Sunday, December 9, 2012

Success!

Some exciting news from the home front here. It has been a very hectic week for us here but its ending quite nice . I caught more than a hand full of eye-rolls from Cris as I explained my crazy ideas of how I thought I could make something from a lot of nothing. So far she has humored me and allowed me leash enough to follow my gut.
   I've decided to share what I'm doing to try and make ends meet.

                                    WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU I GIVE YOU ........

                                                     THE EBAY PROJECT

                    

I'm so excited I don't know where to start so I'll just begin like this...


Do you like my picture? I took this picture. I'm Very proud of it because although I dont have any training as a photographer, I feel like I have an eye for what I like. I like this picture. Your probably thinking.. "Big Deal, He spelled Out the word success with scrabble tiles." Yes I did... And then I put them in the box pictured there and shipped them to a buyer who paid me $15.00 for them. I paid .050 cents for the whole board game.
   They also paid  the $5.35 for me to ship them to them.

                                      Buyer Paid   $20.35
                                     cost of game-    0.53
                                            shippin     - 5.35
                                        Ebay Fee        -.90
                                        Payal Fee        -.12      = Profit  $13.48
             
                                                That's Nearly an hours wages for me at my job! Your probably asking yourself why someone would pay $20 for crummy old scrabble tiles right?  It seems the tiles are a hot item on ebay right now as people everywhere are utilizing these scrabble tiles in their jewelry crafting. They make little pendants and such out of them as seen here . When I bought those tiles, I bought them at Goodwill in a complete board game for .50 cents, removed the tiles ( they dont want the board game) and bagged some profit.
  Whats interesting to me is appraently nobody told them they could go down to walmart and buy the board game for $17 new. Whats EVEN MORE  interesting is that the manufacturer's website ( Hasbro), sells replacement tiles direct  for around  $5.00 for the whole lot of 100 tiles.


I Hated To See This Angel Go


  This angel ornament was picked up while Cris was at last weeks Christmas Craft Bazaar selling her bottle lamps. The Church, a block down, was having a basement yard sale and selling cookies. The children and I had a few minutes before we were to be at a Christmas party so we set off to see what we could find.
   Upon arrival it was clear to see that this sale was definitely about the cookies because there were only  two tables and three or four junk boxes on the floor. For the most part it looked like the stuff most people throw away. A half used candle here, an unmatched pair of socks there, a box with a glove in it. Did you hear me? A box with  a single glove in it.You know, just in case you happen to have the matching one at home?
  It was the box on the ground that drew my attention. A card board flat really, the kind that a 12 pack of soda is delivered in. There in the box, was more junk..Christmas junk. Mismatching ornaments, a string of lights with half its bulbs and a bunch of miscellaneous pieces haphazardly tossed in the box. I asked the lady , "How much?" She said.. "Oh, those are five  for one dollar. Just junk really." I had the kids with me and encouraged them to get down on the floor with dad to  "see if there's anything shiny"
  We scooped up a dollars worth, each child helping to pick one and this is the gem that we came up with.
    The Angel, Marked "Hong Kong"  on the bottom, was junk when I was a kid. It was everywhere, Not anymore, everything is now marked china. I knew somewhere, someone had a good memory associated with this vintage 1980's ornament, and an affection connected to it. Maybe  not but what they Hey.. The risk is .20 cents .Ive spent more on a scratch off  lottery ticket in the past.
   On the way out,  my attention turned to a ceramic Christmas tree that looked like something my grandmother would have had sitting around on the holidays.It was 17 inches tall and marked Holland Mold on the bottom with a single X carved into it.The asking price was $15 and seemed reasonable , so I bought it. I also picked up a ceramic Santa's of the world 14" figure for a buck but first:

   I'm proud to say our little angel showed her gratitude for being rescued from that awful box of garbage because she closed in an EBay auction today for $21.93 ! That's right, she had worth to someone out there.Someone wanted her. Cris and I had a blast watching two people bid her up this week. We were really amazed and I believe they're going to be very happy with her. I really hate to see her go because I know she would have looked nice on our tree.

                                         Carolites Musical Angel  Sold      $21.93
                                                                                Paid   $    0.20
                                                                              shipping    $5.35
                                                                EBay /Paypal fees   $1.85                Profit = $14.53





                                                                The Moldy Christmas Tree



    I mentioned above that i took a risk on this ceramic christmas tree marked Holland Mold on the bottom. It was fully functional but had been chipped on the top and repaired with super glue. I was totally honest of its condition in the auctions desciption and provided lots of close up photo of the tree and pointed out the previous damage. I set the auction7 days so it would have time to gain some viewers and 



 what do you know, another good choice!

  
                                                  Moldy Christmas Tree SOLD    -  $65.00 !
                                                                                               Paid  -  $15
                                                                                             shipping $15
                                                                             Ebay/paypal Fees $5.20    Profit -- $29.80!

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