Up until now, I've been selling mostly textbooks on eBay, as well as a few non-fiction books here and there. The problem, I've found, is that textbooks only do very well around the beginning of a semester. To sell them beyond that would be to sell them far below their fair value. The solution, then, is to branch out into more consistently popular items, while still staying within the boundaries of something I already know a little about.
Last week, I stumbled upon some very cute Juicy Couture ballet flats in a thrift store for $4.95. Two days after I listed them on eBay, I received a bid for $49.99! I take that as a sign, and have since been hunting name brand shoes and scheduling them to post.
You can view my eBay listings HERE to find out how well these items are doing.
I have a theory that, the closer it gets to Christmas, the more people are going to be buying "not-necessary" items. Which leads me to another idea: Living Lockets.
As you may know, I currently work in a doctor's office. One of the nurses came to work on Monday with a cute little Origami Owl® living locket necklace she'd gotten at a craft fair. These are becoming rather popular, so I started asking questions.
Turns out, each one of those locket charms retail for $3. This morning, I found a couple auctions for lots of them at stealth prices - 25 for $5, for example. What happens when I list them for $2? Another experiment has taken hold!
I'll keep you posted as these items make their way through my eBay rounds.
I have wanted to own my own work-from-home business since the birth of my first child. Unfortunately, it's all too easy to be sucked into a scam when seeking such an arrangement - and boy was I. I paid good money to "learn" pyramid schemes, sell Tupperware and Mary Kay and Avon, and buy tons of books about owning your own business. What I found was that I was only buying someone else' dream. I have no desire to take money from people who are dead broke to begin with, and I have absolutely ZERO natural sales talent. After a couple of years of adulthood, I finally realized the value of an education. Unfortunately, the post-secondary education system in this country is just as skewed as their predecessors. So many people spend YEARS of their lives and thousands of dollars they don't have to earn a degree which sets them one or two bucks an hour over minimum wage. So, I decided, unless it comes free, that career track is not for me. What I really needed were marketable SKILLS. In my enthusiasm of youth, I subsequently earned (and continue to earn) certifications and credentials which boost my appeal to employers. As of this writing, I am licensed to prepare business and personal tax returns, notarize official signatures in my state, and care for the elderly or disabled with a CNA certification. On top of this, I ran a very successful business (successful in that it made me a lot of money - not that it was personally rewarding) for seven years. In an employer's standpoint, this is the equivilant of holding a BA in Business Administration - albeit, from the School of Hard Knocks. Why then, I ask myself, am I working for ten bucks an hour as a receptionist, scheduling appointments for a physician in my hometown? Especially since that money barely covers my living expenses (although, I have very little debt), and I cannot be home to welcome my three young children home from school. Not to mention, I have less time than I'd like to prepare for them healthy meals and keep up with the ever-existent mountain of laundry. The answer is: I settled. Never settle. The fact is, I know a LOT about a LOT of things. That, combined with a 129 IQ, says I have what it takes to do WHATEVER I need to to make my life what I want to. The initial form that this experiment will take, then, will be a combination of things: EBay sales - I already earn $250-400 per month doing this less than 10 hours per week. Writing - I am a fantastic writer and believe that I could earn an excellent living writing articles and books. Taxes - This is obviously only a seasonal position but, with the right base of clients, it's easy money for someone who knows what they're doing. I will, of course, be adding to this list as time goes by...
Am-er-i-can Dream: The definitions of the American Dream is as broad and varied as the country itself. But I think the above definition does a great job of encompassing the entirety of those ideals.
the traditional social ideals of the US, such as equality, democracy, and material prosperity.
To this end, I have found that the 9-5 jobs we are encouraged to take out student loans to qualify for simply does not provide this standard of living which we should - and could - demand. I spent seven years running my own business and a combined six years working for 'The Man' and, I gotta tell you, there is no equality or democracy in your standard work environment. Occasionally, we can get lucky and find the material prosperity concept; however, it's often accompanied by a ton of student debt and financial insecurity due to incorrect managing of our personal wealth.
As a single mom without a college degree, I recognize that the odds are stacked against me. Still, even without those papers tying me to a husband or an institution, I believe firmly in the spirit of industry which initially drove this country to greatness even from the depths of disparity.
What I'm trying to say is, even though I currently work at one of those 9-5's, I've decided to develop my own recipe for taking my fate into my own hands and work from home with my own - legit! - business. Because MY American Dream is having the ability to support my family, providing for them the basics and, yes, a few luxuries in life, without spending all of my time in someone else's office. I want to send my children off to school AND be there to welcome them home. I want to see my bank account grow based on my own efforts - not simply due to "time served". Most importantly, I want to feel that what I do is really something to be proud of. I recognize that many people are content retiring with pensions. I never want to retire. Or, in another sense, forever be retired.
So, I'm setting myself a timeline, and putting this blog out there journaling my efforts - two things which I believe will motivate me to accomplishing my goal. Because, on January 1, 2015, I will quit my 9-5 job and work from home full time in any and every capacity available to me.
I will be posting my initial business plan for this transition within the next few days. Then, I will take you on a journey to show you how I intend to (and hopefully succeed in!) create my own American Dream. May my risk be your reward.