Yard Sales: a Home Based Business Opportunity to Get Your Feet Wet

A Home Business Article Contributed by Barbara Gibson

Yard Sales: a Home Based Business Opportunity.

Yard sales present an excellent home based business opportunity. Planning and organizing the sale can give you some insight into your capacity to launch a home based business You will have the opportunity to gauge your skills for working with many different types of people. You will also test your ability to negotiate and of course, manage financial matters. Taking advantage of a home based business opportunity can be very profitable in term of finances and personal satisfaction.

More and more we feel pressed by the increasing costs of living. A small home based business can provide additional income to fill the gap between current income and expenses Perhaps best of all is yard sales offer a home based business opportunity that requires little or no capital.

Collecting Items to Create Your Home Based Business Opportunity

It is useful to begin by looking around your home and garage. Do you have a treadmill that now serves as a plant stand? How about clothes your children have outgrown? Is your attic or basement packed to overflowing with items that have outlived their usefulness for your family? A good rule of thumb to follow is if you haven't used it in at least three months, whatever "it" is might be a good candidate for your yard sale. Involve the whole family in your treasure hunt.

This is a good opportunity to free your home of the excess and clutter that can feel stifling during the winter months. Yard sales can also serve as great opportunities for children to experience the pride of earning their own money. Don't be shy about the items you consider, different things appeal to different people Once you have assembled your yard sale inventory, check each item to make sure that it is clean and in good repair.

Items requiring only minor repairs may be sold at discounted prices if you haven't the time to make the repairs yourself Clearly mark each item with your asking price. You can use stickers, which are available at most office supply stores. Decide ahead of time which prices are firm, and which are negotiable. It is easier to stand your ground when you have a position and rationale before you are faced with a forceful customer.

Purchasing Items to Create Your Home Based Business Opportunity

After you have a few sales under your belt, you will have an idea of what your customers are willing to pay for a particular item You will also become better at offering the inventory that will generate your target profit amount. This is a good place from which to consider expanding your home based business. One way to do this is to begin building your inventory with items from flea markets and other like venues. Be careful. The object is to profit on the purchases that you resell.

You may want to consider making your purchases only from a designated amount of your profits to minimize losses until you gain more experience.