Featured Will I ever break even?

You have already broken even. You've spent $1800 net but I guess that what you have got is worth more than that so whilst you're not at break even cash wise, you are more than even asset wise. I would take all the stuff you are hoarding to auction, knock what you get from the auction off the $1800 and you will see exactly what your treasures have cost you.

 

Wish I had more time to reply to this post but I have to get ready for my garage sale this morning. I'm getting rid of some stuff in my basement and it feels wonderful! I made about $400 yesterday on items that were priced to go - between $2 - $5.

I had only one whacko all day so the sale turned out pretty well. This is the 2nd day of a 2 day neighborhood sale.

 

when u have time , we'd luv more details..........about the whacko too !!

 

One of my friends who sells antique photos seems to do this. Keeps the photos that he likes for a while, to enjoy them. Then sells at a profit. Sounds like a good idea!

 

It was a great garage sale. I sold a lot of small items all between $1 and tops of $10. Lots of pretty teacups and saucers and crystal glassware. Goblets etc. The first day it rained a little and was chilly, the 2nd day it was sunny and very chilly. I closed an hour early because my hands were just freezing and I'd had enough of the finicky weather. So about 1/50th of my basement is sold off with so much more to go.

Th whacko was this woman who stopped by, stepped into my garage and started spouting off how she listens religiously to Glen Beck, Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson because they know what's really going on in this country. I turned to her and advised that she was definitely at the wrong house. She started to parrot everything those demons say on TV and I just stood there aghast. She drove everyone away. (The last woman to leave gave me an eye roll and mouthed "good luck". Then I decided I couldn't let her go unchallenged and gave my opinions of what her "experts" say. She then left, thank goodness and things got back to normal. What a crackpot. Oh, and she likes this neighborhood and wished she could buy my house. Because she's had 13 surgeries and can't get anything done right at her condo and has to do everything herself. She's mad at everyone. She needs therapy and good, calming meds.

 

Oh Ya....she bought the Big Lie !!!!!!
Hook..........line..........& sinker !

 

Not even! Not only did she not buy anything, she never even looked at or touched anything. That's why I think she was a little off. It was like her only purpose was to bring the words of her 3 wise men to the masses. Before it's too late, you know?

I would say so!

 

OK-- So after a couple sales this weekend, I've now recovered $850 on those original purchases!

Gopher: I appreciate your eloquence. Your passion for furniture shines through. I feel similarly about certain pieces of southwestern US Native American pottery I have.

I was talking with another dealer the other day about the kinds of things I sell. She said that she had had an argument with her 20 yr old daughter about NA items. Some members of the younger generation apparently think that these items were looted, that a white person only owns them by having taken them from unwilling indigenous peoples, and is now trying to profit further off that.

As has been noted elsewhere on this site, these items were / are usually made for sale to tourists, were ways of creating income, and also simultaneously preserved some traditions that were waning in the 'modern' world.

And in the case of southwestern NA pottery, it's a cultural expression almost entirely made by women, it's about as eco-friendly as can possibly be, and it's entirely hand-made---a refutation of mass-market culture.

Those younger people should be all over it!

 

that 20 year old is tooo woke !!

 

Tooooo woke is right. Sounds like she bought the other half of the "Big Lie."

 

Good news!

I'm pretty sure that last month, November, I broke even on the estate sales and such that I initially referenced in this post. I've been keeping track. And I've got lots of items left over from them that were effectively 'free.'

The bad news, though, is that since then I've spent way more money, on way more things... Maybe I should stop keeping any records of this sort?

 

ignorance is bliss !!!

..... but no good for calculating a selling price !!!

ehehehehe!!!!!!!

 

You are truly caught up now in the world of vintage/antique. It always starts this way. It took me awhile to figure out the concept of cash flow and specifically, if any was flowing into my pocket at the end of the month. Eventually, that did happen.

If you're selling on line, you need to keep on keeping records for the 1099 you will be receiving and filing with your taxes. That is, if your sales amount to $600 and above.