How to Make at Least a Thousand Dollars By Selling at a Yard, Rummage, Sidewalk or Garage Sale!
One of the age old truisms in business is to buy low and sell high. Professional marketers will also say that the easiest way to make money is to at least double whatever you invest. In the movie theater concession industry where I used to work, I learned that the number one selling item was popcorn. Not only that but that a 50 pound bag of raw corn, at a cost of 5 dollars (at that time) could be expected to yield in excess of $500.00 of profit. The person who created theater popcorn was certainly in the right place to capitalize on the right opportunity. By putting the wisdom of others to work, you can profit.
Occasionally profitable opportunities present themselves, but why wait? Instead, why not create your own opportunity and or capitalize on one that exists in almost every neighborhood? I’m talking about ‘Yard Sales’, ‘Garage Sales’, or Sidewalk Sales.’ Some consider this the ultimate in recycling. Your old books become new books for someone who hasn’t read them; that old rusted wheelbarrow stuck in your shed is someone else’ yard art, and as long as the clothes are clean and in good condition, they’ll be worn again and again. It’s important to remember that your ‘junk’ might be someone else’ treasure, and with $2 or $3 dollars changing hands every few minutes, it’s well worth looking in to.
If you multiply that by the number of sales that take place in many neighborhoods on any given weekend and you’re talking about some serious money. So how do you cash in on these profits? Follow this five step plan and two suggestions and watch your profits rise! Oh and by the way, did I mention that you may have very little up front or initial cost?
5-Steps to Plant Profits
Most people will agree that flowers and natural herbs are a welcomed addition in any home. Herbs such as spearmint and parsley used in cooking as well as home remedies are best when fresh. You can’t get much fresher then picking it right from your own plant. The problem for most people is not in the growing (maintenance) but in the planting (nurtured seedlings). Not everyone was born with a green thumb (personally, I can kill plastic plants). But while traveling recently I stumbled across this intriguing method for cultivating plants and making a profit. I noticed that many of the plants sold at farmers markets and roadside stands were packaged with disposable plastic seedbed bowls. After doing some research I discovered an easy and profitable way to accomplish the same thing without the waste. I also found a better way to get the product to the people since more exposure means more opportunities for sales.
To begin with, assemble your tools:
A lighted room, or warm garage (or shed)
A sheet of plastic wrap
Black marker
Cardboard Egg Carton (12 or 18)
Packet of flower seeds
Packet of herb seeds
Potting soil
Some color pictures of the flower in bloom or the herb when grown
Some toothpicks
Spray bottle of water
Step 1.
Remove the lid from the egg carton and poke small holes into each of the cups with a nail, between 5 – 10 holes. Then fill each of the cups with potting soil.
Step 2.
Dampen the soil with water, and plant one or two seeds in each cup. Write the name or type of flower or herb on the cup with a marker.
Step 3.
Cover your seedling bed with plastic wrap and insert one toothpick per cup, through the plastic wrap, into the cup of soil, and move it to a warm location with plenty of light.
Step 4.
Water your seedlings daily (usually once in the morning is sufficient to promote growth). Normally your plants will begin to sprout within 7-10 days.
Step 5.
Visit your neighbors and others in your neighborhood who are planning a yard sale, garage sale etc… First ask if you rent space from them at their sale (most will offer the space for free), but it is important that you make the offer.
Suggestion: Explain your plan to sell seedlings to perspective customers, and offer to provide them a percentage from your sales. In this manner, you can subliminally arouse within your neighbors the desire for you to do well. If you make sells, they make money…if you sell nothing, they lose nothing. For them it’s a win-win!
Suggestion: Bring a color picture of the plants or herbs for sale and tape them to the table in plain view. You’ll want to tape them down so perspective buyers don’t mistakenly think the picture is part of the sell. Post a sign next to your seedlings, selling each flower or herb for $1.00 – $2.00 each. When a customer makes a purchase cut the entire cup(s) away from the carton. They can replant their plant by simply peeling away the cardboard and placing the plant and potting soil into a larger container or a window garden (in the case of herbs).
With an average investment of about $3.00 (seeds and soil), you can quickly make $18.00 – $36.00 for each set of seedbed sold! If you sold just 3 seedbeds you could make over $100.00! Consider visiting just 10 of your neighbors each location selling just 3 seedbeds could net you over $1,000 in one day for very minimal effort.
If your seedlings don’t sell this weekend, save them and add to them next weeks seedlings. Now you can sell the ‘more mature’ plants for $1.50 – $2.50 and make even more money.
This could also be made into a fundraiser by moving your location to a church parking lot (with permission), and having the children as an art project paint or decorate the cardboard planters. Who can resist the art of a child? Then add your seedlings to the plant holders and sell or offer them for donations.
