Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Wednesday, Flipping second hand!

     I had a bear cat of a zipper replacement yesterday.  I am going to be much more careful from now on about replacing zippers in outdoor coats that also have a zip in lining.  It was very hard, and I know it was hard on the machine. The machine I just picked up from the repairman ($150.00) had a stripped needle holder which is caused from sewing on hard fabric and shimmying the needle.   I don't mind doing them but they have to pay more to offset the time and the cost to machine wear.

I also had to run to Joanns for another zipper and I stopped at one of my favorite secondhand stores and found this brand-new sewing lamp.  Complete with instructions.  I have had this same lamp for years.  It was marked $3.99 so I bought it and put it on our local marketplace and I sold it for $45.00. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

I have often thought about flipping things but have been a little scared of the process. Now I have sold things I no longer use, but never something I bought with the purpose of flipping.  Anyway we will see where this goes... But I was excited and the extra $40.00 some odd dollars will go directly to the mortgage.

This morning the grocery adds came out and there is butter for $1.97 limit 2 and ground beef, which I am out of on sale.  I am a little cash strapped right now and I can't write checks as I spent all the money in the checking account.  But I just told myself, you don't need to get these things today.  These prices will last all week and let's see how much more money will come in by next Tuesday.  It is so easy for me to instantly go spend money when I see a sale and I am really trying not to do that.

The free ham I made yesterday, was a bone in spiral cut, which I know is expensive.  I am not a fan of spiral cut ham as I think they dry out and don't have as much flavor, but who is going to turn down a free ham?

We had baked ham and fried hashbrowns and salad for dinner.  Tonight, I will do scalloped potatoes and ham for dinner, with a tossed salad.  Then think of some kind of soup using ham and then freeze the rest. I also saved the ham drippings for ham gravy later on it really flavors your biscuts and gravy well.

I have one more zipper to replace today and a couple of things to alter, then I am going to repair my great grandmother's tablecloth again.  I did this about a year ago, and it needs it again. I lead an exciting life, yeah?  Don't answer that question.

Have any of you ever flipped an item you have been given, or bought second hand for a profit?  If you have or you do, please give me some pointers. I have been inspired by the Hawaii plan, as she sold many items her boys and their family no longer use and put it toward her mortgage. And Belinda's daughter has a secondhand site and seems to do well with it.  During my busy months this would not make sense, but with the down time now, maybe?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim


22 comments:

  1. Way to go Kim!! Maybe instead of putting too much time or energy into buying/selling items you could just do like you did today and when you come across something you know will sell quickly pick it up.
    Your meals all sound so good.
    Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday!!

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    1. I totally agree, I certainly don't have the time to devote to this most of the time, nor do I want to be stuck with things I don't need.

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  2. I'd like to do more selling of items no longer needed. I know I donate things, but then I think, I can donate the proceeds and then that can go towards things like food and products SNAP won't pay. Maybe once I have a bit of success with second hand items of my own (or third hand possibly), then maybe I might know what things will sell for so a flip is possible. I agree with you on the spiral ham. I like them right out of the oven-the convenience and flavor, but yes, the remains seem to dry out and aren't as good.

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    1. I know I would not have purchased a spiral ham, but free it tastes pretty good.

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  3. Good buy and pure profit. That is wonderful. I have never done that - I have some things I have thought about - just the thought of strangers and maybe fake money scares me! Yeah I know, I am not the most trusting. I don't have an online paypal thingy - so it would have to be cash for me.

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    1. I don't either, so mine would be cash here, which means larger items.

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  4. Woo Hoo! That is a great flip, Kim.

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  5. The definition of eternity: two people and a ham!

    My favorite use of leftover ham is homemade Mac and cheese casserole baked with ham.

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  6. I've never flipped a product I was given or got a thrift. However, I have passed it on or re-donated it.

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    1. Well, it is one way to make a few bucks and a lot of people do it for a living.

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  7. I typically pass on our stuff (either giving it away, or selling). I have had a few things that I've picked up of of a free table, & then sold. A few recently: a piece of crystal, & a set of bicycle trail maps. The maps sold for quite a bit, and the person putting them out on the free table was planning to put them in the recycling bin.

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  8. About 25 years ago, I had a job driving distances to interview the parents of children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. I had a long drive from Cullman to Florence, AL and was paid for the hours I drove and miles. It is a 75 mile drive. I always scheduled my interviews on Friday or Saturdays, yard sale days. I left home about 3 hours early and stopped at every yard sale. On the way back, I stopped at every junk store or antiques store. I resold everything the same day. As I shopped at the yard sales, I also bought things I wanted. When I got home my purchases were all paid for by the sales of the other stuff.

    Another time, I stopped at a tractor trailer rig at an intersection in the country near Huntsville. I bought a metal, male urinal with a miniscule rust spot and the original stick on tag. I paid a quarter. The next day I was in a yard sale in Huntsville with friends. I put the male urinal in the yard sale for $10. I took $8.

    Another time, I bought a lamp to get the shade and the light bulb. I took the base, a chalk dragon covered with shells and painted red to the same yard sale. The red paint was mostly gone as were many of the shells. I had nothing to lose by trying to sell it. A man walked by clutching it at the sale. I said, "Oh, my lamp!" He held it closer and assured me it was his lamp. Well, it took a while to convince him I was selling it. Anyway, I paid $3 for that lamp and sold it for $3. I surely did not want to take it home.

    There have been days I went out for the purpose of finding things I could sell. However, there was no online place to sell. Besides, I took things to the proper place to sell them. I had friends who had antique stores, I found a junk store, and I found a place that bought the really junky stuff I had. I actually enjoyed the whole process and made decent money. Plus, I had things I could not afford otherwise.

    IF SOMEONE WOULD TEACH ME HOW TO GET THESE DAMNED PICTURES ONTO THE INTERNET, I WOULD SELL ON SEVERAL VENUES. Ooops, did not mean the caps.

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  9. Great flip!
    My husband has done a few flips if he comes across something at a yard sale or goodwill. I think his best one was an older pfaff sewing machine. We have an old one that his dad was going to use for upholstery, so when dh found another one at goodwill he bought it and sold it for a profit.

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    1. YEs if you know your stuff you are definitely ahead of the game.

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  10. I have never intentionally flipped anything. But who knows, it might be something I try this year since it looks like this damned Covid is not going away, and I will be stuck doing little___again.

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    1. I know, it is so depressing and I am about going nuts. Don't dare travel right now. What bless our little hearts...

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  11. I really have bad luck trying to sell items I no longer use so I think you are so very brave to find something and flip it so quickly.

    God bless.

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  12. Start flipping items and use that money for your travel with Sluggy Fund. Wouldn't it be heaven to float around in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland?!?

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