Rough day

QueenB.

Today my OH tried to do yet another car boot.

He has tried 6 times already and something always seems to happen.
Once he got there and it was shut.
Another time he over slept and nothing went to plan.
Twice he got rained out.

The other times he made no money.

Today, as it was a bank holiday he tried again. He works really late hours so he only actually had 3 hours sleep before he got up and went. Even after all the other times he kept his optimism and went, taking our eldest with him.

But he was back again by 1 pm, not only did it get rained out again but he again had made no real money. Float aside, he had made about £20 but once petrol was taken into account i doubt the real profit was more than £10 and to be honest he would have made more than that in one hour if he had picked up another shift from work.

Our eldest had her own stuff to sell and made as much as her dad and even got a gift from the guy on the next stall, a scooter she gave hin £1 from her own money as he was trying to sell it for a fiver but decided to let her have it as she was enjoying it so much.

My OH is just so down, he has really tried and even with just 3 hours sleep he went into work this evening. so now we are at a loss what to do. He has basically had enough of car boots, though from asking around he was not the only one to make next to nothing so i have been trying to tell him its not his fault. The stuff is not really ebay stuff and i don't just want to give it away so trying to rethink the situation at the moment.

The only positives to come from all this are, my daughter seems to have found herself a natural sales woman and she loves it, some people even paid her extra (must have felt sorry for her standing out there in the freezing cold). She also made me proud because she used some of her own money to buy both of her brothers a little gift, her reason was , just because she saw the bits and thought they would love them. Plus over the last month she has saved enough with car boots and other money to buy herself a new pair of trainers (kinda designer which is why i would not buy them) put money on her mobile, pay for a day out with mates this week, take spending money on a school trip to Thorpe park and she still has some left. She is really beginning to take our family situation onboard and is working hard on accepting and following the DFW and MSE lifestyle, she is even trying to find a part time job so we don't need to pay her any pocket money.

However my OH is just so down and is taking it as a personal failure.

Sorry for the rant.:o

LookingAhead

Awww hugs honey.

Sorry to hear the boot sales have been a bit pants recently. Hate to say it but....the weather really doesn't help.

The best weather forecasting site I have used is https://www.metcheck.com

Perhaps if you give it a bit of a break but then use this before you make a decision to do another one, it will prevent some disappointment. Sometimes you have great days...other days you don't.

Fab news though that your daughter is taking things on board and working hard. Look how things have turned around there eh babes? I remember the struggles you were having a few months ago!

Things will turn around....they will.

Just "park" the boot sale stuff for now, get your breath back & make sure hubby gets decent rest. Things will seem better soon.
xxxx

QueenB.

Thanks LA and yes look how far she has come, i am so proud of her.

I think we will definitly stop doing them for a little while, put most of the stuff back in the attic. I am thinking of listing some of the books on Amazon and greenmet and a local shop will take the vids at 30p each, not alot of money but it all helps.

As for OH i am trying to think up some free treat to help him feel better, he as also come a long way in the last month, in fact i showed that post i made about him a little while ago and since then we have really talked and we have been a team with the same goal, so knowing how hard he has worked and how much he has tried to do is what is making the whole car boot thing a bit depressing.

tesuhoha

Your daughter sounds so sweet and lovely. I am sorry things have not worked out but selling things can be difficult. Do you have a local paper with free ads that you could try. We have one here and it doesnt cost anything to list one item per week. I wouldnt risk ebay I have lost quite a lot of money listing stuff that doesnt sell. Good luck.

QueenB.

We may try some of the free adds for a few of the larger things but in truth its mostly a collection of tiny bits and bobs.

Will put some of the clothes up on ebay as like you i am sure we would lose money if we put most of the other bits up but i am sure with a bit of sleep and a day to think on it we will find a solution, well hopefully LOL.

AuctionMan_2

Before youlist on Ebay research the product that you are looking to sell, see what currently being sold, the price its making, the category its listed in, the titles used etc...all these play a part in the end value.

On the advanced search on Ebay you can look at ended auctions which will give you a price range expectation and you can decide whether to list or not. What doesn't go on Ebay can go elsewhere (free ads etc)...

Try putting a goody box together of a few items for Ebay..may work may not.

lynzpower

Just leave it for now. Videos dont tend to fetch much, so yes, let them go, then wait for better times & do your research. Ive got books on GM, and im just leaving them there, books stashed under my bed out of the way, if I get anything for them, then great, but Ive given up going full tilt.

HAd a few weeks off & ebayed 5 things, 3 have sold , ones waiting to sell fingers crossed, one relisted.

Ive also cut down ebay costs by going for brown paper, instead of jiffy bags, way cheaper as a roll was 99p for 10 metres...

Chell

Just spend a little time going through all your books and videos and see what they are listed for on Amazon. I had £30 in my first fortnight and £60 in my second fortnight. If they don't sell then it costs you nothing to list them. Listing is very quick too.

Chell

lynzpower wrote:

Ive also cut down ebay costs by going for brown paper, instead of jiffy bags, way cheaper as a roll was 99p for 10 metres...

:eek: I'm shocked at you Lynz, you never ever spend money on brown paper. I don't have the phone number but either do a search on the ebay forum or put up a thread. Royalmail send out free Special delivery Polybags in three sizes. You need to be a business so get them sent to work or make up a business name based at home. You remove the labels from these and turn them inside out so they are plain.
Even if you don't get those you can use other things. I reuse the jiffy bags that my freebies arrive in for ebay although I buy new ones for Amazon. If I need something bigger or I don't have the polybags then I use a good quality carrier bag such as the ones from Next/Topshop which are thick. I only actaully ever buy brown tape for ebaying.

HTH Chell

EDIT: Phone number is 08457 950 950

beverleyhills

Although your OH's investment of effort has not reaped finacial rewards it appears that your family are developing in ways that is beyond price.

Good luck

beanielou

beverleyhills wrote:

Although your OH's investment of effort has not reaped finacial rewards it appears that your family are developing in ways that is beyond price.

Good luck

Have to agree with this.
Things will hopefully turn the corner soon
Huggles