One Man & a Truck...

I rent a tiny booth at a local indoor flea market. I do alright for myself, since my goal is really to primarily clean out my junk and clutter around the house. You know, the stuff that is too nice to throw away, but one step above garage sale worthy...that stuff is perfect for my little booth. I rent it for $15 a week, but usually make just enough to pay the rent bill. So there you have my story, but now I want to tell you about Roger.

Roger rents a big ol' booth across from mine and he does great! He makes a good income every week and here is how he does it: Roger has a service that only requires his pickup truck, a handcart or wheelbarrow, and a few muscles. He advertises that he will come and pick up whatever is left after a yard sale, estate sale, attic cleaning, or the sale of a home where things have been left behind. He charges $75 per truck load to pick up whatever you have. He sorts it out into 3 piles: Flea Market booth product, Trash, and Goodwill. He showed me a very plain table he had drug down out of an attic. He charged the owner to haul it off, and then he was selling it for $200 in his Flea Market booth. Double pay for a very ordinary table. Incredible!

(Roger reminded me that Salvation Army does not make pick up house calls any more. There is a Goodwill store in my local area that does make house calls, but they sort it right there at your home and only cart off what they think they can sell. You are on your own to haul off the junk and mess they have made sorting through it all.)

You can quickly see how this could be a lucrative side income. 2 guys working together could even do it faster and easier, but Roger is proof that just one guy can do this business and make it work. The only expenses he has are for the junk he actually has to haul to the city dump. It costs a bit per truckload, but since he has just been paid a lot more to pick it up and haul it off, that isn't a big concern to worry about.

I would LOVE to do this if I was a strong man with a truck. Alas, this idea is not one I can do myself. I would love to hear from you if you have tried this before or try it now, upon my suggestion. I want to know how it goes for you!