Customer Reviews

How to Make a Fortune with Other People's Junk

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I find that after reading this book, she's dead right on a number of points, and yet there are a few things where I believe differently. First though a point of absolute agreement. She says concentrate on something, it really doesn't matter, but something. I concentrate on books and computers.

First she says that she sets her alarm to go off at 5 AM so that she can get to the opening bell at the garage sale, flea market, or whatever. Nope! I'm not going to set the alarm anywhere nearly that early. Today a local church had a flea market from 7 to 11. I got there about 10:45, I was just about the only customer there. The church ladies were beginning to recognize that they had an awful lot of stuff left. The book table still had an awful lot of books. The sign said Paperbacks $1, Hardbacks $3. These numbers were scratched out and new numbers of 50 cents and $1 were written in. These were scratched out and 20 cents and fifty cents were written in.

I asked, "How much if I take all the books you have left?" That caused a conference among the church ladies.

They came back, "Make us an offer."

"Well, I brought my truck with me, how about I help you haul stuff out of here in turn for the books?"

Another conference and we made a deal. (This works really well at estate sales where the kids are there from out of town to clean out Grandma's house.)

Free is a good price for books, you can list any of them for sale at Amazon for a penny and make fifty cents or so on the shipping allowance that Amazon gives you. More important, you may find a jewel. I've sold a few free books for $5, $10, $20, in one case $75.

Ms. Carbone recommends several things that you should carry in your car. A thing that I find invaluable is a computer type cell phone with web capability. I can browse to the Amazon web site and quickly check the value of an obscure book while I'm looking over the inventory at a thrift store. Some books look like they would be rare and hard to find but it turns out they were recently reprinted and Amazon has 441 copies available starting at a penny.

As Ms. Carbone says, you will probably eventually specialize. You can't be an expert in everything. Pick something you like, you're going to spend a lot of time working on those things.

Good Luck!

This book is awesome! I made money from the first tip I read and let me tell you, there are hundreds of tip to get you excited about making money. I needed to supplement my income because I'm a single Mom. And guess what? I even learned how to take my kids and get a bargain on items just because they were with me. The treasure success stories are inspiring. The Chapter on Creating Your Secret Treasure Map is so detailed and easy to follow and the author is so right on about mapping

out your yard sale route ahead of time so you can hit more yard sales in less time. My kids love to help me plot the map and then we get up early and go on a treasure hunt! What a fun way to include the family and make money at the same time. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I've always loved tag sales and auctions, but on my first time out after reading this book, I came across several items I would have passed by before. So far I have made over $1,000.00 with my new finds.

This is a fantastic insiders guide book, full of brilliant strategies and tips. Every person who wants to supplement their income or make extra money should have a copy of this book!!!!!

This book is an incredible insight into how you can really make money at garage sales, estate sales, auctions, ebay, etc. First of all for the beginner, like myself, this book was jamm packed full of inside hints of what to do so you can make a great buy. There is a lot of information in this book but it was presented in a way that made it really enjoyable to read. By the time I finished the book I was inspired to get out there and find a great buy. GG Carbones' book just proved to be wonderful advice because I bought a saxophone at a swappers meet a couple of weeks ago and I just sold it and made 100.00 profit! I never would have been the first one there but I took GG Carbones advice and was the early bird and now I have 100 more bucks in my pocket! How can you go wrong with reading a book and making money soon after you have finished it.

I think I'll re-read it again!

We aren't really collectors, but we do enjoy going to a lot of sales and such, and we buy and sell often. We have a huge yard sale with my brothers and sisters twice a year. I deal in books. My sister sells junk, stuff, silver, heirlooms, plates, whatever. My brother and his wife sell antiques and have a store from which they rent commission space.

I read the book and I learned we have been doing some of this wrong. Or let me put it this way, in a way that cost us some money. There was a guy who made some money off me, I remember now how he bought an old American Flag and talked to me how he did. He was working me. After I read the book, I can see the tricks and tactics he used on me, and I remember.

So this author knows her stuff. I imagine some of the pros are mad at her for revealing some of this. I especially like the tips, they are laid out easily so you can learn the tricks. I am presently using the tactics about Wheeling and Dealing, the "Best actor" award section.

I dont have a lot of time to read, so her tricks and tips help. The pictures arent the greatest, but it doesnt matter. If you are like me, and you would like that extra edge and want some secret tactics and professional info, read it.

Great book for a yardsale person or a collector in my mind.

It's a rare person who is creative and innovative and shares all that she has learned in a cut throat business where other dealers can be unkind, secretive, and resentful where tricks of the trade are openly shared so that others can make money. G.G. Carbone TELLS ALL in a fun and exciting style. Some of her ideas are refreshing and may border on absurd, but it is only because in the 25 years in business she's seen it all. None of her stories are made up. As a matter of fact, I am the crazy dealer who puts on a chef's outfit, passes out bon bons, and wears a portable microphone to try to make a sale. I want to attract attention and make sales, not just sit around and laugh with friends, while people ignore my merchandise. (Just to set the record straight, passing out bon bons and wearing a portable microphone was not in her book, that was only in an article she wrote for Brimfield, so make sure you know the true sources, readers, before believing all the reviews written on Amazon. Some people say they've read the book, when they are actually too cheap to buy it!!!) Buying and selling can be intimidating, but G.G. is a pro, a veteran auctioneer, a great sales woman, and a great writer! Judge for yourself. Buy the book. You'll be glad you did! It's worth every penny and I know people who have made a fortune because of her hundreds of insider tips.

I'm a veteran garage-sale scrounger, but there were many, many things in this book that I'd never thought of. I would highly recommend this book to both the novice and the experienced yard sale warrior alike.

Using just two of the tips from the book, I made a killer buy on the first garage sale I hit after reading the book. My wife has a new set of tires on her car thanks to those tips.

Heartfelt thanks to the author for sharing the 'insider' knowledge with me.

How to make a fortune with others people's junk has help me turn my passion of attending tag sales, flea markets, and auctions into a profitable side business. This book is an easy and fun read filled with actual experiences and guidance by antique dealers, auctioneers, insiders tips that I have never seen shared in any other book of its kind. This is better than any price guide or antique reference book because it teaches you how to buy low and sell high.

"I'm on a never-ending treasure hunt, but I can't attend every auction or stop at every garage sale. That's why I wrote this book --- to help you make a profit. You can easily make an extra $1,000 a month. I include 105 tips in the shape of a key icon to get you on the road to success. I show you how to unlock doors to treasures (ch. 1); ten accessories for better buying (Ch. 2); the six top sales to target first (Ch. 3); why a secret treasure map will get you the most buys (Ch. 4); why you should get to know your hairdresser or postmaster intimately (Ch. 5); how to find the bargains fast (Ch. 6); ten acting caps you can wear to wheel and deal like a pro (Ch. 7); how to swim with the Piranhas (the competition) (Ch. 8); how to get from the garage to the attic (Ch. 9); nine ways you can specialize to increase your profits (Ch. 10); eight ways to find out what your treasure is worth (Ch. 11); the pros and cons of auctions, consignment shops, and antique shops. (Ch. 12); places to sell your treasures on your own including eBay and your own yard sale (Ch. 13). And if you are successful or lucky, in Chapter 14, I tell you how you can go from part-time to full time including the Tax Man Cometh. And finally, Chapter 15 has inspiring treasure finds so you can start immediately to make a fortune with other people's junk. I have 25 years of experience as a professional auctioneer, antique dealer, and garage sale aficianado! Have fun and happy treasure hunting."

I've been going to auctions, flea markets, and tag sales for some time now but was never successful in turning a purchase into profit. A friend recommended this book so I could learn some secrets that would help me make some extra cash. After reading "How to Make a Fortune..." I was an "Early Bird" at a neighborhood tag sale and left with an armful of items. I went home and used G.G.'s Ebay advice and a week later more than tripled my money. I may not have hit the "Big Find" but I did make some money to prove her techniques work. I will be getting up early on the weekends from now on, Thanks G.G.