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re: "NEW UPDATE" - How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Lots of gold info

re:
 

Today we are going to talk about something simple. :)

Power Supplies - AC Adapters:

There are different types of power supplies, the 3 common ones are..

1) AC Adapters (what we are going to talk about here)

2) Power Supply Units (typically found in Desktop Computers)

3) Power Supply Boards (mounted on a circuit board)

Below is a image of a common AC Adapter


You probably have 10 or more of these in your home right now. They power your Laptops, Printers, Modems, Routers, Cordless Phones and 1000's of other items.

They are also used to charge your Tablets, Cell Phones, eBooks, Games etc..

You want to buy anything Music, Medical or Industrial related. Meaning if you know a power supply goes to a CPAP machine it will probably be worth $40+

The one below is one I have never seen before. (I would buy it)


I was fortunate last year to hit a garage sale that had several power supplies that I have never seen before. I could just tell that they went to something expensive. It turned out I was right as they were for surveying equipment, anyway I quickly turned my $10 into almost a $1000.

As time goes on, you will learn what looks common and what's unique. Try and buy the unique uncommon ones.

Most Garage Sales sell them for 25¢ - $1.

TIP: Sometimes the power supply is worth more by itself, than selling the item with the power supply. So before you list anything that comes with a power supply, research the part number of the PS first and make sure you're not screwing yourself out of additional money. HINT: Same thing applies on Remote Controls.

On average, you will see 20 or more power supplies per outing. You will quickly learn what types to buy and what to leave alone.

Testing these is as simple as it gets, I made quick YouTube video on how easy it is. Yes, I know, I sound kind-of dorky, but it's my first one and I was a little apprehensive. :p


I'll add more to this post if I think of anything else..

re: "NEW UPDATE" - How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

I have DOZENS of power supplies lying around my house collecting dust. It's one of those things that you don't really think about until yours breaks down and you're on the hunt for a replacement.. I would bet these are in HIGh demand all year long.

re: FUN & PROFIT: How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Oh wow, I just noticed the video. That's TGMT!

At first I just thought it was a random video. :)

Good stuff!

re: FUN & PROFIT: How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Very cool! Thanks TGMT! I will be on the lookout now in my hunting ventures.

re: FUN & PROFIT: How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Just want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU for this thread.

This morning I went to the local car boot with this thread in mind.

I bought 3 power supplies (didn't know what was better and the only ones I recognised were phone chargers and laptop supplies, so I just went for the biggest most complicated looking ones) for £10. 2 of them are for old fashioned routers, worth £2-3 if they even sell. The other is for a recliner chair (quite generic with interchangeable plug on the end so fits different brands) and new replacements of these are £150! Hoping to get at least £50.

I also got 2 job lots of MCB circuit breakers. Didn't really know what they were worth and most are standard consumer ones, but altogether for £15 I got 23 breakers plus a DeWalt case to carry them in and this other circuit breaker thingy I don't have a clue what it does, but its the biggest I've seen. 5 of them should sell for £4-£5 and the other 17 for £2-3 each. The big thing is £200 new! (440v 11KW) and again should sell for upwards of £50!

I also found some Harman Kardon speakers for £3 which I thought I'd take a punt at. Should get £20-30 for those!

So should get over £100 profit from all this! Wouldn't have taken a second glance at any of these items without this thread so again a massive thank you to TGMT² and please keep 'em coming I'm hooked!

re: FUN & PROFIT: How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Nice video! Definitely important to test them.

re: FUN & PROFIT: How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Desktop power supply units (PSU) are my biggest profit margin items. I really look for the custom built desktops, they usually have the better PSU. Desktops from Dell or HP have crappy ones but they still sell. And people need to know about the different types of rating for desktop PSU's. Some are not rated but the ones that are officially rated come in 80 plus rating. Dont be fooled, rating only in stages of 80 rating, not 85 or 90.

For desktop PSU there is 6 ratings--80 plus, bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and titanium. Almost everyone I talk too thinks that gold is the top rated, nope its titanium. That is where I get them to lower the prices on the PSU's and I make more in margins.

re: FUN & PROFIT: How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

To clarify, that's strictly their entry level desktops. Both of those companies offer legitimate business line models, of which I personally use.

Now, HP, Dell, Lenovo's entry level desktop lines are the most popular and literally are all made the exact same in the exact same factories. I wish I had the article that talked about this like 2 years ago. But, look at their cases. The low end ones are literally all identical in design and garbage quality. The article talked about how they were all made in the exact same factory. The only difference is the brand label. I think the PSU's in these are like around 280 watts?

New update: Oct. 12th 2014
 

Time for another update! :)

Let's look into buying these "FILTERS" that nobody seems to want at the Garage Sales.

Filters is a pretty broad term since there is SOOOooo many variations, but I will try to cover the ones you are likely to see throughout the year that you should be getting..

http://pics2.ds-static.com/prodimg/150134/300.jpg

1) Of course, the most common and best selling is Water Filters, so anything that filters water get it. There are filters for your faucet, inline and cartridge filters for you refrigerator, even filters for Spa's and Pools. Also be sure and familiar yourself with what a osmosis filter looks like too, you will see plenty of those.

The rule of thumb here is Brand Names, meaning if it has a recognizable Brand Name, then it will be worth a considerable amount. Generic filters are good if you can get them in bulk.

Typical Spa and Pool filters (so you know what they look like):

http://ep.yimg.com/ay/nationaldiscou...rtridges-5.gif

2) Let's move into the "Auto Parts filters" since you are going to be seeing a lot of these everyday you hit the sales.


You would be surprised on how many actual filters there are on a newer car.

Just off the top of my head I can list several: Air, Oil, Cabin, Charcoal, Transmission, Fuel and even a Catalytic Converter is a type of filter.

Wouldn't it be nice to find a New Catalytic Converter every once in a while? Those sell for $200-$800, but don't expect to find those to often. :p

But you will see the others on a consistent basis. Most don't sell for much, but they do bring in a nice profit margin every year. Especially when you find the factory ones... Last year I found a case of Factory BMW Cabin Filters, and made a killing on them.

http://www.mm-4x4.com/ekmps/shops/mm...er---small.jpg

Helpful Hint: K&N Filters are Great Sellers New and Used, and you will find these frequently.

3) Familiarize yourself with the acronym "HEPA", because when you see it on a Air Filter, it is generally worth money.

You will find HEPA on products such as A/C Filters, Funaces, Air Handlers, Vacuum Cleaner Bags, Air Purifiers, and almost on any type of Mask (medical-paint-industrial)

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...c717e1_400.jpg

Air Filters that don't say HEPA can have value too, but they will have to be branded. Honeywell products are highly regarded and most sell very well.
______________

Good news for us is, our competition at the Garage Sales won't buy filters because what are the odds that they will find one with the correct size and type for their needs.?

So, in short...if you see a filter any filter, regardless of what it goes to, consider buying it. PEOPLE NEED FILTERS and most filters need to be replaced many times over.

re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

I can attest.. my fridge water filter is $50 a pop and I need a fresh one every 6-months. They're just as expensive as the fridge after so many years. :/

re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Very interesting TGMT, thanks for spreading the knowledge!

And just out of curiosity if you see a filter with some heavy usage, would you still get it?

re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Now why would someone buy a used filter?

BUT: Yes for K&N Filters as they are lifetime guaranteed and are washable. And have a Great resell value even used. :)

AND: Yes for Catalytic Converters in some circumstances.

re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

lol figured, good stuff! :clap:

re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Yes, washable K&N are awesome. Use them in all of my cars forever.

re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

I've been loving this thread; I thought I had found all the things with hidden value at garage sales, but you've had some good ones! Can't wait for the next update!

re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

This is a nice thread of yours TGMT², has the community spirit feel to it.

I like your thinking & some of the product sourcing methods you have described here. :)

(UPDATE Jan. 23rd 15): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

I'm going to take a new approach to this thread and simplify things so we can have more continuous content...

So basically one main item at a time. :)

Today's item is "Tool Battery Chargers"


These are Very easy to find (I average 1 or 2 a week), easy to ship as most fit in a Padded Flat Rate Envelope, and are usually sold at most Garage Sales for just $1. or $2. each.

Average eBay Selling Price is $20. - $50. ea. and they account for about $1000. of my sales per year.


ALSO: Very easy to test, just test them as you would a power supply like I showed you in a previous post above. If they are putting out power, than they are probably Good.

Don't hesitate to buy any of them, they will sell! Most popular brands are..

DeWalt, Ryobi, Milwaukee, Craftsman, Makita, Coleman, Snap-On, Blue-Point and several others.

Stay away from anything that Harbor Freight sells, most of their tools are labeled "Central Pneumatic" which is considered junk in the industry.


When you start buying these you will in some instances be getting the actual batteries and tools that go with them that also have a lot of worth. Buying the Chargers is a good starting point to learning about the tools and batteries associated with them.

Helpful Hint: DeWalt & Milwaukee batteries still have a significant value even if they are bad. :thumb:

Re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

Do you have problems selling any of them because of the brands? I know DeWalt is a popular one to coun.terf.eit.

Re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

No, never a issue in 10 years.

They are used, and sold as such. I might list a single DeWalt Charger maybe 6 times a year or so. They are always priced for a quick sale.

Most counterfeit sellers are selling new with quantity.

UPDATE for 2-23-2015
 

Today we are going to talk about one of my Favorite Items to get and how to test them.

Garage Door Opener REMOTES:


There are 100's of Styles of Garage Door Remotes. And even the really old ones are worth a good deal of money considering you will rarely pay over a $1. per remote.

Old Style Remote:
On average I find about 3 remotes per month. Average selling price is between $20-$50. each on eBay and they sell fast!


I'm going to show you a really easy way to test these so you know they work before listing them. You only need 2 things:

1) A Volt Meter to make sure the battery is good.

2) And a cheap Frequency Counter you can buy on eBay for less than $20.

eBay LINK: (to buy your own Frequency Counter) http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...quency&_sop=15

Below I made a YouTube Video on how easy it is to test these. :p


Anyway, this is another common item that most people won't buy at sales because they don't usually need one or they are unfamiliar with the worth.

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

:thumb: TGMT squared - time to open up the garage doors...on these garage sales

Re: (NEW update Jan 23rd): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

I'm always up early and stay out late. My wife is a garage sale addict no stopping her! Most be the Texas garage sales they keep the good stuff hidden. Seriously I've been looking for everything posted never finding anything posted but I will continue to search.

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

Right now in my area it is a little bit cold still, so they dont pick up till summer time. BUt then they take off so have many to chose from. Also depends on what size of a town you live in too my area has about a million ppl so it is decent.

BUt dont get me wrong have also taken some road trips to the rural mountain area towns and have actually found some really good stuff. JUst gotta get a idea of what stuff is worth. ANd this tread is a really good start for the newbies and old heads alike :bounce:

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

agree this thread is fantastic.

i live in new york city, and I just don't seem to find any gems at the garage sales i see around here. Just people trying to sell some of their extra crap, but nothing really interesting.

I imagined in more rural areas you would be more likely to find some treasures, but never had any experience with this type of stuff.

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

This thread is AWESOME - thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us!!! Please keep it coming!

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

Sure! Whenever anyone asks, it prompts me to do a new update. :)

I have a really good one in mind, one of my biggest (overall) money makers. I should be able to get in done this week for you.

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

Is summer time the best for yard sales?

If so, my body is ready.

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

Your "body is ready" ??? LMAO!

Summer Time best? No not here, I am in the Phoenix area and we have almost 3 months of temperatures over 105 °F with many days going over 115 °F :eek:

Fun facts about this area:

During the Summer here, we have lot's of nighttime lows of 90 °F, seriously it's that hot at 3am in the morning.

ALSO: During the Summer here, the tap water from the kitchen faucet is hot on both sides. (Can you imagine?)

During the Summer here, Don't even think about picking up anything metal at a Garage Sale. 2 years ago I picked up a Space Shuttle Belt Buckle off the table at a sale and it blistered my hand. I use gloves now during the summer like pot holders. LOL!..

Typical forecasts during some weeks here in the Summer:

http://media2.newsnet5.com//photo/20...48_320_240.JPG

But even with all that, we still have Garage Sales here during the Summer, but only about a 1/4 of what you would usually see.

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

Well, I always thought the best yard sales were early in the morning. Many around me are done by 12 noon. So, heat is never a huge issue. I just don't know when is the most popular season for people to offload.

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

It just depends on your area..

But the Best way to find out is to get out there every week and get started. As long as you are committed to going each and every week, everything else will fall into place.

IMO the most important thing to be successful is establishing your routes. After you get your first one dialed in, then start mapping another one. I have 5 really good routes through certain neighborhoods and cities. 5 hours and 50 miles is my average each Saturday.

ALSO: Using the newspaper and Craigslist to find sales is a waste of time unless you live in an area with limited sales. Just get yourself into Middle and Upper-Middle Class Neighborhoods and look for signs.

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
Please do a new update!
:snicker::cheer::bounce:

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

Great thread! But too pity we don't have such garage sales here :(

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

Hi all, First proper post here so , Hi everone :)

Loved the thread TGMT, I personally have also been going to car boot sales here in the UK now for ages, and have even started selling at them recently due to aquiring thousands of pounds of second hand stock for a few hundred.

First of all the thread was brilliant, I loved a lot of the items that you listed as some of them are already on my list as well. Sorry if I am partially hijacking the thread, I just thought maybe my experience may be of use to people in conjunction with yours.

When at car boot sales, the market itself greatly defines the price range, So bid accordingly.I go to a market on a saturday which has lots of "irregular sellers"(People who are selling their own items from home, as opposed to "regulars" who sell at the markets weekly, often buying up the irregulars stock and selling them at a much higher price.) So be sure to use the location to your advantage, If its a cheap market, you bid cheaper.
On the Sunday, The market is much bigger, Better and busy. More oportunities to find hidden Gems. Different area, though at the saturday market you can get certain items a lot cheaper. It's just getting to know your area.
Hide your emotions well, ask what they are looking for price wise on an item, and then negotiate, always negotiate. I would say 75-80% of my sales go something like this , They ask me a price of an item, I give them a slightly higher price than I want for it, They say no and go to walk away, I ask them how much they want to pay for it, they give me their lowest price, and I negotiate upwards to a comfortable profit level.

Second of all, Look at common older items,for instance certain video games like grand theft auto (or any classic loved ones,Spyro,Metal Gear Solid,GTA,Tomb Raider etc ), mainly any of the playstation1 ones, or san andreas, but any will do, I pick these up weekly for 50p - £1. do an ebay search for them , it speaks for itself. Same goes for Final fantasy VII on the PS1. The profit margins are just brilliant, and postage is minimal.


3. GET THERE EARLY. I cannot stress this enough, 90% of the actual good stuff is sold by 4-5 AM where I am. It's the same faces on these cold wet mornings bar a few irregular ones every week and we all know each other,When you get there early It's a scramble, every collector rushes to get around the sellers arriving and unloading their stock. Everybody has their own little niche; You just need to find yours. Common ones that you always hear are "any phones, laptops, Games consoles (Old boxed Snes and Sega consoles are more common than you think, Ever found a sega multimega for next to nothing? Wait until you get that rush :P) Power tools sell like hotcakes, and jewlery, YES real jewlery, I saw a guy 3 weeks ago get a handful of gold chains with a couple of rings, and a gold cross pendant with rubys and emeralds encrusted into it for £75. As soon as the woman put the box down onto the table everyone scrambled for it, That guy was just the quickest that morning. I could not believe people were selling such high value items as such cheap prices. I have seen everything fromTV's and HI-FI systems to full pokemon card colections go for a quid.

4.Take a torch,to see items properly early on and wrap up warm. Trust me.

5. Get to know people when you are there, Some great contacts are people who do house clearances, Other collectors like yourself;I have traded up on so many items this way, I have things I dont want that they do. And vice versa. It works out really well for you all, and Private collectors, It always pays to have a few of these guys numbers to hand, If you happen to stumble upon anything they might like give them a call and the chances are they will buy it for much more than an average buyer at the market (or maybe even ebay!). Just by turning up at the markets if you gradually speak to people you will meet these guys.

I apologize for rambling though I hope someone gets some use out of it all.

If anyone has any questions about markets etc or anything to do with them, Shoot me a message and I'll be happy to help you out.

TerminalVelocity :uk:

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

You forgot to mention the wonderful Dust Storms that roll in around Monson Season. Yup Yup grew up in a wee little town about two hours from you TGMT still member them storms

May 2015 Update!
 

WOW! Time flies between updates. My goal was at least one a month, I guess the members that are interested need to remind me that I'm behind. :)

Today I am giving you my favorite (most profitable) sales item..

Home Stereo Speakers and their Components.

http://di3-2.shoppingshadow.com/pi/i...60x260-0-0.JPG

We are mostly going to break down the Components in this thread since they are a Great source of revenue and easy to ship. And Speakers can be found almost every week at the Sales.

Let's first talk about the Components of the normal Speaker. Each Speaker has 5 simple Components and I'll list them in the order of worth:

1) Mid/Subwoofer Speaker ..The biggest Speaker

2) Tweeter ..The small Speaker

3) Crossover ..Found at the back of the Speaker to connect the Speaker Wires (Typical Crossover shown below)..

http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225...pFW3fXsILA.jpg

4) Speaker Grill ..They cover the Speakers

5) Cabinet/Case ..Houses everything

Unless these are Bose or Bookshelf or Super High End Speakers, I alway take the Speakers apart and sell the Components Separately or in matching pairs. Matching pairs means I sell the 2 tweeters together, Crossovers together and so on. I found selling the Speaker parts vs. selling the whole Speaker has 2 advantages, the 1st being you will make more money this way and 2nd...it's a more manageable shipping package. Exception of course is Bose and really High End Speakers, and some smaller Good Bookshelf Speakers.

Let's do a step by step on taking a Speaker apart, a very simple process.

1) 1st you want to remove the Speaker cover/grill. These are usually secured using push/pull resistant fasteners. You just need to pull easily around each corner of the grill and remove it.

2) Next you want to remove the biggest Speaker (mid/sub). They are usually secured by 4 screws. After you remove the 4 screws, gently lift the Speaker and remove the 2 wires that you see connected.

3) Now do the same as #2 with the small Speaker. (Tweeter)

4) And last: turn the Speaker to the back side and remove the 4 screws on the Crossover and gently lift it. You will see 4 long wires that need to be pulled through and out of the Cabinet. Since these have the circuit boards exposed, be careful not to hit/move/touch the capacitors on them.

If you guy don't understand the process, let me know and I will make a video for you.

Now we need to inspect and clean everything.

1) Let's start with the biggest Speaker since those are usually worth the most. What you mainly want to look at is the foam on the speaker next to the frame. If the foam has holes or cracks, then it's probably not worth selling. I use a "kabuki make-up brush slightly misted with windex and brush the speaker face lightly for cleaning.

https://www.love-makeup.co.uk/images...0712085847.jpg

2) Tweeters are the small Speakers, and I've never really found a bad one of these. Just check the Speaker wire connections and make sure they aren't to lose. If you are familiar with using a OHM meter, you can check the resistance between the 2 Speaker connections...the reading should fall betwwen 4 to 8 OHM's. (or near)

3) The Crossovers are not an easy sell (about a 50% sell through rate), but usually only take a few minutes to post a listing. If they don't sell within 3 months, they go in the donate bin.

4) If the Speaker Grills look to be in Very Good condition, then you should clean them real good. The way I do it is take them to the kitchen sink and use the dish sprayer on them, then take them outside and shake them out and let them air dry. After they dry take a lint roller to them, and they should look almost new when you're done.

5) Cabinet/Case: Goes straight to Goodwill for donation.

Most of the time I get these Speakers for $5 to $10 a pair. But since I have a good knowledge of Speaker worth, I will pay more when needed.

Familiar yourself with the higher end Speaker makers like:

Bose, PolkAudio, Monitor Audio, Infinity...and more.

ALSO: Don't hesitate to buy the Powered Subwoofer boxes either, their control boards usually sell near the $100 mark and the Speaker inside goes for $50-$75 They usually look like one of these...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JGYWW4N4L.jpg

re: UPDATED for JUNE! How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Woah now thats very interesting, I see speakers thrown out all the time, never would of thought of taking them apart, thanks for sharing!

Re: (FEB update is Here!): How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales..
 

This thread is great so thanks for the updates... i'm also from the UK so this information is very good!

I've sold at bootsales before but never been a "buyer" however i think i'll give it ago!!!!

Worth a try :D

re: UPDATED for JUNE! How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Ahhh, TGMT, I taught someone stea/lth who specializes in this category. They focus more on receivers, but like you, they know the brands and what to look for and can take them apart and repair them.

Incredible profit if you are knowledgeable on this topic as so many people just throw equipment out thinking it's worthless.

re: UPDATED for JUNE! How to make Very Good money going to Garage & Yard Sales...
 

Are there any places in NY that have boot sales that anyone might know of?