Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Thrift Store Score - Smith Corona Typewriter

Talk about an obsolete item in today's society - a typewriter? It is nearly impossible to even find ribbons for them anymore. As my teenagers said, "What does it do?" Thanks for making me feel old, kids. But, they hold their value on eBay. Below is my listing for a vintage Smith Corona typewriter with case. This was marked $10 at a thrift store.

The typewriter sold for $129.97. This is a case of waiting for the right buyer. I had placed the item on auction for 7 days and did not receive any bids. Then I listed it on fixed price and it sold in 3 days. The listing only had 25 page views. Click here to see the completed listing.

Typewriters can bring really good money on eBay. Here are a few completed listings for typewriters that sold at astronomical prices:

Vintage Royal Typewriter - sold for $611

Vintage Underwood Typewriter
- sold for $600

Vintage Olivetti Typewriter - sold for $455

So there you go. Old obsolete items can be a gold mine on eBay. For more ideas on vintage items to sell on eBay, check these two blog posts, which are updated regularly:

List of vintage items to sell on eBay

List of thrift store items to sell on eBay





Tuesday, February 1, 2011

#1 Excuse for a Failed Business - I Don't Have Enough Time


I am going to give it to you straight here - no sugar coating. So if you aren't up for a reality check , stop reading now. This is going to be harsh - sort of like Lou Gossett, Jr as the drill sergeant in "An Officer and a Gentleman."

I have coached hundreds of clients on how to succeed with online selling, creating passive income streams, and starting a home business. The #1 excuse I hear regarding why clients don't do assignments, and therefore don't succeed:

"I don't have enough time."

This is a classic (lame) excuse and usually comes from the people with the most time to spare. We all have the exact same amount of time in every day, 24 hours. A perceived lack of time is usually lack of something else - discipline, focus, prioritizing, passion, or decision making. When I hear, "I don't have enough time," what that person is saying is, "I don't want this badly enough." The cold hard truth here is:

You will make time for what is important to you.

What do you really want? To make more money? To quit your "regular" job and earn a living on eBay full time? To earn enough money for a down payment on a house? To retire early? Financial freedom? The way you spend your time is how you show value for the important things in your life. Fact:

If you don't spend time on something, you do not value it.

Now, I am not saying you should be glued to your computer 12 hours a day and neglect your family, yourself, or your life. Building a successful business is about making choices. Being an entrepreneur involves many unpaid hours before you start to see results. Are you letting the drama of life get in the way of your focus? Are you spending time on things that will help you reach your goal, or are you frittering time away on activities that are unrelated to reaching your goals? Consider this:

You are where you are today because of choices you have made in your life.

Every choice you have made up to today has shaped your current situation in life. For example, when you are working on your eBay business, and a neighbor comes to the door, do you tell them you are working and can't chat? Do you turn off your phone while you are working, or do you allow the phone to interrupt you? Do your evenings revolve around mindless TV - something that will never help your business grow? Do you jump at any invitation to socialize knowing that your work won't get done?

It is time to stop living in the land of excuses. If you want something badly enough, you will work towards it. You will make time for what is important to you. We all have the same amount of time in a day, what you do with it is your decision.

"Desire is the starting point of all achievement - not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." ~ Napoleon Hill, author of "Think and Grow Rich."

That's my story, and I am stickin' to it.