@candd205 wrote:
I did ok over all on this one garage sale I went to, but I have to say I got pretty excited that they would sell me all the records they had, which was like 5 huge boxes for $20. Filled up the back seat of the car. Just sort of thumbed through them, didn't really examine. There was mostly big band, lots of jazz, folk, international, military music, mostly 50's and 60's. I was pretty proud of myself, lugged it all upstairs to my place. When I finally started going through to see what I had, I realized almost every single one was damaged, broken, sets missing records, big scratches, water damaged covers. I salvaged like 5 records. Brought the rest back downstairs to the dumpster in the same boxes I lugged them home in.
Silver lining: 4 of the 5 that I saved were from a mid-west big band with local roots in this area. I called an old record store about the 5th one. They said they would give me a dollar for it. Learned an invaluable $19 lesson. 🙂
I'm sorry, but it appears that you still have more to learn. Don't get me wrong, we all do, but what was meant to be funny for Tunicsalot is kind of depressing for me to read. I realize that everybody has their own ways of doing things, but I recall that business and life is about how you react to situations.
So, let's get started with an idea that I had while reading this little forum thread.
Candd205, you bought 5 boxes of old records... and threw them away? I recently learned (and have been doing continuous research with more surprises every day) that there's a bottom market beneath us resellers. It's called: Arts and Crafts. Due to the high shipping costs that tends to chip into potentially profitability, I'd recommend doing some research, reaching out, and making new connections with local people who often find enjoyment in these Arts and Crafts, and some of which do make profitability off of them.
Think about it for a second. You paid $20 for 5 boxes of Vinyl Records. While I realize that they are difficult, if not, near impossible to recycle, Arts and Crafts allows people to re-use them and you could've made your $20 back by selling them to someone who would use it for Arts and Crafts. $20 is dirt cheap and that is the bottom of the market that we're in.
Another example is that I recently learned that I was throwing away Empty Ink Cartridges that I was buying with Printers or Individually (as a Bundle Deal I can usually get discounts through thrift stores by asking what they'd charge if I bought 8 or 12, etc.) that can be sold to people who buy Empty Ink Cartridges, Refill them, and Resell them for a small profit. So, I have the choice of either going through that entire process myself to make a buck of actual profit, or I could just sell them Empty Ink Cartridges in bulk, make some level of money back for myself, and then get back to doing what I love to do.
Like, there are sales on eBay, Etsy, and other areas that I couldn't even fathom... But, then, again, I'm not an Artsy kind-of-guy. I didn't realize that people actually collect their old, empty, and run-dry Paper Towel Rolls and Toilet Paper Rolls. They clean them up as much as possible, then keep them as straight as possible, then sell them in lots of 20, 30, 50, 100, etc. on eBay for a very small fee. These people fall in the same category as people who bulk up and save, then sell Water Bottle Caps, Soda Pop Tops, etc. I couldn't believe that there was a market on eBay for buying 100 Toilet Paper Rolls for $7 + Shipping. Or 50 Toilet Paper Rolls for $2.99 + Shipping.
These people selling them are going by the belief that if you were going to throw it away, then, instead, make money off of what would've been trash, then you just made a surplus of income and you wasted less trash (and for some us that directly translates into less money spent to get trash out of the house).
Then, I've recently discovered some books about how to turn trash, such as, Toilet Paper Rolls, Soda Cans, etc. into "Art Projects" and then sell them for a small profit. I chose not to buy these books because I'm not into Art Projects, not even for money - it just doesn't interest me. But knowing that this market exists and that when I'm completely stumped on fixing something or being able to make a profit off of it, then I know that I have an avenue other than throwing it away to turn to in an effort to make my money back and help me feel good about my contributions - knowing that my items would be turned into something fancy, unique, and sell-worthy.
So, next time that you guys n' gals screw up, think: Arts and Crafts. Who do I know that would love to use these and pay me my money back to have them?
If you don't take risks, then you'll receive no reward.
