Welcome to the second in my new side hustle series, looking at tried and tested methods to earn extra income. There are so many ways to make extra cash when you need to. This week Emma Drew shares her advice on how to make money selling at car boot sales.
Emma Drew is an award winning personal finance blogger who blogs all about ways to make money, save money and live the life you want. Emma is passionate about sharing genuine money making and money saving opportunities. You can also find Emma on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube. Over to Emma…
The sun is shining and many of us have just completed our spring clean, which means only one thing…it is time to get selling at car boot sales. Car boot sales are a great place to get rid of your unwanted items and turn them into cash. Here are some of my top tips to help you make money selling at car boot sales.
Take a lot of change
There is some debate as to whether it is the responsibility of the buyer or the seller to have enough change. Regardless of where you stand on this, you could lose a sale if you can’t offer a potential buyer change. I promise you that someone will want to pay for a 50p purchase with a note, so having change on hand is really important. In an ideal world I would suggest a float of £50 in change, but any change you have will help you out.
Don’t put your items onto the floor
Space at a car boot sale might be at a premium, but displaying your items on the floor might put some buyers off. Whilst rummaging is the nature of the game with car boot sales, some buyers might be put off rummaging if items are on the floor. Think about elderly people and those with limited mobility. If you can, have the majority of your items on tables or rails.
Don’t spend money on tables
A wallpaper table is great for car boot sales, but each one will set you back around £10. See if you can borrow suitable tables from friends and family members. Failing that, you can always ask on your local Facebook group.
Don’t be drawn in to the burger van
I get it. You’ve woken up at some ungodly hour, you’ve packed your sandwiches but by 8am the smell of the burger van is too much. Car boot sales are the only place in the world where it is acceptable to have a burger and chips before 9am! However, spending money on these luxuries can eat away at your profits for the day. Try to avoid the temptation of the delicious smells by packing your own lunch, snacks and drinks.
To price or not to price
There are advantages and disadvantages to putting price stickers on your items at a car boot sale, and you will need to find what works well for you. Labelling your items will take extra time to do, but lets buyers know whether they can afford something without having to ask. However, price labels mean you might not open up conversations and haggling with potential buyers. Personally I leave them off and choose to have conversations with potential buyers instead.
Be friendly
Yes, you’ve been awake since before the birds have, but being friendly and smiling at potential buyers makes you more approachable. Remember to have banter with your potential buyers and keep smiling – even when the early start hits you.
Have realistic prices
One of the worst things to hear at a car boot sale is ‘well it sells for £x on eBay’. If you want to get eBay prices for your unwanted items then you need to take the time to list them on eBay and not just be selling them at a car boot sale (amen to that!!). People visiting car boot sales are after bargains, so being realistic with your prices means that you can sell more and clear that unwanted clutter.
Above all, have fun. Clearing the clutter so you can make money selling at car boot sales is a great feeling, plus you get to spend a few hours outside in the fresh air. Don’t forget to enjoy it!
All brilliant advice from Emma, who is clearly an old hand. I would add – check the weather forecast and be prepared to change your dates if you can. We all know about the great British weather….
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like the first in my side hustle series, How to Make Money Selling your Story to a Magazine or Newspaper.
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