I was obviously not going to become a millionaire overnight, so I set myself a realistic target, that would easily be achievable, and within (at that time) very limited financial capabilities. My first target I set at a mere £75, just to start me off. The idea being that when I had achieved this, my next target would be double the first target, which would be £150. When that target was reached I would then set another target to £300, being double the second target. And so on. From £300 to £600, then £1200, £2500, £5000, £10000, £25000, £50000, £100000, £200000…...etc etc. Catch my drift? I would not spend any of it until it reached a life changing sum.
Without a target, there can be no aim. Like a ship without a rudder, full steam ahead, going nowhere. Setting any target, for whatever purpose in life, simply means you have something to aim for. By patiently and persistently aiming for it, using workable methods and proven principles, means you have every chance of hitting it. Simple logic.
I reached my first target easily by doing some evening Bar work in my local Pub. I didn’t really enjoy the work, but I was so happy with the achievement of completing that first target of £75. Also, while working there, I overheard two customers talking about Car Boot Sales, which gave me another idea to help me reach my second target, and maybe, if I was lucky, even my third.
I asked family and friends if they had anything they no longer wanted, in their garages, sheds, or attics. I told them truthfully, I needed to raise sum cash, and offered to collect whatever they had to give. I was surprised by the amount of gear I collected. There were garden tools, books, clothes, CD’s, shoes, cutlery, kids toys, and much more. After a few trips, I realised there was far too much to go in my estate car in one go.
To cut a long story short, I found out where the nearest Car Boot Sale was, which was on a Sunday every week, perfect! I borrowed a couple of wallpaper pasting tables to act as stalls, found some old curtain material to cover the tables and make them look attractive, and I was ready to roll.
I spent a bit of time on all the wares I had for sale, cleaning and polishing, and making them look good. I also attached price labels on each item to eliminate the necessity of customer enquiry, which ensures a greater quantity of sales. How? Because some people are afraid to ask, and therefore may move on, assuming the price is greater than it actually is. Price labels eliminate this possibility. Also, I had obtained all the items free, so I was able to sell at rock bottom prices, assuring me of selling as much as possible, and maybe making a good return.
The of day of the Boot Sale arrived, I set up the stall, covered with the curtain material and sprayed with a pleasant smelling perfume. I bought some balloons and blew them up, for the kids as they passed by. I had a music CD of the Beech Boys, and played it on the car stereo, all adding to the effect of an “upbeat” and “attracting” atmosphere. I had started at 8am, by about 1pm I had sold almost everything. Boy was I happy? I was ecstatic! What I had collected in my pocket, added to the amount of my first target, exceeded my second target by a few pounds. Before I packed up and purely out of curiosity, I wandered around the Sale to look at some of the other stalls. I was quite amazed to see that many stalls still had a lot of wares unsold. Not surprising though, on closer inspection some of the goods were dirty, or in poor shape. Little effort had been put in to the presentation, and some stalls actually smelt awful, putting me and others right off! Most items had no price tags, and the few that did, were priced too high!! C’est la vie.
I now had £300 plus, so I only had to collect just under £300 to reach my next target of £600. I felt great. I couldn't help chuckling to myself. The idea was so simple, yet working so well.
As I still had a lot of gear at home, it seemed logical do another Car Boot Sale, and by doing more evening Bar work I reached my next target easily within a couple of weeks. I was elated. I was now already looking towards my next target of £1200. I had already collected over £600, so I was looking to collect about £550 to make it.
I was prepared to do just about anything (legal) to enable me to reach each target. I had to be sensible though. I could not work every evening and every weekend, otherwise I would be too tired to do my normal daily job. I also needed time for me, for my walks and my own chores, and time to relax. I was in no rush.
I carried on with the Bar work for a while only doing two nights a week. Although I didn’t enjoy it, the mere fact that it was adding towards hitting the next target kept me going.
At this stage I just want to share with you a few of my thoughts. You can already see for yourself how simple it is to “collect” money, starting from nothing. There is no mysterious secret. It is about method. Stick to the method, and you cannot possibly fail. The one main point to remember is...….. never spend any of the money until it has reached the target you consider to be a life changing amount. Simple?
Let's continue.
I looked through Advertising Magazines, and Papers to see if I could get some ideas to enable me to “collect” more money. I saw two local weekly Auctions advertising antiques and house clearances, with previewing available in the evenings.
I knew nothing about Auctions or Antiques, so I paid a visit to my local library, and chose several books on the subjects. I read as much as possible, gained valuable information and learnt many helpful tips.
I went to the Auction taking just £200 with me. At that time I was inexperienced in these matters, so I didn’t want to risk all I had collected so far. I successfully made bids for three new air rifles for £50, one hardly used McCullock chain saw for £30, a used mountain bike £20, and a landscape oil painting by a well known local artist for £72. I was quite nervous, but very excited by the whole atmosphere, and I had spent £172.
The rifles made a loss of £10, on selling them to a local shooting gallery for just £40. The Chain Saw sold for £70 in a local Free Ad newspaper. The Mountain Bike sold for £45 in the Ad section of a local shop window. The Oil Painting was put into a specialised Auction dealing with antiques and collectables and sold for £120 which absolutely amazed me. All very nerve wracking, but very exciting.
So, to recap, out of the £200 I took with me to the Auction, I spent £172 on goods which sold on for £275. Adding the £28 left unspent, gave a total of £331, leaving me to collect another £250 to enable me to hit my £1200 target.
At this stage I began telling my family, friends and acquaintances, (in fact anyone who would listen) to let me know if they ever wanted to sell anything cheap for some fast cash. It didn't take very long for this information to get passed on. I was beginning to gain a reputation for buying, giving me the ultimate opportunity (by selling on) of “collecting” cash as often as possible, even at work!!
Within a week of the last Auction a friend rang me to say he had just started a new job, and with it came a company car. He asked me if I would be interested in buying his old one, cheap for quick cash. (he was well aware of my rules). It was an old Volvo estate, in great condition, as he had always taken good care of it. To cut to the quick, I bought it for £350 and advertised it in the Free Ads section of a local newspaper for £750. It sold for £700 within a week of entry, which meant I had surpassed my £1200 target, and was on my way to my next target (double the £1200) of £2400.
I was at last, climbing out of the gutter, and moving up onto the pavement.
I continued with the Auctions, making some good friends and very useful acquaintances. I watched carefully, listened intently, and asked many questions. I slowly gained knowledge and experience and as I progressed, opportunities came my way in abundance. I dealt with items of greater quality and value giving me a greater cash return. I also used E-bay, Newspaper Advertising sections, and of course word of mouth. My reputation continued to grow, and so did my “collection.” Over time, through patiently persisting with this “collection method” I was able to set new targets, and achieve them with little effort.
I have made a few mistakes, but as a rough guide, I try to use no more than about 30% of the total “collected” (for purchases) at any one time, and even then I tend to spread it over several deals if possible, thus limiting the risk of losing.
