3 and 1/2 percent

I quit Ebay in 2004. Too many bootleggers, multiple fees, and flim-flam buyers for me. Since then have supplemented meager pension by bying vhs, dvd's, cd's, books at yard sales and reselling on Amazon. $5-10K profit until last year. Vhs is dead, dvds and cds dying. The nook, tablets, ipods, etc. Technology caught up with me.

My Daughter MaryJo is full time student in accelerated teaching program. I had been splitting profits with her, so last year really sucked.
Did find a 1939 mint California license plate with letters PC on it. The resident expert here said the P stood for Public and the C for carriage. Always nice to stump a collector. the P stand for Pneumatic Tires. Mary Jo suggested I switch over to like-new clothing ?

Why not ? First yard sale last week spent $20 for dry cleaned items hanging in a garage. Took them home and stuffed them in postage paid bag from thredUP. One week later $103 in Pay Pal. Second yard sale bought jeans at $1 a pair. Will get $5 or $6 apiece when I mail them in.

MaryJo suggested I try for designer clothes and prints me a list for threadlift. They cater to high end fashion. I figure I might get lucky at Hospice or Encore. Hospice has a store manned by volunteers on Main Street. No real desinger labels, but get 10 items off $3 rack that should average $40 each on threadlift.

Next I headed to Encore, a consignment shop having a .50 $1 and $2 sale. Most other stuff starts at $16 minimum. Skip the jeans at $1 because I find pant suits, dresses, and coats that are good for $30-40 on threadlift. Did see one pair of wierd jeans my Granddaughter Belle Starr might like. Have tapesty down both legs and all sort of gold scrolling also. What the hell, she's a good kid,
It's only $2 !!!

Figured I might have to put these on Ebay, they are weird looking, NICE but weird. Name inside jeans was Roberto Cavalli. Ebay sold a pre-worn not looking so nice pair for $395. WTF ! I know a woman who pays $280 for her teenage daughters jeans. But $400 used,

Googled Robeto and found new start at $800. Distressed ( holes put in them to make you look poor ? ) $1300, little gold trim on
pockets $1700. The one I bought are mint, have hologram tag so I know not bootleg) Have to cost $2500-$4000 new.

So any forum member with a wife Mistress or hottie who forgot Mother's day ? I will let these go for $500.

What has this to do with 3 and !/2 % ? Just the thought for paying $4k for jeans, or worse $1700 to look like you shop at Walmart, brought up memories from the little grey cells. I think it was about 30 years ago on Sixty Minutes. Reporter was grilling Aristotle
Onassis about his affluent life style. Spending hundred of millions a year on mansions all over the world, Giant yacht, all the staff
for the houses etc. Not sure exactly how the question was worded, but I remember the reply. That old Greek looked the
interviewer dead in the eyes and said " How many people do you know who live on 3 &1/2 % of their income ? ? ? ?

P.s. If you are in Vegas I can deliver the jeans !

If you can put up with fashion nonsense there is always Vintage and Steampunk clothing. I think its all nonsense.

Thanks Flea. Still time to make the little woman happy for a mere $500.

just for the record, living on 3.5% of assets ... maybe 4% if you think you can get good return ... is pretty mandatory to maintain those assets over decades.

Nice to be able to add social security or whatever.

regarding ebay, it seems to be true that one group that works it hard is parents of young children looking for clothes. Something I heard anyway.

Threadup has increased business 500% in last year. Parents can send in clothes the kids have outgrown and use the credit to be new or just cash out. As a startup it looks as good as Amazon and Ebay did in the early days.

Quote: odiousgambit

regarding ebay, it seems to be true that one group that works it hard is parents of young children looking for clothes. Something I heard anyway.

Confirmed.

Quote: Buzzard

Threadup has increased business 500% in last year. Parents can send in clothes the kids have outgrown and use the credit to be new or just cash out. As a startup it looks as good as Amazon and Ebay did in the early days.

o.O

Tell me more...

Just google thredup. They will mail you a bag postage paid. They used to require a $4.95 deposit, but they have waived it for now.
Stuff it with like new kids or womens clothes. Takes about 3 days for bag to get there and 5-10 days to be processed. Then use credit to shop or wait 14 days and get funds from Paypal.

A better deal for kids stuff is Moxie Jeans. They take newborn- age 8. Thredup starts at 12 months and payout is often lower. An item may be .60 to 1.20 range or 4.00 to 5.60 on thredup. Moxie will be a flat 1.20 or 5.40. I am shifting baby and kid stuff to Moxie as wife and daughter will be doing them. Good price list on Moxie site with basic better and designer prices. Can get a check instantly after processing, no 14 day wait.

I went back to Encore today to see if I could find another pair of jeans that cost $2500 NEW. No such luck.

Did find a pair of free the people jeans. Several holes in bad but holes in front patched with material from a potholder, sock, etc.
They only see for $200 new.

Thredup is not on the stock market. SIGH. Looks like they will continue to grow , even faster than the 500% last year, now they have added woman's clothes.

Another good source of new and/or like-new clothing are white elephant sales. These are usually put on my churches or senior citizen groups. Everything they take in is by donation, they price things pretty cheaply, and use the profits for, well, whatever they need money for. Not always a hit, but sometimes you do encounter outrageously expensive clothing for very little money. Especially with the senior citizen groups. Personally, I think they may not be as in touch with what is popular and expensive, so a pair of jeans is a pair of jeans, and they sell some designer jeans for $1.

Church sales are frequently fill a bag for $1-$3, especially on the last day. Great source for baby and kids clothes. Expect wife and daughter Melanie to do good this summer. Melanie is on disability as she is Schitzo-effective. I went to culinary arts classes with her
last year as she hopes to get off SSI and have a job as a baker.

But job market here really SUCKS. Maybe this can work out for her. Perhaps with a few trips to Denver. Of course I would have to stop in Blackhawk as I have to drive. Melanie can not drive and probably will never get a license.

First bag at thredup. Less than $20 invested.

Will get Maryjo to load pix of $200 jeans and $2500 jeans later.

http://www.thredup.com/bags/93083

I just ordered a bag. I would like to see this work out. I'll have to make a list of brands to take with me to a local thrift store.

Thanks for the information as everyone needs a little more money.

Thanks! Had not heard of this, but have ordered a bag. Hope they like my dressy business stuff; I'd love to get a bit back from the money I spent on it before retiring.

Quote: odiousgambit

regarding ebay, it seems to be true that one group that works it hard is parents of young children looking for clothes. Something I heard anyway.

Egad, can't you do an "intervention"... go into their homes and introduce them to paper plates and takeaway dinners.
Also introduce them to cheap clothing for the little brats..in layers: one layer gets dirty you take it off and throw it away and presto the little brat is clean again. Sometimes I think those ebay browsers love doing laundry loads all weekend.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Hope they like my dressy business stuff; I'd love to get a bit back from the money I spent on it before retiring.

You would be better off with an upscale consignment shop, this way it will all be over in a jiffy.