The Stress of Car Boot Sales!

By: Nick Harvey
Submitted: 2007-01-17 13:11:29
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Spend the whole day before the event organising your clutter. In and out of the loft, back and forth to the shed. All those arguments about what can and can't go.

Clean your clutter. Well you do want a good price for it at the car boot sale!

Check that your car can carry the huge weight of the clutter to your local car boot ...

Check your cars tyres, check the petrol gauge. Complete all the rudimentary checks would normally undertake before going on a journey with half a ton of extra weight in the back.

Pack your car with the newly identified clutter.

Repack your car several times with the newly identified clutter until it actually fits.

Unpack your clutter when you realise your partner will not be able to get in the car.

Optional - Repack your car but leave several items out so your partner can get in the car. Or, buy a bigger car (or van, or lorry).

Plan your route. Take into consideration the extra time needed to travel this distance. There will be several thousand other cars doing the same journey.

Congratulations! - So, you're ready for the off in the morning. It's only taken you all day to sort the clutter and the car out.

Set your alarm clock for 5 o'clock in the morning – this is the very latest time you should look at getting out of bed.

Car boot sale day …

It is morning and you now ache from all the hard work you accomplished the day before. Well, the day has just begun (although it may still be dark).

Be sure to make yourself a hearty breakfast. If you're going on your own you won't be able to leave the rear of your vehicle to get some food as someone might steal your clutter and your car (or parts of the car to sell on their stall).

Panic – you suddenly remember that you will need a table to set out your clutter on. The pasting table you used to decorate the bedroom. The rails you used to hang your clothes on whilst you decorated your bedroom. These are the perfect car boot sale accessories!

The journey to the car boot sale …

You now set off on your journey to the car boot sale. A few hours later and a few miles up the road you realise that it's a bit foggy. It is not foggy. It is the fumes from all the cars on the road in front of you.

Eventually, you make it into the field where the car boot sale is being held. It is muddy. Did you bring an old pair of boots? Have a quick look round to see if anyone is selling some.

The car boot sale …

You pay your pitch fee and you park your car. It's not so bad. The grass will grow again – some day.

Time to set up and wait for the first customer. But before you can get anything out, herds of strange folk come up to you and ask very forward questions. Like, "do you have any toys?". These people are dealers, they prey on the unsuspecting, looking for the ultimate bargain.

Now the following is more than likely to happen, considering this is Britain and here comes the rain. Did you bring the brolly? Remember, people pay less for soggy goods.

The customers flock by and some even stop to have a look. You feel uncomfortable. These people are looking at your personal belongings. They may be old but they are part of your history. Are they judging you? All you want is to get rid of the stuff and maybe earn enough money to recoup all you have laid out for the day.

Counting the cost of the car boot sale …

The sale of your clutter goes quite well – not always the case. The average booter will take between ?15 and ?30. (Then spend it on buying more clutter). The obvious wear and tear on your poor vehicle or the time used to complete this exercise is not even included.

So the whole day has cost you a fiver. Well, at least you got rid of that unwanted clutter. All you've got to do now is find a place for the new clutter. And what about all the stuff you didn't manage to sell?

It's been a long day. No! It's been a long weekend! Did you really need all that stress?

The average cost for the day is as follows …

Takings:

?30

Petrol:

?10

Entrance Fee:

?10

Lunch and snacks

?5

Other clutter purchased

?10

Profit: -?5

Seriously though, boot sales are a tried and trusted way to buy and sell but there are alternatives. Try ubos.co.uk.

Ubos.co.uk is not an auction site. It is a growing online marketplace for buyers and sellers to trade securely. Ubos is the 21st Century alternative to car boot, garage and yard sales. Upload up to 30 items. One item could even be a multitude of the same product. There are no stealth taxes. You pay for your pitch for 2-weeks and keep the commission on sales you make.

Article source: Expert Articles