- Buy lots on eBay.
- Make your own, eg, bags of cookies, home-made cakes, sweets, popcorn.
- Crafts that you (or friends) can make during the weeks prior to your sale. A friend makes cement frogs in a plastic mould, hand paints them in football team colours, they sell at Sunday markets and are a winner.
- Plants you've grown in plastic pots from seed or cuttings. Vegetable and herb seedlings in individual pots are very cheap to grow from seed. Herbs are especially popular.

GOOD PROMOTION IS ALL IMPORTANT

- Run classified ads in your local paper(s).
- Prepare banners for outside your home.
- Signs directing visitors from a main street or crossroads nearby.
- Posters for your local community or supermarket notice board.
- Word of mouth, ask your friends and neighbours to spread the word.
- Letterbox drop with a simple leaflet in your immediate vicinity.
- Advertise an Early Bird pre-sale one hour before official opening time. Offer an incentive, eg, 10% discount, free coffee, free something else.

ARRANGING YOUR GARAGE OR BACK YARD

- Create a positive buying attitude.
- Neatness is important.
- Make sure the area is clean and free from any distractions from your sale.
- Remove cobwebs, dust, unsightly junk.
- Hang colourful streamers or balloons.
- Put the real bargains out front.
- Arrange tables or displays to invite customers to work towards the back displays.
- Consider offering tea, coffee and home-made cookies at the rear, free balloons for the kids.

HOW TO PRICE YOUR ITEMS

- As a rough guide prices should be around one-quarter of original new price.
- Newer items, higher price.
- Collectables or treasures, higher price.
- New or as new, higher price. (Say so on your price ticket.)
- Be prepared to bargain, set your lowest bargaining price in advance.

FINAL TIPS

- Start planning 3 weeks ahead.
- Be in attendance at all times, arrange for a relief guard when you need to leave.
- Keep your house locked at all times.
- Have plenty of change.
- Be prepared for Early Birds looking for the pick of the sale.
- Consider marking down your stock near the end of the day.
- Be friendly, co-operative, helpful.
- Keep records of every sale.
- If you have the space away from the road make a sand pit, throw in some buckets and spades, keep the kids occupied while parents browse longer and without distraction.
- Check with your accountant about the tax rules in your country.

It's the ultimate serious garage sale holder's bible. Learn how, what and where to get your hands on just about anything to sell at your sales up to 80% off normal retail prices. This one guide will last you a lifetime and will give you a professional approach to your backyard home business. Or, if you like, supply endless products to sell on eBay.

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