How to have a successful car boot sale

Today – How to have a successful car boot sale 

Thank you lovely Dot for sharing your fab car boot tips with us. Dorothy Lepkowska is a freelance journalist: www.dorothylepkowska.co.uk; http://twitter.com/DotLepkowska  She is a stay at home mum who also works for m home and her daughter is 6 months old.

Take a good look around your house. Are your wardrobes bulging at the seams? Will you ever have time to read that stack of books again? And isn’t a clear-out of the loft long overdue?

successful car boot sale, car boot sale, how to have a successful car boot sale

 

How to have a successful car boot sale – top tips

Don’t just take your old junk to the tip. Make the most of a good de-clutter by packing up your car and heading down to your nearest car boot sale.

With the August bank holiday weekend coming up, there may well be events taking place on Monday as well as Sunday – giving you two opportunities to make some cash. In the winter, look out for indoor events.

All you need is a folding/pasting table, a clothes rail if you’re selling garments (though you can hang things off a laundry clothes horse just as easily!) and some plastic sheeting if the ground is damp. And remember to take a bum-bag with a float containing plenty of lose change.

Typically, pitches are charged at between £7-£10 for a car and £10-£15 for a van.

 

Advice for successful car booting:

– If you’ve never done a car boot sale before go to one the week before and just look round. It will give you an idea about pricing and how to arrange your stall

– When you’re ready to start selling, get there early to secure the best pitches

– Make sure your table and rail are packed last so they are first out of the car when you get there

– Don’t price too steeply. Remember these are things you want to get rid of

– Arrange all your items so they are clearly visible, if you have the space – though people generally don’t mind rummaging through boxes

– Go with a friend or partner – it makes it easier to keep an eye on things should you get a rush at your stall, and you can take it in turns to look around or nip to the loo

– Make sure any garments, including children’s or baby clothes, are dry, clean and ironed. Not surprisingly, people can be sensitive about buying second hand clothes

– Baby and children’s clothes and toys tend to sell more easily in areas where people are less well-off, so do your homework about the local community

– If you have new items to sell, make sure interested buyers know they’ve never been used

–  Be prepared for buyers to haggle – it’s all part of the fun! But only sell at the price you think is fair

– Make sure you look clean and tidy, and have a ready smile and ‘good morning’. It’s a great ice-breaker

 

Find your local car boot sale

I hope you have enjoyed my post on how to have a successful car boot sale

No-one gets rich by doing car boot sales, so don’t expect to make a fortune. But hopefully you will make enough to treat the kids to a day out, or keep the baby in nappies for a couple of weeks.

Have fun!

To find your nearest car boot sale, go to: http://www.yourbooty.co.uk/ or http://www.carbootjunction.co.uk/

See more of my money making and money saving posts here and over on my Family Budgeting blog

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1 Comment

  1. August 25, 2010 / 8:19 am

    Can I also just say that if you are considering selling your great-aunts stuff take it to an auctioneers first. Most offer free valuations. The amount of valuable antiques and books I have picked up at car boot sales is astonishing….

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