Author - Chuck G.

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What is trash and what is cash. You know the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” That still holds true.

Let’s say you bought a 10×20 storage unit stacked from floor to ceiling. Boxes, containers, all 200 sq ft. packed so tight that it took you quite a bit of time to clean the locker. Transport your goods home and get ready for the dig.

Open one box and it’s full of paperback and hard cover books. You mutter, “ugh.” Toss the book box aside. Grab a container and inside frilly, girly items such costume jewelry. No gold. No silver. Ugh. Open another box and it’s full of small kitchen appliances. UGH!

Hold on a second.

What you have are items that resell. If you buy storage units because of the hoopla of incredible $$$ treasures you saw on shows like Storage Wars and Auction Hunters, you’re in the wrong business and wrong hobby.

You may stumble across a great find that will cash in thousands of dollars for you, one day. However, storage unit auctions are a not a get rich quick scheme. You buy low and sell high. In order to do that you must separate what’s trash from what’s cash.

Small appliances and large appliances sell well. Just because you didn’t find gold or silver jewelry, costume jewelry is what most girls, teens, ladies and women wear. Show the sparkle and she will show you the cash.

Try not to snub books either. Not everyone has an e-book reader. Romance novels, biographies and especially textbooks resell well. Tools, furniture in decent condition, toys, sports gear, and electronics (newer) sell.

Let’s define trash: Anything worthless, useless, or discarded.

A box full of books is not necessarily trash. If you don’t want to go through the trouble of selling each book individually, sell in bulk. I sold 77 CDs from the 90s as a bulk item. Buyer paid $71 for them. The CDs were old but they were not trash.

Broken equipment. Ripped furniture. Toys with missing parts. Torn or stained clothing. Recycle. You’ll get some cash from the items at least.

Consider what you can sell as an individual item. What you can sell in bulk. And what you believe you could not donate to the poor. Now that’s trash.

Examine your items. Research them online. But most of all use common sense before you throw away part of your profit margin.

Please leave your creative thoughts in the comment box below.

How to Prepare a Financial Game Plan

April 3, 2013

How fun to pick up a new hobby! Storage auctions differ from most hobbies because the goal is to buy low and sell high. This game of skill and chance requires money but it’s still a safer bet than buying and selling stocks.

Prepare a financial game plan.

If you pick up the sport of fencing you must sign a sheet of paper that explains the dangers of the sport — “You may receive fatal wounds.” Oh, Mercy!

The only thing that may receive mortal wounds in storage auctions is your savings account. Have, Mercy! Auction hunting can be both a hobby and an investment but always remember cash is involved. Step into the arena with a solid strategy.

With any new hobby or sport you calculate how much of your monthly income you can set aside for equipment, gas, and your time. Same rules apply to buying storage units.

If you have never created a monthly budget now is the time. Map out the basic monthly bills:

Rent/Mortgage
Electricity
Water
Gas utility
Waste management
Cable/Direct TV
Internet
Food
Gas for automobile
Insurance for home
Insurance for automobile

These are the basics. Other considerations babysitting costs (if any), weekly lunch allowance, clothes, house repairs, car maintenance, children’s sports equipment and membership fees, college funds, savings account or retirement fund, etc.

Do not allow your drive to buy storage units blindside you financially. Take the time to figure out what your “needs” are each and every month. The excess amount is play money, what you can afford to lose.

Did you read that?

What you can “afford” to lose. You may buy a storage unit for $275, however, after you dig through your merchandise you may not break even after everything is sold.

If you believe you will make a profit out of each and every storage unit you purchase you must have the Midas touch because in reality that’s a myth. Most likely you will lose money before you make money.

Prepare a financial game plan and auction hunting will be for you a fun and adventurous yet affordable hobby.

Please leave your insightful opinions in the comment box below.

Auction Hunters: Pawn Edition: Ton the Musket-teer

March 30, 2013

Auction Hunters

Auction Hunters: Pawn Edition: Season 4, Episode 10: “Always Money in Philadelphia.”

On the road again… Haff-Ton team back in their bread truck headed 3000 miles away from home to the city of Philadelphia.

A premier antique store closed and stashed its inventory at a storage facility. Seven units up for auction.

Allen’s enthusiasm for a stake on the antique treasures matched Ton’s enthusiasm to bite into the best cheesesteaks in all of Philly.

The storage facility’s location however tensed our Haff-Ton tough guys. They drove through a South Central mean-street area. To make matters even more unnerving the storage facility had barbed wire on top of the fence.

Rename the show to Auction Hunters: Prison Edition.

There were few peeps at the storage auction but one gentleman stood out from the crowd. Very well dressed and well mannered. I’ll call him Wall Street. He ambled about, cool and collected that one. Allen mistook him for the auctioneer because he carried a clipboard.

Why would anyone carry a clipboard to an auction?

When the third storage unit rolled around Allen coveted that clipboard. Tell you why as soon as we get through the first two units.

First unit everyone’s stoked. Door up. Groans. Inside the unit, a few boxes, plastic containers, soccer goal, old television and sports equipment. Not part of the antique store. Allen won the unit for $500.

Second unit, now we’re talking! Boxes and crates each labeled with lot numbers. No doubt the unit was full of antiques. Haff-Ton’s motto: “Go Big or Go Home.” They agreed $10k as their cap.

Bid began at $2,000. Allen and Ton hopped ever so quickly to their $10,000 cap. Wall Street jumped the bid to $15,000! That’s serious money, honey!

Why the clip board. It had the entire antique store’s manifest. Wall Street knew what was in each box and crate. He won the 2^nd unit, 3^rd unit, 4^th unit, 5^th unit, and 6^th unit.

Final unit also had a few boxes and crates from the antique store. Bids jumped from $100 to $2,000 in less than 30 seconds. Allen and Ton rung the bell and closed down Wall Street. About time guys, seriously.

Haff-Ton team dug into the first unit. Sports gear such as lacrosse, hockey stick, football pads and a football passing machine. Allen found a potential buyer for the football machine, a former NFL player Vince Palpale.

Mark Walberg portrayed him in the movie Invincible. Vince was interested in the machine for a youth league. The JUGS passing machine can pass a football from 5-80 yards. Of course the Haff-Ton donated the machine for the kids. Aw!

Haff-Ton’s second unit was not full of cool antiques, but they did find a musket. Oh, happy day for Ton. They took the colonial musket to weapons expert Craig. He said it was a Long Land Brown Bess Musket.

The “GR” markings symbol stood for King George of Great Britain. Barrel engravings “4BNJV” stood for 4^th Battalion New Jersey Volunteers. Stamp 1762 meant it was brought over from across the pond for the loyalist to fight for the British army. Troops were expected to fire four rounds per minute.

Ton, the lone Musket-teer volunteered to fire the weapon. If it worked $15k, but if it didn’t, weapons expert Craig would only pay $8k. Oh, sweet thirteen colonies, the musket fired mighty fine.

Auction Total:

Bought: $2,500
Sold: $15,000
Profit: $12,500

Did I forget to mention Ton dislocated his thumb when Allen accidentally hit him with a hockey stick? Ton used duct tape to *snap* his thumb back into place. Yeah, that was gross. Probably why I chose to forget…

Please leave your insightful opinions in comment box below.

Storage Wars: Part 2 Of 100-Vault Auction

March 26, 2013

Storage Wars

Storage Wars: Season 3, Episode 30: “Still Nobody’s Vault But Mine.”

Second half of the 100-vault auction in Chatsworth, California with fifty vaults sold.

Many hobbyist left but the regulars and two new players still present: Barry, Jarrod, Brandi, Darrell, Ivy, Herb and Mike, and the late Mark Balelo.

Ivy stated it would take endurance, stamina and confidence.

It appeared Brandi was still in the game.

Jarrod: You still feeling confident?
Brandi: I’m always confident. As long as I have deodorant on, I’m good.

Whatever works, Brandi. Fifty lockers sold, fifty to go. On with the show…

First Lot: 5-Vaults

Thrift store haven. Furniture, rug, neatly stacked boxes, and much more. Barry wanted to bid for “gits & shiggles.” If you are unfamiliar with the term, I’ll give you the definition, in a minute. Barry bid up the vaults, but he went too far. He was within a hair’s breadth for the win. Jarrod out bid him at last call at $225 x 5 = $1,125.

Breathe, Barry. Breathe.

Second lot: 4-Vaults

Box spring, furniture, carefully packed items. Darrell spotted what he thought was artwork very well packaged at the back of the crate. Boasted that he was known as the “Art Dealer.”

Since when? We’ll see about that.

Bid war between Jarrod and Darrell, but nothing would stop “The Gambler” from fine art. He won at $500 x 4 = $2,000. Hope you find a Monet or Rembrandt.

Third Lot: 1-Vault

Clothes, boxes, luggage, all thrown together inside the crate. What a mess. Ivy won the single vault at $275. ONE vault. That’s it, Ivy? As he dug through his crate he accidentally dropped and broke some items. It was amusing even to him.

Fifth Lot: 1-Vault

In a word – horrible. Barry bid for gits & shiggles, but before I give you the definition, it was MMA vs “The Collector.” Barry won at $120.

Barry found decent furniture in the last vault, but nothing worthy of appraisal. Ivy however did find snake hunting gear which he took to an expert. One hook pole and grasp pole valued at $100. Two skeletal snakes inside displays cases also appraised at $100. Ivy didn’t make bank, but he didn’t go broke either.

Darrell had his crates unloaded at his warehouse. He wanted Kimber to see how a real man adds. He inflated the prices of the furniture to impress his lady friend. Artwork he thought was in the back of the crate – a mirror. He’ll now be known as the “Mirror Dealer.”

Best catch of the day, hats off to Jarrod and Brandi. Was it a Picasso? Furniture from the 1800s? Vintage jewelry from Tiffany’s? No, even better.

A freakin’ awesome pair of Texas Steer Horn chairs and ottomans. Antique expert Dennis stated the unique furniture was modern. Made around the 1980s. Very well made. Very collectible. Valued at $3,800 for the pair – Yeehaw!

Profit Scorecard:

Jarrod Schulz & Brandi Passante: $3,975
Darrell Sheets: $1,175
Ivy Calvin: $480
Barry Weiss: $230

Oh, and gits & shiggles means for the Hell of it.

Please leave your creative thoughts in the comment box below.

Church Camp Fundraiser Buy a Storage Unit Online

March 24, 2013

Church camps are fun!

But they don’t come cheap. According to the American Camp Association, church camps may range from about $100 per week up to $400 per week or more.

Now that’s per child! Plus the additional cost of travel that must be provided by the church as well.

Bake sales will work, but only if your church has a large congregation. Small to medium size churches must become more creative in their fund raising efforts.

Buy a storage unit online!

Think about it. You need to raise funds. Bake sales, spaghetti dinners, walk-a-thons, car washes, etc., you’ve been there, done that, and guess what? It didn’t work. If you buy a storage unit however, you may double or triple your money.

It’s customary to hold a fundraiser sale at the church parking lot, but if your church’s location is tucked away out in the boonies, that will generate little to no traffic.

You could resell items from a storage unit at a flea market or swap meet. Make signs to let people know the items sold will raise funds to send kids to church camp.

People are sympathetic.

They may buy an item just to help out, and most likely give you more than you are asking for the item to donate to your church camp fundraiser.

If you can pool enough money together to buy a larger unit such as a 10×10, you could possibly rake in enough in profits to send several kids to a decent church camp for free or at least at a huge discount off the church camp’s fee.

I came from a rather large congregation, so bake sales were a huge success. If however your congregation is less than 200, you may rethink the type of fundraiser that will generate the monies you will need.

Buying a storage unit is the easy part. Reselling the merchandise is the hard part. Get all the kids who want to go to camp involved and you should meet your goals far quicker than other methods of investments.

You may have a dozen kids who need to go to camp at $100 each. How can you raise $1,200 money in such a short period of time?

Buy storage units online.

Even if your locker doesn’t contain the best merchandise, people really are sympathetic and will buy items as well as donate to your church camp fundraising cause.

You’ve tried everything else, why not try this venue. Might become far more successful than you imagine.

What type of church camp fundraisers have been successful for your church?

Please enter your comments in the box below.

Auction Hunters: Pawn Edition: The Mother Of All Guns

March 23, 2013

Auction Hunters

Auction Hunters: Pawn Edition: Season 4, Episode 9: “Machine Gun Ton.”

Shootout at Panoma storage auction on Route 66. Haff-Ton team versus Hellcat man-haters Brunette & Blondie.Friendly banter between the two teams before the auction.

Allen: Maybe today I can give you a few pointers. Lend you a flashlight.
Blondie: Zip it, bitch.

Son of a biscuit it got ugly fast. Someone call 9-1-1. Fire in the house and the auction doors yet to open. But it would turn out the B&B team was loaded with blanks rather than bullets.

First unit stacked neat. Eyelet machine, boxes, and a handmade wooden box that caught Ton’s attention. The Hellcats were clueless to the value of the unit, but their strategy was to bid up then dump the unit on the Haff-Ton team. But the bid stopped at $800. That’s an easy win for Allen and Ton.

You call that a bid war? Puh-lease.

The second unit was a mangled mess of trophies, uniforms and mystery boxes. The Hellcats were bent to win the unit. Why? To make sure they won a unit. With that mentality they will quickly run out of cash and be forced to take up another hobby such as underwater basket weaving.

Allen and Ton used same strategy to up the bid up the gals. Brunette and Blondie paid $500 for, well, nothing. No one else wanted the unit. Maybe the Hellcats were both near and farsighted.

Last unit contained a gun case, guitar case, fishing poles, and other man cave items. The Hellcats were all talk about how they were going to up the bid but again tapped at $800. That’s like butter for the Haff-Ton team who in the end got the last LOL.

First unit dig was to fire up the USMC eyelet machine. Older unit but looked in decent shape. It’s primary function is to punch eye-holes in boots. Flipped the switch and nothing. Not a sound.

Next item, man-made wooden box. O-M-G moment for Ton – replica of Gatling battery gun. Ton flipped from manly man to little boy in a snap! Oh giddy, goody, gunny!

The gun case was empty in the second unit. A pink guitar in the guitar case (ew). Rest of the items a bust. However, they did find a huge metal box. Inside was a replica of a full medieval suit of armor with chain-mail. Allen flipped from man-boy to boy in a snap!

Two replicas worthy of appraisal. Off to a ranch to meet prop master Peter who supplies Hollywood with all things that go BOOM! Oh, my, my he was impressed with the 1862 Gatling battery gun replica. Fires single-action shots at 300-400 rounds per minute.

Dr. Gatling made this gun for the Union during the civil war to end all wars. Little did he know he had made the-mother-of-all-guns to come.

Ton was pumped to test the gun on a prop jeep on the ranch. He cranked the Gatling. Nothing. Gah! Not again. Ton took out the magazine. Prop master fiddled with the mechanics until he heard something pop inside.

Ready. Aim. Fire!

Single shots obliterated the prop jeep. Sold Gatling for $3,300. The medieval suit was appraised back at the pawn shop. Expert in Amory and Weaponry Dave stated the suit was a mid 1500s replica constructed of aluminum and custom orders run at around $15,000-$18,000.

Put the sword back in its sheath. No way would Dave pay retail. Remember, this suit will fit only a particular size because it’s custom made. Allen tried on the suit. He looked ridiculous. Few parts amiss but sold for $6,000.

Auction Total:

Bought: $1,600
Sold: $9,300
Profit: $7,700

Ton shot his way to a profit. Allen paraded in a suit of armor to Camelot, but only in his dreams.

Please leave your creative thoughts in the comment box below.

No Gas, No Time, No Frustrations

March 20, 2013

Stuck in traffic. Honk! Honk! Honk! Not as though honking your horn will help move cars along. You’re late to a storage auction and not sure you will make it in time.

You’ve had the date marked on your calendar. Ten storage units up for sale. You’re ready. Cash in pocket. Problem? The auction site about thirty miles away. It’s rush hour and everyone’s in a hurry to get to work.

Finally you arrive at the storage auction site. Several of the units however have been sold. You have just enough time to scoop up what’s left. GAH! Last units are sparse with worthless items.

What a H-U-G-E waste of time!

Gas is not cheap and you still have that thirty mile return trip. You’re frustrated and wonder if there’s a better way. Yes there is and it’s innovative.

OnlineStorageAuctions.com

You can browse online through the cities or states of interest to you. Take a good look at the photo of the open storage unit up for auction. You don’t have to drive, just “click” to bid if you are interested. This new venue cannot however replace the experience of attending a real live storage unit auction, it will however save you:

Gas
Time
Frustration

Time is your most valuable asset. If you are a fan of any of the Storage Wars series you have seen the auction hunters many times drive a great distance to attend an auction yet went home empty handed. Maybe they can afford a wild goose chase, but not everyone can.

Bidding on storage units online is painless and easy. No gas. No time wasted. No frustrations. You have up to 48 hours to clean out the storage unit once you have won that bid. More than enough time to get your gear in order for that long haul. No rush.

As you browse through the storage units up for auction, even if you find one that’s quite a distance away, no worries. No need to drive so take a good look at the photo, then “click” to bid and good luck. Hope you win.

Frustrations-be-gone and let the fun begin!

Please leave you creative opinions in the comment box below.

Expand Your Inventory & Business

March 20, 2013

Storage Auctions 101

You own a thrift store, second-hand store, or maybe enjoy selling at swap meets and flea markets. But you need product, especially if you want to expand your business. Storage unit auctions are a solid choice for finding a variety of products for you to profit thereby.

One tiny, teeny, issue…

Buy low, sell high is still the status quo, but you cannot seem to win enough good lockers at every auction you attend. You need to generate inventory to keep up with the supply and demand as well as to expand.

Time to step into the 21^st century and bid online for storage units.

Think about it for a moment. We shop for virtually anything and everything online. From groceries, electronics, clothing to even the most basic household supplies such as bar soap.

It’s impossible to win every good locker you physically attend without cutting into your profit margin. You may however increase your win percentage by bidding on storage units online. More wins lead to more products which lead to expansion possibilities.

If you’ve traveled the storage auction circuit for a good while you may have developed this internal radar. One quick look at a storage unit and instantly you can assess if that locker will fill your needs.

Same difference in the virtual world.

Take a good long look at a photo of an open storage unit up for auction online and assess its value for your inventory and expansion needs. Pass or go. You just know because that inner radar kicks in. But at least you didn’t have to drive to the auction site and waste your time.

What type of items will you find at online storage auction?

Furniture – check
Clothing – check
Toys – check
Kitchen supplies – check
Tools – check

You can bid on several storage units online during the week. The more units you win the quicker you generate inventory.

What’s out in the real world is also in the virtual world.

Please leave you insightful comments in the box below.

Best Way To Bid On Your First Storage Auction — Online

March 20, 2013